How the Jersey City artist transforms concrete, stone, and marble into sculptures that balance structure, destruction, and unexpected beauty
Some artists build.
Josh Urso starts by building—and then breaking.
Working from his studio at Art150, located at 150 Bay Street in Jersey City, Urso creates sculptures that explore the relationship between order and chaos. Through concrete, marble, stone, and carefully engineered forms, he constructs objects that appear solid and permanent before intentionally disrupting them through fracture, fragmentation, and reconstruction.
The result is a body of work that feels simultaneously architectural and organic, controlled and unpredictable.
During a recent conversation on Tarik Talk, Urso discussed his evolution from furniture designer to sculptor, the role of chance in his creative process, and how nature continues to influence his work.
From Furniture Design to Fine Art
Long before becoming a full-time sculptor, Urso spent nearly two decades designing and fabricating furniture.
Originally trained in engineering before shifting into product design, he built a successful career creating functional objects that often pushed toward sculpture. Over time, however, the artistic aspects of the work became increasingly important while the practical requirements of furniture design became less appealing.
Weight ratings, structural requirements, and manufacturing constraints eventually gave way to a simple realization: if the goal was artistic expression, why not focus entirely on sculpture?
That decision launched a new chapter in his creative career.
The Art of Breaking Things
One of the most distinctive elements of Urso’s practice is his willingness to surrender control.
His process often begins with concrete castings, reclaimed construction materials, cinder blocks, marble, or stone. Once a form is created, he intentionally fractures it, breaking the object apart before rebuilding it into a new configuration.
The process introduces an element of unpredictability that he actively embraces.
While he can guide where certain breaks occur, the final outcome is never entirely predetermined. Cracks develop unexpectedly. Surfaces reveal hidden textures. New compositions emerge from destruction.
For Urso, those moments of uncertainty are essential.
Rather than viewing accidents as mistakes, he sees them as collaborators.
Inspired by Nature and Time
Many of Urso’s ideas originate far beyond the studio.
Travel, hiking, geological formations, and ancient architecture all play important roles in shaping his work.
He spoke about exploring the deserts of the American West, where dried earth, fractured surfaces, and dramatic color transitions became sources of inspiration. A trip to Egypt also left a lasting impression, particularly the weathered monuments, repaired stone structures, and visible evidence of time etched into ancient materials.
These experiences continue to influence how he thinks about sculpture.
His work often feels like an artifact recovered from another era—something simultaneously ancient and contemporary.
Art150 and the Value of Creative Community
Although much of Urso’s work is deeply personal, he credits the artistic community around him with helping shape its development.
His studio at Art150, located at 150 Bay Street in Jersey City, provides more than physical workspace. It offers daily opportunities for conversation, collaboration, and feedback from fellow artists.
Before joining a community-oriented studio environment, he often worked alone in commercial warehouse spaces. While those studios provided room to create, they lacked the exchange of ideas that comes from being surrounded by other artists.
Today, casual conversations with neighboring artists often lead to new approaches, unexpected solutions, and fresh perspectives.
For Urso, creative community has become an essential part of the artistic process.
Sculptures That Change With the Viewer
One of the most compelling aspects of Urso’s work is the way it transforms as viewers move around it.
From a distance, many sculptures appear geometric and minimal. As viewers approach, however, cracks, colors, textures, shadows, and hidden details begin to emerge.
The experience changes again when viewed from another angle.
Light plays an important role as well. Shadows cast by fractured surfaces become extensions of the sculpture itself, creating additional layers of visual complexity.
Rather than presenting a single fixed image, Urso’s sculptures reward curiosity and movement.
The longer someone spends with the work, the more they discover.
Looking Ahead
As his practice continues to evolve, Urso hopes to create increasingly ambitious projects, including larger outdoor sculptures that interact with architecture, landscape, and natural light.
Whether working with concrete, marble, reclaimed materials, or entirely new mediums, he remains interested in the same fundamental question:
What happens when structure and chaos occupy the same space?
For Urso, the answer lies somewhere between what is planned and what is discovered.
And that space between control and unpredictability continues to drive his work forward.
About Tarik Talk
Tarik Talk is where the art world lets its guard down. Hosted by Brazilian artist Tarik Mendes, this intimate podcast opens doors into the creative worlds of artists, curators, museum professionals, and cultural visionaries—spaces usually reserved for closed studios and quiet back rooms. Each conversation lingers on the creative process and the shared human stories behind the work, tracing how ideas are born, challenged, and transformed. Here, art becomes a universal language, carrying memories, questions, and desires across cultures and disciplines. With a spirit of curiosity and quiet discovery, Tarik invites you into a sophisticated, reflective space where voices are unhurried, connections run deep, and the magic of art reveals itself one story at a time.
From emerging artists to internationally recognized figures, each episode offers in-depth conversations about artistic practice, creative inspiration, professional development, and the experiences that shape contemporary culture. Through thoughtful dialogue, Tarik Talk connects audiences with the diverse voices driving today’s global arts community.