22
TJ O’Keefe, Frame S (Red, Blue), 2020. Sandblasted aluminum and LED; 67 1/2 × 43 3/4 × 24 1/4 in.
The Frame series encloses and defines space in which light interacts. Frames are suspended and distanced from the wall to give the projected light just the right quality of interactions to elicit a visceral response from the viewer. These are meditative objects, and as the viewer stares, the light and color begin to push and pull and blend and fade, creating a dynamic experience purely of the viewer’s own perception. The raw aluminum frames are finished in a sandblast to both reduce reflections and allow the material to take on the colors of the diffuse light.
The Crookes Radiometer is an airtight glass bulb containing a partial vacuum, with four black and white square panels atop a spindle which rotates when exposed to light. The spindle rotates faster with higher light intensity, demonstrating the natural phenomenon of electromagnetic radiation. This object came into my life during college and since then has always been one of my favorite things. It demonstrates the wonder of nature through man-made means; a concept I explore in my own work.
TJ O’Keefe an American design company established in Chicago, Illinois in 2010. With an emphasis on integrity and efficiency of both design and fabrication, we strive to create powerful objects through compelling minimalism. Driven by philosophies in architecture, industrial design, and graphic design, our office applies the merit and parameters of all three to every object we produce. We aim to achieve the greatest effect by the simplest means. TJ O’Keefe was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1982. He received a BFA in industrial design and graphic design from the University of Michigan in 2004, followed by a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania in 2008. TJ is currently a clinical assistant professor of industrial design at the University of Illinois at Chicago.