Dezeen Magazine

Carl Emil Jacobsen creates sculptural installation coloured by pigments made from found materials

Artist and designer Carl Emil Jacobsen has created a large-scale sculpture made from pigmented found materials, which is highlighted as part of our Dezeen x The Mindcraft project 2022 collaboration.

Titled Poly Powder (Lip Tub), the sculptural installation is one of 10 Danish designs presented in The Mindcraft Project exhibition.

Photograph of Carl Emil with his Poly Powder sculpture in his studio
Poly Powder is made from concrete on a steel frame and it is coated with handmade pigments

Poly Powder, which is part of the designer's ongoing study of colour, started when Jacobsen sourced sand, stones, dirt and building materials from around his studio on the east coast of the Danish mainland.

After collecting the materials, Jacobsen ground them into a fine dusty powder to create his coloured pigments.

The colour pigments of Poly Powder are handmade by locally found materials

Poly Powder consists of two circular shapes and is made of fibre-reinforced concrete on a steel frame. To achieve its textured surface it is coated with layers of the handmade pigment.

"The form is intended to enrich the experience of colour and support its perception," stated Jacobsen.

Photograph of a large-scale circular sculpture in pink and orange
Poly Powder is positioned on its side

The sculpture's sided position and scale intend to encourage the audience to interact with Poly Powder, inviting viewers to walk around and look inside to observe the sculpture's tones and textures.

"For this work, I tried to scale up so it is not only something to look at," said Jacobsen. "You have to use your whole body to understand the form and colour."

Dezeen x The Mindcraft Project 2022

Dezeen x The Mindcraft Project 2022 is a partnership between Dezeen and Copenhagen Design Agency. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.