Aqua

About Aqua

A collaborative project, artist Javid Jah and fabricator Alex Akbari of Qube Inc., originally created this series of three contemporary architectural outdoor sculptures for a recent public art exhibition in downtown Toronto.

The dynamic geometric form of the three pieces—Terra, Aqua and Aero (the elements of earth, water and air) is inspired by the ideas of cosmology (the study of the universe) and sacred ancestral principles. Forged from steel, light shines through the intricately detailed pattern of perforations on the surface. Each individual sculpture can also be used as a wood burning or gas fire pit or modified to include LED lights for nighttime display.

“These crystalline sculptures follow the order of the Platonic solids (an ancient geometric term for a 3-D form that has ‘faces’ identical in shape and size) creating a balanced, ordered presence, designed with a fire tray and a tongue to sustain wood fires. “ Javid Jah

JAH QUBE is a Toronto-based studio specializing in the design and fabrication of public art for both temporary and permanent installation. The studio combines expertise in architectural design with custom fabrication, led by artist-designer Javid Jah and fabricator Alex Akbari. Prioritizing BIPOC creatives, the studio engages in independent as well as collaborative public art projects, with experience fabricating and installation work locally and internationally.

Javid Jah received his Bachelor of Arts degree from UBC and his Master of Architecture from the University of Toronto. An interdisciplinary artist and designer, he has been recognized in several juried competitions for his artwork, has participated in numerous workshops, and exhibited in Toronto, San Francisco and New York.

Toronto-based fabricator Alex Akbari has a background in construction and architectural design and has been creating custom installations in furniture design and art for more than 25 years.