Ficus Interfaith’s Miami Show Turns Trash into Treasure

In a gallery nestled among the palm-lined streets of Miami, a curious transformation is on display. Pine cones, mussel shells, and peanut husks—materials that would typically be discarded without a second glance—have been elevated into finely crafted furniture and sculpture. This is the world of Ficus Interfaith, a New York-based artistic duo comprised of Raphael Martinez Cohen and Ryan Bush, whose current exhibition, The Study, at Nina Johnson gallery explores the intersection of waste, craftsmanship, and cultural memory.

Operating out of a basement studio in Maspeth, Queens, Cohen and Bush have developed a distinctive practice that blends historical research, high design, and found materials. While they both began their creative careers in more traditional disciplines—sculpture and drawing—they now blur the line between art and function, repurposing debris into intricate terrazzo-like surfaces.

Their process is both meticulous and playful. They begin by collecting organic and urban detritus: discarded glass, animal bones, coffee beans, even rubble from demolished buildings. These elements are mixed into pigmented concrete, cast into forms, and then polished into richly textured surfaces that shimmer with embedded fragments of narrative. Their finished pieces—tables, benches, mirrors, lamps—possess a strange beauty, as if recovered from the ruins of a lost civilization.

In The Study, they lean into the idea of artistic inquiry. The works suggest an archive of human behavior and environment—what we throw away, what we remember, and how objects bear witness. A centerpiece of the show, a table embedded with oyster shells and bits of marine glass, resembles an altar to forgotten coastlines. Elsewhere, a sculptural bench incorporates asphalt chunks and pine needles, evoking a layered memory of urban parks.

Ficus Interfaith’s name hints at their collaborative dynamic. “Ficus” references a houseplant, an enduring image of growth and domestication, while “Interfaith” speaks to their philosophy of inclusivity—of materials, histories, and perspectives. Their partnership is less about merging identities and more about creating space for contrast and coexistence.

Although their works are highly collectible, Cohen and Bush are careful to ground their practice in critical reflection. Their material choices speak to issues of environmental degradation, overconsumption, and the cultural hierarchies that separate “art” from “craft” or “junk.” By reclaiming discarded matter and shaping it into objects of contemplation, they ask viewers to reconsider the value of things often deemed worthless.

The Miami exhibition marks a turning point in their career. As they continue to gain recognition for their unique voice, they remain committed to process, experimentation, and the stories that materials can tell. For visitors, The Study offers not just an aesthetic experience, but a philosophical one—a reminder that art can emerge from even the humblest of origins.