LOT-EK
LOT-EK, founded in 1993 by Ada Tolla and Giuseppe Lignano, is an architectural design studio. The studio uses innovative approaches to green construction and adaptive reuse. On view here are LOT-EK’s ingenious seating and lounging areas. These benches are fabricated from repurposed shipping containers that are no longer in use. In 1956, the first container ship transported 58 containers, whereas as of 2017, a single ship holds 21,413 containers. Today, 80% of all goods are transported from one part of the world to another on cargo ships. As we consume more products, the number of containers we need also increases. It is estimated that 170 million containers exist worldwide. LOT-TEK reclaims these vessels of global trade and puts them into new contexts—as artworks, home decor, and prefab building blocks. By doing so, they invite us to consider our role in the immensity and invisibility of consumer culture.
Listen to the artist speak about what Displacement means to them.
LOT-EK. S5 (from SPILL, 1 to 29), 2023. Steel, paint, wood. 18” x 67” x 73”. Courtesy of the artists and Hosfelt Gallery. Photo: Mel Taing.
LOT-EK. S14 (from SPILL, 1 to 29), 2023. Shipping container cutout, 2x4 wood support. 18” x 159” x 31”. Courtesy of the artists and Hosfelt Gallery. Photo: Mel Taing.