A Portrait of Serban Ionescu by Waylon Bone

For issue #24 of Apartamento magazine, Andrew Zebulon and Kristen Wentrcek sat down with the then–New York–based artist, while Jeremy Liebman captured the wild charm of his Brooklyn home. Serban opened up about the fluid, improvisational nature of his work—part sculpture, part drawing, part experimental dreaming. From sketches to large-scale installations, he reflects on his elastic sense of space and the strange alchemy (and joy) of turning steel into something tender. To read the full interview, become a member and unlock our endless digital archive!

Apartamento x BD

Born from the liminal space between line and form—from freehand sketches and spontaneous doodles—these shapeshifting Mutant Hooks are as curious as they are endearing. Playful, gentle, and full of mischief, they live somewhere between function and fantasy. Each one, with its own uncanny posture and personality, feels like a creature from Serban’s dreamscape, ready to hold your towels, your tote bags, or whatever other odd treasures your world contains. Explore their world and get your hands on one or all four! 

Apartamento x BD collaboration is a new series curated by Apartamento, marking BD’s first venture into an everyday life objects collection. To mark its release, we spoke to all three artists to trace each objects’ journey by stepping into their studios and workshops to witness the first sparks and sketches before they took their final, tangible forms. Dive into their stories here!

A Thing on a Table in a House

This book is a Serban Ionescu sculpture in itself—an oversized, 68-page board book, now sold out, printed and precisely die-cut to echo the rambling contours and dazzling colours of his steel works. It also doubles as a play in three acts, written by Serban’s friend and fellow artist James English Leary, who channels Serban’s absurd, playful spirit through a cast of bizarre characters: Happy Lattice, Dog Bench Loaf, Assembled Chair, and more.

148 Oblique Drawings

This book opens up the artist’s sketchbook, where vibrant, architectural forms meet a playful, collaborative poem built from the words of friends and fellow creatives. Made during Serban’s daily drawing practice from 2020–2023, the book brings together 148 works, each titled by artists like Katie Stout, KAWS, and Minjae Kim. The result: a ‘Frankenstein found poem’ and a joyful reflection of Serban’s ongoing collaboration with Apartamento. Get your hands on a copy here!