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Amelia’s Magazine | Power of Making at the V&A: exhibition review

Power of Making V&A 2011-Elaine Colbert
A hyperrealistic baby doll created by Elaine Colbert for ‘adoption’.

Yesterday I went along to check out the new Power of Making exhibition at the V&A Porter Gallery in conjunction with the Crafts Council, treatment which opens today. Curator Daniel Charny was on hand to give us a personal introduction, explaining that when putting together the show he looked for the best demonstration of knowledge for each skill on display. He aims to challenge preconceptions of what arts and craft can be, because ‘making is an active way of thinking‘ that needs to be better valued. Many of the objects on display demonstrate a strong link between science, technology and craft and he would love this relationship to be more widely recognised and utilised.

Here are some of the most interesting things I discovered.

Power of Making V&A 2011-david mach
King Silver Gorilla: made entirely from wire coat hangers by David Mach, this stunning sculpture greets visitors at the entrance to the exhibition.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Peter Butcher embroidered implant
Embroidered surgical implant: this snowflake shaped machine embroidery by Peter Butcher at Ellis Developments is designed to lie just under the skin, providing the surgeon with attachment points for replacing lost tissue.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Mirlande Constant
Beaded Haitian Vodou Flag: having learnt the skills from her mother Mirlande Constant quit her job in a wedding dress factory to make traditional flags.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Kane Kwei lion coffin
Carved wooden lion coffin: the family workshop of Kane Kwei in Ghana has been making sculpted coffins since the 1950s. Designed to reflect an individual’s job and aspirations traditional imagery often merges with contemporary culture: you can now be buried in a car or a branded trainer.

Power of Making V&A 2011-maker bot
The MakerBot: first discovered at a recent Future Human event, this is a small 3D printer designed for home use that extrudes lengths of plastic to create 3D objects.

Power of Making V&A 2011-kideville
Kideville 3D printed game: Also in the realm of new technology, the Kide 3D package uses advanced tools to create a game that simultaneously teaches children rapid-prototyping skills. Over the course of Power of Making children will make their own buildings to complete the 3D printed city.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Thorunn Arnadottir QR CODE
QR code beaded clothing: first discovered at this years graduate Royal College of Art exhibition, Thorunn Arnadottir mixes high technology and art in his Swarovski crystal beaded garments, which can be read by a smartphone.

Power of Making V&A 2011-David Kaleta
Lego frog dissection: David Kaleta‘s frog is very accurate, despite its unusual material construction.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Kathyrn Hinton
Digitally hammered silver bowls: Kathyrn Hinton‘s beautiful bowls are created at a distance that technology affords: a hammer hits a pad and the force of each blow on metal is recorded onscreen.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Jacquy Pfeiffer
Sugar sculpture: Corn syrup, sugar, water and lemon juice were boiled in exact proportions to create a glass-like substance that pastry chef Jacquy Pfeiffer manipulated into a dramatic sculpture (just out of shot, a tiger’s head).

Power of Making V&A 2011-Manel Torres
Spray on dress: Manel Torres developed Fabrican whilst studying fashion at the Royal College of Art and has since moved to Imperial College to work with materials scientists. New applications that are being considered include upholstery, bandages, and even spray on nappies.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Heleen Klopper
Moth hole mender: I don’t quite understand how this works but I want to use this now!!! Heleen Klopper developed Woolfiller to mend much loved old clothes – the fibre is placed over the hole and grabs onto the surrounding wool.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Michelle Wibowo
Marzipan and sugar baby: in an amazing burst of cake based creativity this hyperrealistic infant was made by Michelle Wibowo from edible ingredients.

There were many other intriguing objects to discover at this exhibition, many with extremely clever applications that take them beyond the realm of mere aesthetic frippery. The Power of Making is a fabulous testament to thoughtful creativity and will no doubt encourage many people to learn a new skill. I dare you not to be inspired! For more information and recommended events see my listing.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday September 6th, 2011 12:48 pm

Categories ,3D Printing, ,Beaded Haitian Vodou Flag, ,Beading, ,Carved wooden lion coffin, ,Coffin, ,craft, ,Crafts Council, ,Daniel Charny, ,David Kaleta, ,David Mach, ,Digitally hammered silver bowls, ,Elaine Colbert, ,Ellies Babies, ,Ellis Developments, ,Embroidered surgical implant, ,Fabrican, ,Future Human, ,ghana, ,Heleen Klopper, ,Imperial College, ,Jacquy Pfeiffer, ,Kane Kwei, ,Kathyrn Hinton, ,Kide 3D, ,Kideville 3D printed game, ,King Silver Gorilla, ,Lego, ,Lego frog dissection, ,Maker Bot, ,MakerBot, ,Manel Torres, ,Marzipan and sugar baby, ,Michelle Wibowo, ,Mirlande Constant, ,Moth hole mender, ,Peter Butcher, ,Power of Making, ,QR code, ,rapid-prototyping, ,Robots, ,Royal College of Art, ,science, ,Smartphone, ,Spray on dress, ,Sugar sculpture, ,Sugarcraft, ,Swarovski, ,Technology, ,The Porter Gallery, ,Thorunn Arnadottir, ,va, ,Wooden, ,wool, ,Woolfiller

Amelia’s Magazine | Power of Making at the V&A: exhibition review

Power of Making V&A 2011-Elaine Colbert
A hyperrealistic baby doll created by Elaine Colbert for ‘adoption’.

Yesterday I went along to check out the new Power of Making exhibition at the V&A Porter Gallery in conjunction with the Crafts Council, which opens today. Curator Daniel Charny was on hand to give us a personal introduction, explaining that when putting together the show he looked for the best demonstration of knowledge for each skill on display. He aims to challenge preconceptions of what arts and craft can be, because ‘making is an active way of thinking‘ that needs to be better valued. Many of the objects on display demonstrate a strong link between science, technology and craft and he would love this relationship to be more widely recognised and utilised.

Here are some of the most interesting things I discovered.

Power of Making V&A 2011-david mach
King Silver Gorilla: made entirely from wire coat hangers by David Mach, this stunning sculpture greets visitors at the entrance to the exhibition.

Power of Making V&A 2011-David Kaleta
Lego frog dissection: David Kaleta’s frog is very accurate, despite its unusual material construction.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Kathyrn Hinton
Digitally hammered silver bowls: Kathyrn Hinton’s beautiful bowls are created at a distance that technology affords: a hammer hits a pad and the force of each blow on metal is recorded onscreen.

Power of Making V&A 2011-Michelle Wibowo
Marzipan and sugar baby: in an amazing burst of cake based creativity this hyperrealistic infant was made by Michelle Wibowo from edible ingredients.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday September 6th, 2011 12:48 pm

Amelia’s Magazine | An Interview with Illustrator Tom Hughes

Tom Hughes

Tom Hughes, aka Hyoos, is an Illustrator and Designer whose favourite word is ‘blimp’. Studying Animation at Falmouth, he’s currently working on some great projects, including cover art for Music Producer KickRaux and Singer-Songwriter Elly Jupp. Having trademarked his alter ego Hyoos, he’s hoping to spend the next few years building up the brand. Tom has plans to start collecting watches and a love of outer space and Wales, he’s also about to take the first steps towards forging a career in illustration. With all things comic and creepy as part of his signature style, you can’t but help be drawn (geddit?!) into his scary and intriguing world.

Tom Hughes

Whether it’s a panda wearing a giraffe Kigu-style onesie (with a sprinkling of superhero), a dinosaur indiscreetly parping, or a grimacing planet earth, his drawings are always raw, grumpy and, most importantly, engrossing. I spoke to Tom about the first time he picked up a pencil (a Tuesday) and his plans for post-university life.

Tom Hughes

Can you tell me a little about yourself?
I am an aspiring Illustrator and Designer from Falmouth, Cornwall.

How would you describe your illustration style?
Quite creepy and realistic but with a touch of humour added in some places. I love a bit of wordplay.

Tom Hughes

What are your influences?
Anything different and unusual really, at the moment I love looking and finding animals that people forget exist and drawing them

What’s your dream career?
To be a full time Illustrator, maybe selling my designs on T-shirts…

Tom Hughes

How do you make your images?
I usually draw them freehand on paper with my trusty pencil and then scan them/take a photo of them to then put them on the computer to make them digital and add colour.

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learnt from uni?
It’s all over WAY to quickly. I did get some experience on freelancing which will hopefully help me in the future.

Tom Hughes

What do you have lined up for the future?
I am working on making my name HYOOS known around, and getting it an ‘internet presence’. Fingers crossed I get a lucky break someday.

What kind of projects have you contributed to in the past?
I have contributed in many different random projects, too many to mention. My favourites are ones where I get the creative juices flowing and design fun and quirky things!

Tom Hughes

What would win in a fight: a pencil or a computer mouse?
Pencil any day!! The mouse is a boring piece of technology that would probably just flip over and struggle to find its feet again..

Do you remember the first time you got your hands on a pencil?
I do, I think it was a Tuesday. I haven’t looked back since.

Tom Hughes

Favourite Illustrator?
Mr Keaton Henson.

Fill in the blank. You find illustration____________
EXCITING!

Tom Hughes

You can see more of Tom’s work on his portfolio site www.hyoos.co.uk

Written by Jessica Cook on Tuesday July 9th, 2013 6:31 pm

Categories ,Animaltion, ,comic, ,Cornwall, ,coverart, ,creepy, ,dark, ,Digital Art, ,Elly Jupp, ,Falmouth, ,Hyoos, ,illustration, ,illustrator, ,jessicasrcook, ,Keaton Heston, ,KickRaux, ,pencil, ,Technology, ,Tom Hughes, ,Tuesday

Amelia’s Magazine | The Creators Project

The last time we met Peaches, she was attending a friends party in Brick Lane, and on down-time from her live shows. Relaxed, mellow and low key, I had no idea that this super-chilled woman in front of me would put on the most spectacular and extravagant stage show that I have ever seen. But that’s just what she did one month later under the warm night sky of Benicassim, mesmerising the audience that she presided over in her Grand Dame role of sound sculptress; one part circus ringleader, one part mad professor. Combining state of the art technologies with her minimalist electro music, she created sounds and visuals on lazer harps, glow in the dark rods that moved micro-tonally, had her backup singers beamed across her clothes and generally raised the bar of musical creativity. So just a regular night for Peaches then. Recently, she took part in a Vice and Intel collaboration otherwise known as The Creators Project, an initiative designed to connect young people through a common passion for creativity and technology, to riff about her constantly evolving concepts and ambitions. Other artists involved in the project include Phoenix, Mark Ronson, Interpol, Spike Jonze, UNKLE and Nick Zinner from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Here’s a sneak peak of Phoenix, who we always have time for:
http://www.thecreatorsproject.com/en-uk/creators/phoenix

More interviews can be found on TheCreatorsProject.com, an interactive portal and anthology which will house a selection of eighty-four original videos and featuring work and interviews from the most creative artists across the globe, including discussions with innovators working in indie film, futuristic architecture, avant-garde electronica and fashion. These include Brazil’s Muti Randolph, China’s Peng Lei, the U.K.’s United Visual Artists, and the U.S.’ Radical Friend.

Written by Cari Steel on Thursday June 24th, 2010 10:00 am

Categories ,art, ,Benicassim, ,Intel, ,Mark Ronson, ,Muti Randolph, ,Peaches, ,Peng Lei, ,phoenix, ,Radical Friend, ,Spike Jonze, ,Technology, ,The Creators Project, ,United Visual Artists, ,unkle, ,vice