Garden Gipsoteca: Mr. Coffee, 2019

Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford, Garden Gipsoteca: Mr. Coffee, 2019

Sand blasting sand, coal slag, resin, urethane foam, steel, hardware, wood

This sculpture by Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford reimagines the iconic 1972 Mr. Coffee maker as a contemporary monument to convenience. By blending handmade clay molds with 3D scanning, the artist explores architectural historian Mario Carpo’s theories on the shift from mechanical repetition to digital variability.

Cast in coal slag, the dark finish mimics black coffee while highlighting the industrial energy fueling domestic rituals. The artist’s Garden Gipsoteca series is inspired by the tradition of the plaster cast museum in which plaster casts, usually classical or renowned sculptures, are presented for preservation and study. Here, a ubiquitous appliance is elevated to a subject of artistic study. It is a meditation on industrial design, reproduction, and modern culture.

Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford (b. 1983, Vermont) is a visual artist who makes sculptures and installations to address themes of reproduction, value, and digital culture with humor. Based in Chicago, he is Associate Professor of sculpture and Director of the School of the Arts  at Indiana University Northwest.