Arts & Crafts - A Declaration for Design
Katharina Horstmann
“What’s the difference between art and design?” is a popular question — “What’s the difference between design and craft?” less so. But this all might change as William Morris’ declaration, ‘Turn our artists into craftsmen and our craftsmen into artists!’ is fast becoming a popular movement in the design world today.
A shift away from a reliance on industrial production into a system emphasising the value of artisan labour and craft techniques was a key theme in both this year’s Milan Design Week and New York Design Week respectively.
In the many fringe exhibitions scattered across the two cities, evidence of a critical mass of design returning to an ancient system of craftsmanship was widely apparent. And while the permeability between art and design remained significant, with a wave of limited editions being launched at both events, designs fusion with flawless craftsmanship was the prominent trend.
In his solo exhibition ‘Extranormal’, Milan-based French designer Emmanuel Babled exhibited a series of new works emphasising the nature of handcrafted work while focusing on the flawless execution of the design processes involved. These processes, looking to traditional craftsmanship instead of the typical planning approach associated with design, demonstrated the possibility of obtaining uniqueness and perfection through traditional handcrafted work.
The launch of Meta, a new company that is the creation of Mallett, one of the world’s pre-eminent antique houses, was a direct response to the great interest in uniqueness, exquisite quality, and collectibility of furniture pieces. Mallett, who are specialists in 18th century furniture and works of art, wanted to contribute to the contemporary design market by drawing upon their knowledge of materials and production techniques from the 18th century.
For its inaugural collection Meta commissioned five internationally renowned designers, including Matali Crasset and Tord Boontje, to develop new contemporary works in collaboration with traditional mastercraftsmen. The result of the project is an emphasis on renovating tradition through the capabilities in handcraft and uniting them with the designers’ vanguard visions. Every detail is handmade to perfection, transforming each design into a narrative object that reveals a story of its making.
Fig Leaf by Tord Boontje for Meta
Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend - Matali Crasset for Meta
Emmanuel Babled - Extranormal
