Josh Garber

I am interested in transmuting the inherent inertness of industrial elements into a radiant, sensual energy. Using machined metal parts in whimsical, playful, and sometimes irreverent ways, I reshape the utilitarian view of industry into an expansive sensory meditation that unites the intellectual and the physical. In my work, materials such as nuts, bolts, screws, hex nuts, steel bars, and more blossom into a larger realm of fantasy.

I am inspired by intricate structures and systems, such as microbiological cell shapes, digital pixelation, landscape topography, and botanical structures. I fuse these influences to create fluid and sensual gestures that defy the industrial bounds of my materials.

Through repetition in organic configurations, the materials that I utilize become intimate extensions of ourselves. In many of my pieces, I weld industrial components in different repeating patterns, forming a mosaic-like skin. This “skin” is an inviting surface that invites the public to engage with my work through its tactility. Every placement of the bar or screw is a mark forming a meditative continuum that is transferred from my working process to the viewer.