Palimpsest small

The object titled “Palimpsest” is a unique example of new craftsmanship that masterfully explores the interplay of materials and textures. It is a freestanding sculpture, a spatial object combining wood and glass.

Square Drop prepared the wooden elements using ash wood and the exotic wood, purpleheart (also known as purple wood/Peltogyne), which naturally occurs in a pinkish hue. The glass elements were prepared by glass artist Kalina Bańka-Kulka, utilizing iridescent and mass-colored glass, processed with various techniques—the slumping and fusing methods—as well as openwork elements hand-formed in a gas torch flame. The pink coloration of the wood used brings out the pink colors from the iridescent glass, which changes hue and shade depending on the viewing angle, creating a shimmering, almost ethereal effect.

The title, Palimpsest, refers to a manuscript on parchment where the original writing was erased so that a new text could be inscribed on the same material. It accurately alludes to the layered effect, where the individual layers of glass overlap and partially obscure one another, constantly transforming the object’s appearance depending on the lighting conditions and the observer’s position, revealing different images and colors.

“Palimpsest” is the result of our collaboration with glass artist Kalina Bańka-Kulka, created as part of the Nów Nowe Rzemiosło association’s project, “Kooperacje” (Cooperations), co-financed by the Institute of Creative Industries.
The prototype was made for the “Nów w Pełni 2025” exhibition.

The object currently available is an exhibition piece, but it is possible to order the object in different sizes.

photos and video – Maria Żarnecka