photography by Alexander Duff Joe-won Sim, chair. Bent wood, leather. Janice Gardner, ceramic water fountain. Conversations Exhibiting the Potential for Design and Studio Collaborations. by: Jim Stamper The recent Conversations show in the Concourse Gallery was the presentation work of two Studio / Industrial Design crossover classes. One of the classes - with instructors Tam Irving and Roman Izdebski - had a focus in ceramics. The other - taught by Russell Taylor and Katie Campbell — involved students with the design and construction of furniture. The idea behind the classes was to bridge part of the gap that exists between studio and design. Those that have been around long enough know that this gap is quite expansive at times. The two crossover classes combined students from both departments in the hopes of creat- ing communication between the disciplines. The success of this exchange is somewhat questionable. The Design students seem to have gotten a well deserved break from their drafting tables and computers, while the Studio students didn’t seem to improve their understanding of what design is. The lack of coalescence between Design and Studio seemed to be most apparent in the furniture that was presented in the show. Although the work done by the Studio students has more heart than that of the Design students, on the most part it lacked an attention to ergonomics. We could see this sacrifice of function for form in Rob Woronko’s beam cabinets. The actual usable space had been compromised in order to keep the emotion of the found wood. In this instance, it was an understood trade- off at the time of construction. This unfortunately was not the case in some of the other work. Sean Clancy’s chair became more of an art piece than a functional object. There were two languages in this piece and this made the chair hard to understand aesthet- ically. The many holes made for an interesting visual, as do the use of several different materials, however the problem seemed to be too much of both. Choosing fewer style elements would have helped to focus and clarify the intent. This is something that designers are good at. Most of the designers’ work had been constructed with only a few simple materials, which is why their work had that clean manufactured look. But at the same time, it was this "super clean" application of the material that has left a lot of the Design work in the show without heart. Eugene Whang’s chair, even though it was magnificently built, it lacked the personality that is inherent to one-of-a-kind furniture. This may stem from the Industrial Design mentality of designing for the masses. It may also come from the starting points. A lot of designs are conceived on paper and then materials are found to suit the design. Art fur- niture, on the most part, works the other way around. The mate- rial is often explored first in order to discover what it can become. Of course, not all the Design furniture was sterile. Noel Bernal’s cabinet had a lot of character and Todd Falkowsky’s chair defi- nitely had an attitude. The front half of the gallery was filled with work by the Ceramic/Design class. This course had a sister class running con- currently in Poland. Some of the work on display was from that exchange. The cat toilet by Rafal Srzedzinski was a nice example of material handling, but anybody who has a cat knows just how often they would need to clean it. I had to ask, why was it so high? This thing was just asking to be knocked over. Cynthia Hathaway and Jasna Sokolovic, floor lamp. Influx: Magazine March 1999 The small Cosmetic Lab for Facial Treatment Using Natural Ingredients by the Polish student Magdelena Kielkiewicz wes very nicely done. The objects had a small compact form that seemed like they would have felt great in the hand (if you could pick them up. I tried but they were glued down). Unfortunately, for the most part the ceramic section wasn’t very interesting. There were a few noticeable ceramic pieces but on the whole this part of the show was fairly mundane. The lack of engaging work was basically due to the fact that all the pieces were slip cast in white porcelain. The slip cast technique itself is an industrial process that artists for years have used with very limit- ed success. Not to say that great work can’t be done with this technique but it does take a lot of skill and experience. The advan- tage of this.process lies in the surprisingly little effort that is need- ed to make clean slick products. I’m sure some of the students will argue that point, but they have to realize that they were at the bot- tom of the learning curve at the time. If they continue to use the slip cast process, they will see what I mean. There were three pieces that did stand out for me. The lamps by Andrew Bryden, Cynthia Hathaway and Jasna Sokolvic, and Janice Gardner’s wall fountain all seemed to have found a way of expressing individual- ity within a process that was created to make large quantities of identical clones. I should say that, despite some of the results, I do believe that all the students in the ceramic class should give them- selves a pat on the back for the work they have done. Even though there were not very many masterpieces, the work that was pre- sented expressed a solid understanding of the slipcast method. One semester is a short period of time to learn a new discipline, especially for one that can be as complex as clay. As a whole, the Conversations show lacked a depth of strong work, which may have stemmed from its uninspired cura- torial technique. There appeared to have been too many cooks in the kitchen and a break down in communication on how to best display the work. The ceramic portion seemed to be making an honest attempt at being a cohesive presentation. The furniture half however, still read only as a room full of furniture and the seg- regation of the two sections reminded me of a trade show. Maybe they should have intermingled the two displays to give them more options to work with. The blue colour scheme used for the ceram- ic presentations seemed to work well only for Gardener’s wall fountain. The white tile and green ivy went well with the blue wall to create a colour scheme that hinted of Greece. All the other blue display stands distracted the viewer from the work being present- ed. This was most noticeable with Hathaway and Sokolovic’s floor lamp. The display base became part of the piece. I have had an opportunity to see the lamp presented lying on the floor without the base, and it had a much better connection to its surroundings. Unfortunately, there was just not enough room in this short article to get into deeper explanations of what I’ve written here. All in all the Conversations exhibition proved that crossover courses can be worthwhile, but it also showed that they do need some refinement. 33 jim, chair. Bent wood, leather. Janice Gardner, ceramic water fountain. Conversations Exhibiting the Potential for Design and Studio Collaborations. by: Jim Stamper “The recent Comeeriationt show in the Concourse Galery was the presentation work of #0 Stadio / Industral Design crossover classes. One of the clases - with instructors Tam Irving and Roman Tndcbak~had a foes in ceramics. The other ~ taught by Russell Taylor and Katie Campbell ~ involved students withthe design and constuction of furniture. The idea behind the ‘lasses seas to bridge part of the gap that exists between studio nd desig, Those that have been around long enough know that ‘his gap it quite expansive at times, The two crosover classes combined stadents fom both departments in the hopes of creat~ Jing communication berween the disciplines, The success of this exchange s somewhat questionable The Design student ccm 10 Ihave goten well deserved break from thee drafting tables and ‘computers, while the Stadio student didn't seem to improve their ‘understanding of what design is-The ack af coalescence between Design and Stadio semed to be most apparent in the fornia ‘that was presented in the shoe ‘Although the work done by the Studio students has ‘more heart than that of the Design stent, on the most part t Tucked an attention to ergonomics. We could see this sacrifice of function for form in Rob Woronko's beam cabinets. The actual usable space had been compromised inorder to beep the emation ‘ofthe found wood. In this instance, it was an understood trade- Off at the time of construction, ‘This unforunatly was not the ‘ase in some of the other work. Sean Clancys chair became more fof an ar piece than functional object‘Ther were two languages in thi piece and this made the chat hard to understand aestet” ically The many holes made fran interesting visual; as do the use several diferent material, however the problem seemed to be too much of both. Choosing fever se clements would have helped to focus and clarify the intent. This is something that designers are good at. “Mort ofthe designers’ work had been contracted with only 4 few simple materials, which i why their work bad that ‘ean manufactured look. Buta the same time, twas this “sper “ean” application of the material tha as left alot ofthe Design ‘work in the show without hear. Eugene Whang’s char, even ‘hough twas magnificently built, lacked the personality tha is inherent to. one-of-a-kind furniture, This may stem from the Industrial Design mentality of designing for the masses. It may ko come from the starting points. A ot of designs are conceived ‘on paper and then materials ar found to suit the design, Ar r- titre onthe most part, works the other way around. The mate- ‘al is ten explored fst in order to discover what ican become ‘Of course, not all the Design fariture was sterile. Noel Bernal’, cabinet had a lot of character and Todd Falkowsky’s chair def- nitely had an atiude The front hal ofthe gallery was Sled with wok by the CCeramie/Design cats. This course hada sister cass running con- ‘currently im Poland. Some ofthe work on display was from that ‘exchange. The cat toilet by Rafal Sezedznsh was a nice example ‘of material handling, but anybody who has a cat knows jst hose ‘often they would aced to clean it. Thad toa, why wat 30 igh? "This ching was jst asking to be knocked ove. ‘Cynthia Hathaway and Jasna Sokolovic, floor lamp. The small Cometic Lab for Facial Teament Using [anual Inredcns by the Polish student Magdelena Kilkewice tees very nicely done. The objects had a small compact frm that femed ke they would have fle great in the hand Gi you could pick them up I wied bur they were glued down). Unfortunately, for the mos part the ceramic section wasn' very interesting. "There were afew noticeable ceramic pieces but on the whole this part ofthe show was fairly mundane. The lack of ‘ogaging work was basicaly due to dhe fact that al the pieces were flip car in white porcelain. The slip cst technique itself an Snduntral process tht artis for years ave used with very linit- fe success Not to say that great work can't be done with this technique butt doc take alot of il and experience The advan tage ofthis process ics in the surprisingly ite effort shat need ‘ed wo make lean slick products. m sure some ofthe students will Segue that point, but they have to realize that they were tthe bat {om of the learning curve atthe time. If they continue to use the flip cast process, they wil see what I mean. There were three pieces that did stand out fr me, The amps by Andrew Bryden, ‘Cynthia Hathaway and Jasna Sokol, and Janice Gardner’ wall fountain all semed to have found a way of expressing individual ity within a proces that was created to make large quantities of T should say that, despite some of the results, 1 do ‘elev that al the student inthe ceramic clas should give them selves a pat on the back forthe work they have done. Eventhough there were not very many masterpieces, the work that was pre tented exprewed a solid undertanding of the slipcast method. One semester sa short period of time to learn anew discipline, ‘specially for one that canbe a complex a ly As a hole, the Cones show lacked a depth of strong work, which may have stemmed from is uninspired cura- torial teehnigue. Thre appeared f hare been foo many cooks in the kitchen anda break down in communication on how to bes display the work. ‘The ceramic portion seemed to be making 2 honest attempt at being a cohesive presentation, The furniture half however, sil read ony axa room fll of furniture andthe sg Fegation ofthe two sections reminded me of trade show. Maybe {hey should have intermingled the ro displays o give them more ‘options to work with, The bie colour scheme ued for dhe cram Je presentations seemed to work well only for Gardeners wall fountain. The white ile and green iy went wel with the blue wall to create a colour scheme that hinted of Greece. All the other blue ‘splay sands distracted the viewer fom the work Being presen ‘This was most noticeable with Hathaway and Sokolov’ Noor lamp. The display base became par of the pice. Ihave had an ‘opportunity to se the lamp presented lying on the Noor without the base and it had a much beter connection tits surroundings. ‘Unfortunatly, there was jst not enough room in this short arie to gt into deeper explanations of what I've weten Fre ll in all the Conceration exibition proved tha cowsover ‘courses can be worthwhile, but ialso showed that they do need ome refinement. Influx’ Magazine March 1999 33