Cascade | Martin Gallagher

Martin Gallagher is an independent Irish designer that runs a furniture-making workshop at the village of Ballintrillick in County Sligo, Ireland. Martin’s designs are handmade and for this a combination of traditional techniques and modern technology are used to create distinctive furniture with a character.

His  furniture designs are mainly commissioned from private and corporate clients and this makes his work high-end and extremely thoughtful. His work has managed to reach exhibitions in London and many of his pieces have been purchased by clients from all over the world. The work he does has a personal touch and this keeps every piece close to his heart.

Cascade, his most recent work, is a chest of drawers with a deep carved, hand-sculpted, wave patterns inspired by the sea and beach. It is made out of Fraxinus, or commonly known as “ash”, finished in a white pigmented stain. Martin is an avid surfer and he is usually exposed to the ocean and its elements in the North West coast of Ireland. This piece has been inspired by his observation and perception of this environment and all the natural motifs that come with it.

Cascade incorporates characteristics of the sea and its fluidity, motion, power, energy and form.The sweeping channels on the external shell of Cascade, create images of waves moving openly, endlessly powered through vast plains. These characteristics are translated through our sense of touch which is channeled around a rather traditional piece of furniture turning it into an example of a private perception of the sea. This sense of touch is further embraced by the use of touch that operates the drawers. When the drawers are opened the flow is fractured resulting in magnificent edge profiles that create a new dimension.

This chest of drawers cannot only be seen as a piece of furniture but also as a work of art. The designer captured his emotions and feeling and he tries to interpret how exactly it feels to be on a wave. Concluding, this is what you get when personal character, experience and emotion come in the design process. The need to share these feelings produces something remarkably unique, which is essentially full of life, given by its creator.

By: Andreas Leonidou