Cephalopod possesses a specific weightlessness, as if supported by water, as a result of the undulating plane from which it is constructed. Its title and form allude to marine invertebrates, such as squid and cuttle-fish, and the way in which they propel themselves through water. O'Connell immortalises the rippling movement of these creatures by way of Cephalopod's graceful curves.

The overall impression conveyed by this works is one of fluidity and fleeting elegance. It is as if Cephalopod will, with a sudden movement, dart away into the dark recesses of its surrounding environment.