Lab Craft

Lab Craft - Digital Adventures in Contemporary Craft, at Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum.

 

As the human touch is considered pivotal in the definition of craft, is this made redundant with the adoption of digital tools? Does digital perfection allow space for the great charm of mistakes? These are some of the questions this exhibition poses, and the answer is that digital technologies are an exciting extension to the maker's toolbox, and present us with pioneering new outcomes.

 

Water,   Ismini Samanidou.

 

Abstract and photographic imagery was manipulated in specialist weave software and developed into thread constructions to create the final fabric. Cotton, linen, paper, silk and metallic thread were used.

The pieces were woven on a computerised jacquard-loom, using a variety of yarns to add shimmer.

 

Self Fold 1 & 2,   Philippa Brock

 

Materials used: silk organzine, paper, silver lurex, elastemeric.

 

Although the final outcome would not be possible without digital technology, the process relies on an initial prototyping using hand looms. These textiles self-fold when they come out of the loom resulting in a 3D structure requiring minimal folding.

 

Dotted One-Liners, Tavs Jorgensen.

In order to create Dotted One-Liners, Jorgensen used a digitised arm to record the act of drawing a loop freehand in the air, to describe the rim of the bowl.The data is recorded as a serial of spatial points. This data is then used to set up a series of upright steel rods using laser-cut templates. These glass bowls are formed by slumping sheet glass over the rods.

 

100 Years, Tord Boontje.

 

Material: trevira CS.  The wood grain and tree rings pattern has been laser cut in a way not possible by hand. Despite its incredibly delicate appearance, 100 Years is quite robust.

 

Bubble Jewellery, (silver, quarz)  Lynne MacLachlan.

Hayes works with building block elements which are firstly modelled on the computer then rapidly prototyped in wax and then wax cast. Her work involves many traditional jewellery making methods as well, such as lost wax casting, stone setting and other bench work.

 

Bubble jewellery (silver, quatz, pearls)  Lynne MacLachlan

Woven Wood, Gary Allson and Ismini Samanidou.

This project explores how digital making methods can be used to translate magnified textile weave structures into timber.

 

The chosen weave, via a number of softward packages, has been converted into a cut pattern for the ditigal router.

 

Knitted Room, Chae Young Kim.  This is wallpaper.

The soft hair-like lines of this wallpaper look like they might have been hand drawn, but in fact they have been created digitally, using 2D vector graphics. The computer software and digital printing process facilitates incredibly fine detailing, allowing the designer to reinterpret the warmth of knitted design. The repeat pattern is printed in grey, creating a light and shadow effect to add to the 3D illusion.

 Assa Table Loop Lamp, Assa Assuach

Softeware that makes it possible for users to interact and co-design certain products to their preferences within the boundaries set by the original designer.

This is the original lamp.

This is an example of a personalised product altered by the user of the software.

 

Automake Collection, Justin Marshall.

Another software platform which challenges the boundaries between designer and consumer - it anticipates that desktop manufacture will become a commonplace method for making in the future.