Nick Yusi
Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and currently residing in San Francisco, CA, Nick Yusi, aka Bust, is a 24 year old contemporary artist using airbrush, acrylics, and other mediums to create his unique pieces. You can find his art in San Francisco galleries, and on a variety of different musicians' album art covering a wide variety of genres. He draws his inspiration from old music videos and horror movies from the late 80’s to the early 2000’s, harnessing the energy and creativity of the creators of his favorite forms of media introduced to him at a young age.
project overview
The British SLQ Series reimagines contemporary seating with a focus on bold material contrasts and sculptural elegance. Featuring a chaise from the La Pepino Series.
Concept & Execution
The British SLQ Series explores the tension between structural precision and organic comfort. The chaise’s plywood base serves as an architectural foundation, emphasizing clean lines and geometric balance.
This fusion of materials reflects a broader philosophy—one that embraces tradition while pushing the boundaries of form and function. The design is minimal yet expressive.
Ortiz’s photographic approach reinforces this duality, capturing the chaise in its real-world setting. Placed within Robbie Whitehead’s home, the piece interacts with its environment seamlessly, highlighting its ability to exist as both a utilitarian object and a sculptural presence.
Art Direction & Visual designs
The visual narrative of this series is rooted in authenticity and subtle drama. Ortiz employs natural lighting and carefully curated compositions to enhance the depth and texture of the chaise. Shadows play across the velvet, emphasizing its softness, while the plywood base remains crisp and defined.
The interior setting offers a sense of place and personality, grounding the chaise in a lived-in atmosphere. This contextual approach transforms it from a standalone design object into an integral part of the spatial dialogue.
Conclusion
The British SLQ Series presents furniture as more than functional—it is an exploration of material relationship.
Through Ortiz’s lens, the chaise is elevated beyond its intended purpose, reminding us that great design is not just seen but experienced.
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Jason Jägel
Jason Jägel is a San Francisco-based artist whose work uses storytelling to conjure fictional worlds where anything can happen at any time, like everyday life. His work is in many collections including the Museum of Modern Art - New York, Hammer Museum - Los Angeles, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, among many others. His 2019 public commission, The Author & Her Story, is a 13x34-foot ceramic tile mosaic at San Francisco International Airport. “I want to create a place with its own inner life and see what happens.”
