Arno Mathies

Getting the high praise and coverage it fully deserves is the awesome foldboat project, by Arno Mathies  with Max Frommeld. But Mathies goes further and deeper for me with his own work. His cardboard Gruff series is a wonder; ideologically, in construction and aesthetically. In his (new work?) Mathies is "Interested in the boundaries of the fake and the real, Render furniture is project made using the qualities and realities brought from rendering programes. The project focuses on trying to recreate the material and texture properties created from the renders into furniture. Everything is fake except for the table tops thus challenging the boundaries between the real and the fake". 
This is obviously a comment on the state of mass produced (fake wood) laminate furniture to some extent. But really it's asking why a fake wood table has to look like a real wood table when it does not require the same constructional methods. It's like fake bacon rashers made for vegetarians. Why??? 
If you are going to fake something, make something completely new, different and much more exciting. 
There is a groundswell with this type of creative thought, attention to pattern, investigation into more abstract form coming out of the RCA at the moment, (and that is a good thing).

Derelict

Interesting looking characters from Derelict (no website). Strange personalities coming through, very wholesome and welcoming, but also slightly awkward looking. Would definitely like to see more.

Series 2

Another Country are now onto their second collection. Not quite the same consistency with the new range, but I think the long tables and benches are very successful, and worth a look.

Edward Zucca

Astonishing group of objects from Zucca, with his 'Mystery Lamp' series.

Some recent pics

Painting again

It has been years since I have picked up a paintbrush in creative anger. I forgot the utter pleasure it allows; no sizing issues, no colours to match, no schedule. Just wonderful cerebral liberty.

"A table may need four legs to function, but no one can tell me the four legs have to look the same." Ettore Sottsass

Cloud of Hammers

This is from a 2009 show (although i had not seen it before) by Greg cox. Investigations into deconstruction and renewal.  (Great title for a show too.)

Inane Systems

Happy New Year to you all!
Lets start 2012 as we mean to go on, with Inane Systems (aka Ryan Dunn). Dunn plays with ideas of contact, alteration and disassembly, through many different mediums.
Top image is Nickel Fabric, a conceptual fabric design created through a process of electrolysis, produced as part of an investigation into mark making using electric currents.