Lab Craft
Digital Adventures in Contemporary Craft
6 May – 26 June '11
London
'Lab Craft: Digital Adventures in Contemporary Craft' is entering its last fortnight at Arts Depot. This touring exhibition from the Crafts Council is curated by Max Fraser, and features designer makers whose work engages technological approaches within their craft based design practice.
There are 26 designers exhibiting including some key names in experimental contemporary design such as Tord Boontje, Michael Eden, Gareth Neal, Timorous Beasties and Nina Tolstrup. The work shown spans furniture, lighting, ceramics, glass and textiles.
The show explores the way in which craft sensibilities such as technical mastery of tools and materials can be extended through the use of cutting-edge digital technologies such as rapid prototyping, laser cutting, laser scanning and digital printing; looking at the ways in which these technologies begin to work as an "extension to the capabilities of the human hand."
The organisers explain the central questions and ideas they hope to raise in this exhibition:
"As the human touch is considered a pivotal anchor in the definition of craft, is this made redundant amid the adoption of digital tools? Does digital perfection allow space for the great charm of mistakes? Far be it from spelling the end of craft as we know it, Lab Craft presents an exciting extension to the maker’s toolbox by showcasing a variety of items that utilise digital technologies, wholly or in part, in pursuit of pioneering new outcomes."
Top image:
Assa Table Loop Light (position twist), Assa Ashuach, 2010
Information Ate My Table, Zachary Eastwood-Bloom, 2010, Beech. Photo: Nick Moss
Shine, Geoffrey Mann, 2010, Bronze and Silver-Plate. Photo: Nick Moss
Bravais Armchair, Lazerian (Liam Hopkins), 2010, Cardboard. Photo: Nick Moss
Babel Vessel #1, Michael Eden, 2010, Nylon with Mineral Coating. Photo: Nick Moss
