Power of Making – AmeliasMagazine

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 | Camberwell College of Arts MA Graduate Show 2011 Review: Designer Maker and Fine Art

Camberwell illustration MA review 2011-Rachael House feminist disco
Illustration of a feminist icon on a paper place at the Rachael House Feminist Disco.

Now for the best of the rest that I saw on a quick whip around the Cambewell College of Arts MA shows: The MA Designer Maker Visual Arts displayed some wonderful works in a room titled Making_Makes_Me_Me, thumb an apt title given the theme of the new V&A Power of Making exhibition.

Camberwell illustration MA review 2011-Chieh Ting Huang
I was immediately drawn to the work of Chieh Ting Huang, buy more about who had grouped together The P Objects in semi darkness. His lighting was inspired by the lantern designs of both east and west, and the taming of fire as the cornerstone of humanity. Capturing the fragility of paper shades within elaborate wood cages, his lovely lights took on the appearance of glowing crystals.

Camberwell illustration MA review 2011-Yaqi Zhao
I liked the playful slip designs of ceramicist Yaqi Zhao, splashed across wide shallow bowls.

Camberwell illustration MA review 2011-Rachael House

Upstairs the MA in Fine Art was experiencing a takeover from Rachael House‘s Feminist Disco, dedicated to, erm, feminism – with particular reference to musical feminist icons such as the late lamented Poly Styrene.

Camberwell illustration MA review 2011-Rachael House feminist disco
Rachael House was busy playing classic tunes on her miniature decks, whilst visitors were invited to create their own feminist icon on a paper plate. ‘I didn’t want it to be all about me,’ she said. ‘What does a feminist look like?‘ enquired a square plate, and it seemed plenty of people, young and old, male and female, were willing to respond to her engaging interactive artwork.

Camberwell illustration MA review 2011-Rachael House feminist disco

To top it all off the Hackney Secular Singers (a punk choir that I used to be part of) gave a rousing half hour acapella set of favourites, including Poly’s great song Germ Free Adolescents.

Camberwell illustration MA review 2011-Hackney Secular Singers
Germ Free Adolescents by X-Ray Spex

Camberwell illustration MA review 2011-Max Strasser
I was also attracted to the Fortean Times inspired ephemera of Max Strasser.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday September 9th, 2011 5:40 pm

Categories ,2011, ,Acapella, ,Camberwell College of Arts, ,ceramics, ,Chieh Ting Huang, ,craft, ,Designer Maker, ,Feminist Disco, ,Fine Art, ,Fortean Times, ,Germ Free Adolescents, ,Hackney Secular Singers, ,Lanterns, ,Lighting, ,ma, ,Making_Makes_Me_Me, ,Max Strasser, ,Power of Making, ,Punk Choir, ,Rachael House, ,review, ,The P Objects, ,va, ,Visual Arts, ,X-Ray Spex, ,Yaqi Zhao

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

Similar Posts:

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

Similar Posts:

Amelia’s Magazine | Camberwell College of Arts MA Graduate Show 2011 Review: Designer Maker and Fine Art

Similar Posts: