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Aha! A predictably extraordinary, deliciously weird Paul Herbst update

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Date
6 February 2013

Remember a while ago we posted a photo of a chicken in a tank? Well, you may not, but at the time there was discussion as to whether it was the best picture that had every appeared on the site. Big call. So now Paul Herbst is back in our lives with some new visuals that both confuse us and fill us with a strange, palpable kind of curiosity. Why are those baseballs attached to that rainbow ribbon? Why does that block of wood look so sexual? All valid questions with regards to his new series Dream Material, which is as intriguing as it is aesthetically pleasing.

A collage of red and peach roses entwined with thin, curling wires. The flowers are layered over a dark, textured background with fragments of green foliage.
Above

Paul Herbst: Dream Material

A gold and red circular emblem reading “Philadelphia Prison 1500” is embedded in a textured block of clear resin. Two smaller, faceted resin pieces containing organic shapes sit beside it against a blue background.
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Paul Herbst: Dream Material

A wedge-shaped piece of light-coloured wood sits on a draped black fabric. The scene is set against a solid black background.
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Paul Herbst: Dream Material

A wooden frame consisting of two vertical posts connected by a metal chain at the top. A thick, blue and beige rope is wound tightly around the centre of the posts.
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Paul Herbst: Dream Material

Two baseballs are tied to the ends of a rainbow-coloured mesh scrubby. The objects are arranged in a U-shape against a plain purple background.
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Paul Herbst: Dream Material

A collection of wooden blocks and shapes arranged in a cluster against a plain tan backdrop. A tall stack of rectangular blocks stands beside rounded discs, a triangular wedge and two rolling pins.
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Paul Herbst: Dream Material

Several colourful, marbled vessels sit in the corner of a white marble room. A pink and orange cylinder stands tall, while a blue vessel and a smaller pink one rest on a low marble ledge. A rectangular pink sponge lies on the floor nearby.
Above

Paul Herbst: Dream Material

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About the Author

Liv Siddall

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Liv joined It’s Nice That as an intern in 2011 and worked across online, print and events, and was latterly Features Editor before leaving in May 2015.

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