Many people find the idea of outer space overwhelming due to its infinite nature, the mystery of black holes, and how small and inconsequential it can make you feel. But Melbourne-based artist and designer Joshua Space says he finds comfort in the unknown.
“I’ve always been into space, ever since I had those glow-in-the-dark stars on my ceiling as a kid,” Space tells Broadsheet. “I find the idea of space very humbling. It’s so large and gives this beautiful perspective to seeing things.”
Looking at Space’s collection of Void mirrors evokes the same feeling. The distressed coloured edges of the glass pull you into your reflection – much like the pull of a black hole – with a slightly distorted image where the paint meets the mirror. There are many powder-coated hues layered in a ripple pattern to choose from, including pale blue, purple, red, lime, navy and lilac.
Though we often view mirrors as something to see ourselves in, Space’s designs are an opportunity to look in a different way at other things reflected in the interiors where they are hung. It might be the white walls of a gallery, the colours of Zoë Foster Blake’s dreamy home, or even the playful interiors of Good Times Pilates.
With a background in graphic design and textiles, Space says he’s been making art for “as long as he can remember”. “As a kid I knew I’d either be an artist or an architect. My mum’s a kindergarten teacher and was just the best at supporting any idea I had to make it happen, which has given me my open-minded thinking when I approach anything new.”
While mirrors are his bread and butter, Space also works with recycled materials to create colourful planters made from 100 per cent post-consumer plastic found in milk bottles, bottle caps and other single-use plastic waste. Plus there’s a limited edition recycled chair that pays homage to Japanese designer Shiro Kuramata’s iconic Glass Chair.
Much of Space’s work is a hybrid of art and design, often leaving the designer in a tug of war between self-expression and creating functional pieces. Recently he’s found himself leaning more into his expressive side. “We often think of things in certain terms, like it has to be one thing or the other,” Space explains. “But in reality, nothing is certain and there’s more than one way to look at things, and that’s really inspired my work with the mirrors. I see them more as art than mirrors.”
His designs have featured in a number of gallery shows, most recently Reverie, a collaboration with Sydney-based creative Tan Arlidge at Darlinghurst’s Rainbow Studios, and Light Spectrum, hosted at his studio space in Collingwood.
Space is currently in the planning stages of a solo exhibition in Melbourne, which will be his largest yet. In 2023, he also collaborated with car brand Mini to create a Void mirror sculpture made from recycled plastics, which was installed in the sand dunes of Wilsons Promontory. The project explored how automotive materials can be broken down and repurposed.
Many of Space’s pieces can be purchased online or by appointment at Spacebound, his studio in Collingwood. There’s also the option to order custom pieces in just about any size, shape and colour.
