Zachary Frankel
Melbourne-based furniture designer and maker Zachary Frankel’s geometrical pieces hint to historical sources of inspiration yet are undeniably contemporary in their exploration of material and form.
Words: Holly Terry I Photography: Annika Kafcaloudis, Lilli Waters, Camille Moir & Peter Ryle
‘Sometimes when I’m struggling with motivation or have some particularly difficult tasks ahead, I remind myself how fortunate I am to be in this position,’ says Zachary Frankel. Photo: Annika Kafcaloudis
Arc Stools by Zachary Frankel. Photo: Charlie Hawks. Main hero photo of Zachary Frankel: Camille Moir
Melbourne/Naarm-based furniture designer, maker and sometimes jeweller Zachary Frankel’s designs are an epic combination of art-deco inspired, geometrically shaped and undeniably contemporary pieces which you must have in your space.
After studying silversmithing and exploring jewellery making earlier in his life, the maker took up woodworking and spent years of making for other businesses. It wasn’t until 2019 that Zachary decided to take the leap after realising he had something to offer.
Since then, he has explored using timber, stone, marble, bronze aluminium (just to name a few) and has most recently begun working with recycled plastic (be sure to check out his inimitable Ripple Mirror – and its witty corresponding description).
For Zachary, it’s his broad approach to making and designing that inspires him. It could be a material, curve or angle that gets him going, or it could be just as easily a particular palette.
A true creative, Zachary enjoys not being tied down to any one method of making and tries not to get too bogged down on the detail. He is often jumping around between use of different materials and between art and design, ‘Sometimes I use traditional timber techniques and hand tools and sometimes I spend a week on a computer, it all depends on the project and where my ideas are taking me - keeping things loose at the beginning means that I’m able to express ideas more freely.’
The Ripple Mirror in Navy by Zachary Frankel. Photo: Lilli Waters
‘I thought it was the methods or tools that I was exploring/experimenting with which lend itself to repetition or at least to symmetry but I’ve subsequently made pieces in a range of ways that utilise the same themes… perhaps it's my love of Art Deco, says Zachary Frankel. Photo: Annika Kafcaloudis
“I think about this all the time when designing furniture: how important it is for the work to be cohesive and send a unified message.”
The Ripple Mirror in Red by Zachary Frankel. Photo: Lilli Waters
The Dimple Table by Zachary Frankel. Photo: Lilli Waters
Arc Stool by Zachary Frankel. Photo: Peter Ryle
‘Sometimes I use traditional timber techniques and hand tools and sometimes I spend a week on a computer, it all depends on the project and where my ideas are taking me,’ says Zachary Frankel. Photo: Annika Kafcaloudis
On the other hand, Zachary’s pieces speak to this kind of continuous integration. Whether it’s the reoccurring theme of geometric repetition or perfect symmetry, it’s clear that each piece effortlessly feeds into the next.
‘One of the lessons I was taught as a jewellery designer was that you should try to integrate every part of the piece you are designing, that there shouldn’t be any “add-ons”.’
‘It’s very easy to take something you’ve made as a pendant, drill a hole through it and stick a chain through it. But it doesn’t consider how they relate to each other, I think about this all the time when designing furniture, how important it is for the work to be cohesive and send a unified message,’ Zachary muses.
Coming up for the designer is another exploratory year: he has recently begun a series of large-scale timber logs which have been utilised from salvaged trees, ‘They will combine my love of furniture and sculpture and utilise what would otherwise be considered waste.’ We can’t wait to hear and see more.
