John Koga, Juan Pablo Castro & Paul McCobb

Colombian photographer Juan Pablo Castro’s background as an industrial designer fuels his belief that little details can create a big impact. Using his fascination with color and shape, Castro translates his personal experiences into images that present characters, situations and stories. His unique perspective is evident through his singular portrayal of daily life, ensuring that each frame is a piece of art. Industrial, eccentric, forward-looking, Castro’s vision unites different influences and transforms disparate ideas into deconstructed images. Castro has surrounded himself with art, inspiration and creative sources that have enriched his work and the way he perceives the world around him.

Paul McCobb (1917-1969) was one of the leading contemporary furniture designers in America in the 1950s and 1960s. Over twenty years, he designed an impressive range of multi-functional furniture, accessories and textiles as well as many notable interior design projects. McCobb’s design aesthetic is simplicity of form with a lack of ornamentation. Inspired by his New England upbringing and influenced by the Shaker design principles, McCobb combined slender lines with sculptural forms. Best known for his furniture designs, McCobb also acted as design consultant for many leading corporations including Singer, Alcoa, Goodyear and Columbia Records. McCobb was the recipient of MoMA’s Good Design Award five times between 1950-1955 and the Philadelphia Museum of Arts’ Contribution to Better Design Award in 1959.

John Koga is a Honolulu-based sculptor and painter whose work ranges from small paintings to large sculptures and environmental installations. His work is featured in both museum and private collections and exhibited globally. Koga earned an MFA in ceramics and sculpture from the University of Hawaii and studied sculpture in Pietrasanta, Italy. He’s known for his abstract modernist aesthetic that conveys a sense of serenity, balance, and space inspired by the artists Isamu Noguchi, Saturo Abe, and Tadashi Sato. Koga has received several awards from the Honolulu Museum of Art and the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Through his artwork, Koga strives to share the beauty of natural elements, including stone, the ocean, and the sky. Known for his work in marble and plaster, he was a natural fit to sculpt new furniture and lighting designs in Plasterglass, created in the PUCCI mannequin factory in Manhattan. He joined RALPH PUCCI in 2007.