Immaterial
Manuel Vilhena proposed at Carry the Can that to focus on the production of beauty is in itself an ethical activity standing in opposition to the destruction of ecosystems for financial gain (2006). His talk was challenging in that it tried to deal with the difficult prospect of a non-materials based approach to ethical issues in craft and design. Since then I have come across a number of makers who explicitly work in this way, and this short piece introduces three of them: Elena Corchero, Elliat Rich, and Keith Armstrong. These are the people I meet because my own work often takes place at the same intersection of technology and craft, hence the technical bias. What is interesting is that the questions this kind of practice is forced to ask of itself are those that most often remain difficult and blurred by familiarity for us as jewellers and craftspeople.
Elena Corchero finished her masters at the RCA last year, and worked with the Distance Lab in Scotland to make a series of highly decorative embroidered pieces inspired by her Spanish heritage. The rich patterns included small coloured lights and pierced solar panels to power them. The resulting fans, headpieces and neckpieces were also highly poetic as the power they gathered through being worn in daylight transformed them into glowing objects for the interior once removed. As the power fades, so do the lights. In her work she aims to “explore the beauty and melancholy of craft to challenge the aesthetics and function of smart fabrics and … emphasize the emotional value of keepsakes, garments and toys”. Elena has moved quickly from prototypes to commercially available products, and launches an online boutique at Lostvalues in May 2008. See her site for more details at http://www.lostvalues.com/.
Solar Vintage Fan 2007
Machine embroidery, solar panels, LEDs
Elliat Rich aims to “create sustainable options through a non-materials based approach to sustainability”, and asks what it is we want to sustain. For her, there is untold value in “humble pleasures” such as sharing a cup of tea or watching mould grow. Two Way below considers and illustrates the two way process of respiration between us and the garden. Her site can be found at http://www.elliatrich.com/.
Two Way 2007
Electroluminsecent panel, conductive knit, conductive thread, fabric
Keith Armstrong’s works are “influenced by philosophies drawn from critical, ecological theories and inspired by principles of social justice, sustainability and progressive social development”. He draws heavily on the writings of Tony Fry and seeks to demonstrate an integrated way of working which focuses on sustainment in its widest sense, as “challenge, terror, opportunity and adventure” (Fry 2000). Keith typically works with teams of other practitioners including dancers, technologists, fashion designers and jewellers to create complex interactive works shown internationally. In 2007 he collaborated with the fashion design team High Tea with Mrs Woo and designer Leah Heiss on InStep, a sensory bandage for the foot which would draw attention to the literal contact of body with ground, and thus also to our larger impact on the earth as ecosphere.
InStep 2007
While it might be challenging at first to accept the use of technology as a route to ethical practice, I hope that these accounts have shown that it is appropriate for some of us in the jewellery community to deal with such issues not only through a responsible use of material, but also through political awareness and an emphasis on human interaction. Most importantly, it should let us reconsider existing practices in our own field and encourage us to consider different routes towards ethical making.
Sarah Kettley’s own practice is also described in Peacocks and Wallflowers, a new paper for Visual Communication published by Sage. See http://www.jewellerytalks.blogspot.com for an abstract or contact her for a full copy.
Helen Carnac is in the process of putting abstracts from Carry the Can online. The conference website will be made available shortly. Look out for news on Helen’s blog at http://makingaslowrevolution.wordpress.com/ or on re-value.
Manuel Vilhena’s site is at http://www.manuelvilhena.com/indexsw.html.
This an article for the June 2008 issue of Findings, the ACJ's members newsletter.
Don’t forget that the re-value blog is a site for all of us. If you have come across an inspiring way of working or an ethical issue you want to deal with in making, please do contact Sarah or Jaimie. We are also looking at changing re-value to a more accessible format, such as a Facebook group. If you have any comments, do let us know.
Elena Corchero finished her masters at the RCA last year, and worked with the Distance Lab in Scotland to make a series of highly decorative embroidered pieces inspired by her Spanish heritage. The rich patterns included small coloured lights and pierced solar panels to power them. The resulting fans, headpieces and neckpieces were also highly poetic as the power they gathered through being worn in daylight transformed them into glowing objects for the interior once removed. As the power fades, so do the lights. In her work she aims to “explore the beauty and melancholy of craft to challenge the aesthetics and function of smart fabrics and … emphasize the emotional value of keepsakes, garments and toys”. Elena has moved quickly from prototypes to commercially available products, and launches an online boutique at Lostvalues in May 2008. See her site for more details at http://www.lostvalues.com/.
Solar Vintage Fan 2007
Machine embroidery, solar panels, LEDs
Elliat Rich aims to “create sustainable options through a non-materials based approach to sustainability”, and asks what it is we want to sustain. For her, there is untold value in “humble pleasures” such as sharing a cup of tea or watching mould grow. Two Way below considers and illustrates the two way process of respiration between us and the garden. Her site can be found at http://www.elliatrich.com/.
Two Way 2007
Electroluminsecent panel, conductive knit, conductive thread, fabric
Keith Armstrong’s works are “influenced by philosophies drawn from critical, ecological theories and inspired by principles of social justice, sustainability and progressive social development”. He draws heavily on the writings of Tony Fry and seeks to demonstrate an integrated way of working which focuses on sustainment in its widest sense, as “challenge, terror, opportunity and adventure” (Fry 2000). Keith typically works with teams of other practitioners including dancers, technologists, fashion designers and jewellers to create complex interactive works shown internationally. In 2007 he collaborated with the fashion design team High Tea with Mrs Woo and designer Leah Heiss on InStep, a sensory bandage for the foot which would draw attention to the literal contact of body with ground, and thus also to our larger impact on the earth as ecosphere.
InStep 2007
While it might be challenging at first to accept the use of technology as a route to ethical practice, I hope that these accounts have shown that it is appropriate for some of us in the jewellery community to deal with such issues not only through a responsible use of material, but also through political awareness and an emphasis on human interaction. Most importantly, it should let us reconsider existing practices in our own field and encourage us to consider different routes towards ethical making.
Sarah Kettley’s own practice is also described in Peacocks and Wallflowers, a new paper for Visual Communication published by Sage. See http://www.jewellerytalks.blogspot.com for an abstract or contact her for a full copy.
Helen Carnac is in the process of putting abstracts from Carry the Can online. The conference website will be made available shortly. Look out for news on Helen’s blog at http://makingaslowrevolution.wordpress.com/ or on re-value.
Manuel Vilhena’s site is at http://www.manuelvilhena.com/indexsw.html.
This an article for the June 2008 issue of Findings, the ACJ's members newsletter.
Don’t forget that the re-value blog is a site for all of us. If you have come across an inspiring way of working or an ethical issue you want to deal with in making, please do contact Sarah or Jaimie. We are also looking at changing re-value to a more accessible format, such as a Facebook group. If you have any comments, do let us know.
posted by sarah kettley at 3:27 AM
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