Support for Knowledge

A good friendship between Josh Owen and Wendell Castle became a collaborative product in the service of growing the RIT Industrial Design program. The two designed a pair of cast bronze bookends, each focusing on one half of the set. Each piece has its own distinct style, yet successfully interacts with the other to create a holistic design conversation. The set was facilitated through the historied Shop One and fabricated by Borough Furnace. Owen’s half provides not only a reliable object to support upright books, but also considers the potential interactions between a reader and written content. As one who himself enjoys annotating with impermanent marks or small notes, Owen designed a holder for writing instruments into his bookend, allowing for the exploration of this behavior. Limited edition available now. Photography by Elizabeth Lamark.