Aditi Sargeant, The Saraswati Cabinet (FURNITURE 2025)

Photos:

Aditi Sargeant

Country

Australia

The Saraswati Cabinet is my apprentice piece and first cabinet. Made in river redgum, with rock maple drawer internals, it pays homage to my mixed Indian and Australian heritage. For the design I wanted to play with a curve motif on the front, and use the opportunity to learn as much as I could about technique and process. I made the door by layering resawn veneers, routing out the ‘river’ channels, doing multiple glue ups to get the perfect result. It was important for me to add that extra bit of depth and interest by having separate layers. The cabinet’s door and drawer front are designed and made to stand out against the simple, elegant construction of the rest of the cabinet. The handles protrude from the top and the side creating a playful sense of interaction when you open it. Named Saraswati after the ancient Indian river and the Hindu goddess of learning and knowledge, this cabinet is a sweet little nod to the big learning experience that it was to make it. The Saraswati cabinet holds a lot of emotional weight for me, not only by being my first personal piece but I lost an important mentor while I was making it. It took a lot for me to put in the work and finish this piece, and I’m proud of what I created. I finished it earlier this year, and have grown so much since then as a cabinet maker. I can look back on it and see a moment in time; a moment of learning, aspiration and expression.

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