THE MEDANSKY MUG
To celebrate 10 years of GGET we partnered with world renowned sculptor and dear friend Ben Medansky for an incredibly limited mug ten years in the making.
Medansky is a world renowned sculptor influenced by Brutalist and modern architecture and industrial design. Much like GGET, he takes inspiration from Los Angeles. However, for Ben, it’s from the strong and diverse architecture of downtown LA and its seemingly uninterrupted construction. Medansky’s ceramics are included in LACMA’s permanent collection, was a recipient of the Maison & Object’s America’s Rising Talent in Design Award, and has been reviewed in The New York Times, Architectural Digest, The LA Times, and more.
What started as an introduction at a neighbor’s studio visit quickly grew into a special relationship. The custom mugs for GGET & G&B became a staple of GGET as a crucial element of service wares and collectibles for fanatics of both GGET and Medanksy’s work. His regular presence in the shop with a box of freshly fired wares were a fixture of GGET's cafe life.
While GGET’s reputation in specialty coffee bloomed, so did Ben’s profile in the art world. Over the years, as Ben became much busier and new cafes opened, his ceramics remained a part of major milestones along our journey. From our five year anniversary mug to a limited edition piece for flagship members of our coffee club. His work for us has been a marriage of his fresh perspective and our sense of whimsy.
It should come of no surprise that when our ten year anniversary rolled around, our first instinct was to reach out to the friend we made one summer a decade ago. Lucky for us, he dusted off his retired wheel and threw us exactly one hundred mugs. The result are pieces that capture a maturity and simplicity that only come with time. These mugs are special to us and we hope you think so too. They're great in pairs, fitting for an anniversary.