ben clement and sebastian de la cour makes up the artistic due benandsebastian whose work seems to center greatly around the domination of thought. that inexplicable part of our existence that is ultimately responsible for the choices we make and the lives that we live. their central theme of presence and absence is explained through a series of exhibits and texts. i applaud their attempts to convey the unquantifiable in a construct that provoke exactly the opposite. the definition of an abstract sentiment is seldom created without introducing emotive content. they however succeed in providing the frame for that without autobiographical severity. the works of their collection ‘phantom limbs’ expresses this awareness of that which is not there through a cabinetry of anatomical suggestions. the allusions to nerve endings and the more figurative contents of these display cases form a museum of thought… a place where ideas live in a state of their amputated selves. the severed connections and inappropriate context completes the idiom of suggested associations and misplaced affections towards inane objects and compositions. glass cases create an even greater viewing distance and becomes a powerful metaphor that crosses from commentary and perception to the creation of an alternative mythology. the architectural menagerie echoes with the identity and control of objects and searches for a narrative which purports the power we have to build meaningful philosophies and ideas which we can inhabit. this architecture of the mind sets the collaborative apart and bridges the chasm between art and design in a sensitive and aesthetically pleasing way. although sterile and intellectualized the severity of this need to control meaning and create definition is fittingly highlighted through the lack of color, while the complex structures introduce the concept of our confining paradigms. aside from their unique pieces and superb workmanship, i certainly find their work is carving a niche into the neo-sentimentalist category of craft/design/art and opens the window to a different view of creative mechanics.