At ARTS THREAD we’re adoring fans of Icelandic illustrator Kristjana S Williams, whose brilliant solo show at Outline Editions followed an interactive installation in the Clore Study Room at the V&A for last year’s LDF.

As part of this year’s festival, Williams teamed up with Mayfair bookshop Shapero Rare Books, for Anachroquarianism: Kristjana S Williams vs the Victorian Engravers. The exhibition was inspired by 19th century natural history illustration, an art form which is seeing a resurgence of interest in the design world, and has informed Kristjana’s work for many years.

The show saw Kristjana’s vibrant collages of imagined and adapted creatures featured amongst work by the Victorian masters of this craft – John Gould, Joseph Wolf, Jacques Barraband and Edward Lear – in one of London’s best antiquarian bookshops.

It is these historic images of the natural world which Kristjana has avidly collected, manipulated and celebrated through her work, injecting her signature dose of luminous colour – a direct reaction to growing up in the grey landscapes of Iceland which brings this traditional art form right into the 21st Century.

Yi Ying Lin’s Drop Drop project stems from a reaction to the over-industrialisation and wasteful consumption of today’s world. Drop Drop is inspired by the slow process whereby cave stalactites are formed and replicates this dripping water through gravity to create a series of vessels. Water drips slowly from a nursing drip feed onto clay and over time the layers build up to form the vessel.

Hend Krichen’s Tunisia Made 2012 is a series of traditional terracotta vessels that reflect the turmoil of recent political events in the country, culminating in the revolution of January 2011.

Kim Leong’s Fish is a project that looks at making use of the skins that are normally thrown away as a bi-product of the food industry. From a starting point of visiting London’s Billingsgate fish market, Kim leaned to tan the skins and from there looked at a number of uses in interior textiles highlighting the material’s lightness, translucence and reflective qualities – culminating in the screen shown above.

Raw Cork Stool by Steven Hsiao explores the flexibity of cork as a material. Cork is the only tree capable of naturally regenerating its bark after removal and Steven has chosen to use this organic and ‘raw’ maaterial to make a simple stool.

ARTS THREAD looks at the exciting installations that took place at this year’s Tent London and Super Brands London, housed across two floors of the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane.

Super Brands, newly located on the ground floor of the building held two installation pieces. The first was curated by Creative Research and Development (CR&D), a London design studio and was entitled X3. CR&D have brought together three furniture makers (Sam Weller, Jack Smith and Alex Hellum) and set them the challenge of making a chair within six hours.

Each designer has one day allotted to them so that three chairs were created over three days. They worked in a glass cube workshop and once inside were not able to receive any help with making from the outside. The designers were all given the same tools and materials, but with the intention for different outcomes. All the work could be viewed by the public and it was also webcast so that people could see how the work progressed through the day. On Sunday the chairs were displayed in the cube and are now to be auctioned on eBay with all the proceeds going to the charity UK Youth.

Cosy Shelter is an installation by Lambert Kamps from the Netherlands. The shelter is an inflatable hiding place that also looks quite imposing, like a sandbag fortress from the outside. The inside is like a cosy cave where people can enjoy soft woollen blankets and feel comfortable.

Upstairs in Tent there were a range of different installations. B&O Play House by design studio NEON used woollen yarn to form the outlines of a house between the pillars of the brewery building. Once inside users could choose music that played within the house that radiates out to the surrounding room. While there is an illusion of walls, no noise is actually contained within the house.

Foam Party by Martijn Rigters was first shown in Milan this April and now London gets to see it too. In this project Martijn, a final year student at the Royal Academy of Art The Hague, explores mass production techniques to create made-to-measure mass production seats. To create his foam chairs Martijn asks people to sit on a sack mould and then fills the mould with liquid foam. The person must remain sitting on the mould for six minutes. It will then be moulded to the exact shape of the user. The seat can be taken out of the mould after fifteen minutes and then will take a further twelve hours to dry completely.

Cell Cloud created by System Design Studio from Barcelona was an imposing cloud-like structure set in the centre of one of the rooms at Tent. Cell Cloud is based on the structure of cells and clouds and made from blue and white polypropylene, CNC cut and then folded into shape and hung from the ceiling.

Royal College of Art graduate Rafel Oliva Serra brought the Recoding Machine he devised for Milan to Tent. Recording machine sprays patterns of colour onto surrounding walls – controlled by speech. Rafel explains the process by telling us, ‘If I told you “I love you” I don’t need to tell you all the time, because the fact that I told you once made you generate a mental picture of it, so you remember it.’

Assemble, the Crafts Council conference was held on September 20 at RIBA in central London. ARTS THREAD highlights some of the many thought-provoking moments that emerged at this truly inspirational event.

Assemble 2012 revealed new and exciting pathways for fresh working practices in the 21st Century and opportunities for collaboration across very disparate fields.

This year’s theme, looking at the relationship between craft and science attracted some exciting and high profile speakers, including the highly regarded Suzanne Lee speaking about her pioneering work, Professor Julian Ellis OBE, who is pushing the boundaries of textile development and Dr Mitchell Joachim who works in the US in the fascinating field of biological architecture.

Opening the day’s events, Executive Director of the Crafts Council Rosy Greenlees, set out the aims of the conference: a platform to discuss new research, innovation and enterprise and an opportunity to explore the relationship between science and craft. The welcome address set out another crucial aspect of the day – the emphasis on collaboration.

Ed Vaizey MP, Minister for Cutlure, Communications and the Creative Industries addressed the conference, beginning by saying that in Britain, ‘Craft is at the front and centre of our cultural thinking.’ As evidence of this statement, he cited the recent huge popularity of the V&A Museum exhibition, ‘The Power of Making’, pointing out that it was the most successful exhibition ever staged at the museum. A central theme of his speech was that ‘new technology is a massive opportunity for the arts’. In particular, he drew the audience’s attention to the possibilities opening up as more disciplines adopt the exciting process of 3D printing, saying, ‘This manufacturing technology has the possibility to change the world.’

Professor Marie O’Mahony, Professor of Advance Fashion & Textiles at Ontario College of Art & Design and visiting professor at London’s University of the Arts, gave the keynote address to the conference. Her theme was collaborative values with particular reference to cultural, social, environmental and economic aspects for the craftsperson.

The Craft of Surgery from Crafts Council on Vimeo.

A fascinating filmed conversation between Joshua Byrne of Byrne and Burge bespoke tailors and Professor Roger Kneebone, Professor of Surgical Education at Imperial College, London revealed the parallels between two diverse professions. See the Assemble website for this captivating film, investigating techniques, skills, and learning through doing. The film was followed by a panel discussion chaired by Grant Gibson, Editor of Crafts magazine.

Rhian Solomon’s research project sKINship continues to intrigue many in the craft sphere as well as in the medical profession. Dr Sarah Pape, Consultant Plastic Surgeon has collaborated with Rhian, and the pair spoke about the compelling road of discovery they have travelled together with this project. Look out for the next stages in the sKINship project – a planned conference, further professional pairings, and a series of work that will be commissioned to respond to the material that has been gathered.

Professor Julian Ellis OBE’s ‘Embroidered Engineering’ presentation completely captivated the audience. A Fellow of the Textile Institute and an Honorary Fellow at Nottingham Trent University, much of his career has been spent in research and development. He showed some of the work created by his company Ellis Developments which has developed a series of artificial ligaments for human use, using innovative techniques including embroidery. Some of these were featured in ‘The Power of Making’ exhibition at the V&A last year. As well as his work in the medical sphere, he revealed some of his pioneering work with companies such as the Ford Motor Company and Airbus.

The afternoon session included a panel discussion about the maker’s role in developing new manufacturing technologies which was chaired by Rebecca van Rooijen, co-founder of benchpeg, a web platform that supports the British Jewellery industry.

An outstanding highlight of the conference was the ‘Biomaterials and Future Making’ session focusing on synthetic biology, and how making at a molecular level may point the way to a sustainable future. This slot was chaired by Professor Paul Freemont, co-director of the new EPSRC national Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation at Imperial College London. It included a presentation by Suzanne Lee, Senior TED Fellow, pioneering researcher and founder of Biocouture. Her amazing work centres on growing future fabrics from cellulose and her experimental approach challenges the way we think about fabric production – her ideas standing at the cutting edge of possibilities for the future.

Also in this session the audience learned about the inspirational Genspace initiative in Brooklyn, New York, where keen amateur citizens with an exciting idea can come into a lab to work with science and experiment with safe materials. The lab was set up as a community space on a shoestring budget by Dr Ellen Jorgensen, with most of the fittings and materials donated, found or bought on ebay.

Finally, Dr Mitchell Joachim, of Terreform 1, New York also spoke about his ground-breaking work in the field of biomaterials, particularly the possibilities for biological architecture. His amazing tree house project aimed to be carbon positive rather than just carbon neutral. This project worked with the natural properties of trees by ‘nudging nature’ in a sympathetic way to produce some stunning outcomes.

For more on the conference and to see the filmed presentations visit Assemble.

This year 100% Design had a new section of the show called Emerging Brands. We walked down the central pathway to discover a wealth of new creative businesses.

We profiled Arthur Analts at Clerkenwell Design Week this summer and for 100% Design Arthur has designed the colourful room-divider Amid as ‘an intriguing object that can stay seen and unseen at the same time.’ Each section of the room-divider is a different colour and its bottom edges curve upwards to form a storage space for magazines or books.

Arthur’s work Led Zeppelin is based on the song Stairway to Heaven is a stepladder with a difference. The ladders can be used in three different positions against walls, increasing usability to an average stepladder. At the ends of the steps of the ladder there are special cuts to allow for different tools, buckets or other implements to be stored to save people climbing up and down the ladder to get the tools that they need for the job.

Analts sees these pieces as art for the house. When not in use they can be propped against the wall to create a feature that other household items can be stored on. He enjoys exploring colour and meaning in all his products, even to the extent of the design of his stand being based on how colour and texture relate to the design process.

Hugh Leader-Williams, winner of the 100% Design Award at New Designers, exhibited his Spun Furniture range of stools and tables alongside a collection of hand-finished copper bowls. Fresh to the design world from Loughborough University, Hugh is looking to bring his brand into the mainstream. His work is simple yet striking.

Kurk is a flat pack desk light using cork by designer Craig Foster, a 2012 graduate of Nottingham Trent University, who won the 2012 BDC New Designer of the Year Award. Craig works with materials that can all be re-cycled or re-used once the consumer no longer wants the product. All the pieces can be fitted together to create the lamp with no screws or glues. See Craig’s work on ARTS THREAD here.

Kingston University graduate Lisa Marie Bengtsson addresses the problem of storing clothes that have been worn but aren’t yet ready to be put in the laundry. Her work Bye Bye Laundry consists of a circular hanger flocked in bright colours with integral glass container containing activated charcoal. The charcoal absorbs odours so that clothes will still smell fresh for a 2nd wearing.

100% Design kicks off Thursday at Earls Court in London. ARTS THREAD looks at a new section of the show – Emerging Brands.

ARTS THREAD member Felicity Dessewffy showed at New Designers One Year On this summer and has now been selected to take part in 100% Design. Felicity is based in Melbourne and graduated from RMIT Furniture Design and Making in 2011 and established Dessewffy in 2012. Pieces are ‘elegant, sculptural and intriguing in their apparent simplicity’ – look out for the Taper collection in combinations of timber and steel.

We first came across Arthur Analts at Clerkenwell Design Week this year with one of our favourite projects Money Bowls. Arthur showcased a small bowl made from 1000 shredded pounds and a large one from 3000 pounds. Arthur graduated from the Riga School of Design and Arts in 2011 and is now studying product design at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts and will be at 100% Design with some of his new projects including collaborations, explorations and experiments

Young & Norgate are based in Devon and create innovative furniture with strong traditional handmade elements and offer limited edition pieces. Lorna Syson creates textiles for commercial and residential interiors. Lorna studied multi-media textiles at Loughborough University before starting her business in 2009.

Emma Britton also studied textiles at Loughborough University and produces decorative glass panels in her own distinctive style. Etienne Esmenjaud‘s label Desinature includes collections such as Bud – a birch plywood series of lighting, flat-packed and easy to assemble.

100% Design starts Thursday September 19 to Sunday September 22 2012 at Earls Court.

A must-see is Prism by digital artist Keiichi Matsuda. Installed the cupola of the museum’s ceramics galleries, Prism is a giant lantern made up of a series of screens through which fast-moving data streams are visialised into shapes and pattens of light and colour.
Walk the Light, Cinimod Studio / Journey of a Drop, Rolf Sachs

Walk the Light by Cinemod studio can be seen in the tunnel entrance to the V&A. A band of bright white light follows the visitor and as one person passes the white light jumps to the new arrival. Either side of the white light, bands of strongly coloured light are pushed and pulled along the tunnel, creating an ambient lighting effect.

Rolf Sachs‘ Journey of a Drop sees droplets of ink plummet from the top of the Grand Staircase of the Henry Cole wing into a tank of illuminated liquid to explode into swirling clouds of colour.
Out of the Woods: Adventures of 12 Hardwood Chairs, RCA & American Hardwood Export Council

Out of the Woods: Adventures of 12 Hardwood Chairs is a collaboration between the Royal College of Art and the American Hardwood Export Council. ‘Under the leadership of RCA tutors and designers Sebastian Wrong and Harry Richardson, the use of wood as a material and its life-cycle impact had to be taken into consideration by the students. The resulting designs will be developed into working prototypes with the help of Sir Terence Conran’s furniture manufacturing firm Benchmark.’
Juliana Sissons / Mimicry Chairs, Nendo

In the Grand Entrance and throughout the museum, look out for Japanese design studio Nendo‘s Mimicry Chairs. ‘The simple chair archetype is made from pressed and punched metal painted white giving it an almost ghost-like appearance. At each site, the chair is modified to mimic the space it inhabits and the objects around it. In some locations visitors may sit on the chairs and observe and appreciate the collections from different perspectives.’

In the ironwork department you will find the knitwear collection from former Fashion Design Resident Juliana Sissons, set among the historic armour that inspired her during the residency.

Now in its second year, designjunction 2012 will feature more than 100 international brands who will showcase their latest collections and designs in the industrial surroundings of the Sorting Office.

Design collective The Decorators will transform part of the exhibition space into a hand-built, art deco-style cinema. The cinema will host a number of seminars organised by Blueprint magazine and will stream film footage throughout the day.
designjunction 2012

On the ground floor, designjunction will host a series of interactive Flash Factories, where the processes of industrial production will be brought to life. Furniture brand Thonet will demonstrate its mobile wood-bending machine, which it uses to craft the 214 chair.

The Crafts Council will also be there for the launch of its new touring exhibition. The exhibition will contain a variety of traditional and contemporary pieces designed by leading designer-makers.

Designjunction runs from 19-23 September at The Sorting Office, 21-31 New Oxford Street London. For more information and to register for free entry visit the designjunction website.

We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who came down to visit us and our 10 exhibiting designers at Designersblock during the London Design Festival. The event was a great success! Just in case you missed it, we’ve created this short film which pieces together all the highlights from the week.

Read all our coverage of Designersblock.

Visit our 10 designers’ ARTS THREAD portfolios:
Chris Stoneman
Emma Lundgren
Hannah Coxeter
Malene Rasmussen
Nadine Spencer
Ornella Stocco
Rosie Thompson
Sarah Birnie
Satoru Kusakabe
Tim Pryde

Ruth Blackford

Kingston University’s MA graduates staged an exciting showcase of their work at Tent, London during the London Design Festival in September. The work on show was diverse and innovative, covering numerous disciplines including Architecture, Fashion, Illustration and Animation, Design Product & Space, Curating Contemporary Design, and Production Design for Film and Television. ARTS THREAD selects a few highlights.

Illustration MA graduate Ruth Blackford’s final project caught our eye. Inspired by the exploitation of workers in the garment industry, she states: “The reality of life in a garment factory is a far cry from the workers’ rights stipulated by law or the ethical commitments proclaimed by the big brands and retailers. My experience working as a textile designer for fashion has given me insight into this subject. Using my textile skills, I was keen to raise further public awareness of the conditions suffered by the workers and draw attention to the public’s demand for cheap clothes and the refusal to acknowledge unethical practices.”

Chenbin Wu

Chenbin Wu’s distinctive illustration work also drew us in. Inspired by traditional Chinese literature and symbols, Chenbin has blended Eastern and Western references together. Her intricate dragon images incorporate a range of materials such as Chinese symbols, fragments of maps and airmail envelopes. Other images featured funny, surreal fish/human hybrid creatures, depicted riding bicycles, running with umbrellas and firing crossbows. Other work included a 3D fantasy landscape in paper where pyramid mountains, burning trees and fairytale castles were set against a cosmic backdrop.

Chen Ying Gao

In the Design Products and Space area, Chen Ying Gao’s Rickshaw Shower project really impressed us. Tackling one of the problems encountered by the 3.6 million migrant workers in Beijing, this project offers a simple solution to the lack of bathing facilities that are available to the workers. Chen’s low-tech mobile shower can be easily connected to a standpipe. The idea is an admirable one; to improve the harsh lives of the migrant workers, by providing a cleansing, refreshing shower and ten minutes of welcome ‘self’ time.

Kingston University MA Fashion / Han Gu

The MA Fashion area of the exhibition was striking and offered a chance for visitors to get up close to some of the beautifully crafted work that had been showcased on the catwalk at the Freemasons Hall during London Fashion Week.

Han Gu’s final collection included a beautifully simple dress with an intricate, decorative collar and belt. Another favourite was Stephanie Jayne Price’s elegant collection in black. However, one of the most outstanding exhibits was Stephanie Nieuwenhuyse’s ‘Biomimicry’ project, which utilised discarded plywood. The designer had meticulously cut and pieced together pieces of wood to create a superb, sculptural, articulated bodice for a dress. Stephanie has also successfully applied her technique to shoes and belts. This clever, creative work merges fashion with craft to stunning effect.

Stephanie Nieuwenhuyse, ‘Biomimicry’

Kingston University MA Fashion on ARTS THREAD