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CLUSTER CRAFTS FAIR

As we look at Cluster artists and makers working in this field, we think about the real-life impact of functional design. If you are looking for, or interested in, design pieces for the home that refuse to fade into the background, read on…

It was the nineteenth century architect, Louis Sullivan, who initiated talk about “form over function”, and in the Modernist context of his practice, the taste for functionality as well as aesthetic appeal was clear. Now that we are experiencing different factors such as mass production and austerity, the need for objects to have multiple values is increasing, but consumers and makers rightly do not want to sacrifice the aesthetic.

Functional design is arguably the most accessible route into the world of visual culture; bringing art or design objects into the home is a simple pleasure that we can all enjoy. Whether this is interior design as a whole project or one small piece that catches our eye, it is impossible to avoid functional design as we navigate life and work; even our memories are filled with design items that we often take for granted. Their social impact should not be underestimated!

The real joy of this synergy between aesthetics and functionality is that the user is able to interpret and adapt the piece as they wish, truly bringing a visual object to life. A piece can be considered either a sculpture or a practical vase, for instance, and this is entirely the prerogative of its owner. American Craft Magazine has a lovely article called ‘Craft: Seriously, What Does the Word Mean?’, in which editor Joyce Lovelace unashamedly describes how ‘craft’ does not lend itself to being pinned down and defined:

“Well, it’s handmade work today, I say. Ceramics and glass, quilts and weavings and furniture and jewelry, all kinds of beautiful objects. High quality, things you’d see in galleries and museums and design shops. Expressive, like painting or sculpture. Or just great everyday items to live with and use.”

For us, this inability to put ‘craft’ in a box, as it were, is a joyful thing. It is the last sentence of Lovelace’s quote that is today’s inspiration for our discussion on functional design, and got us thinking about the amazing makers who are producing functional objects with an undeniably striking, beautiful or thought-provoking visual impact. Stockholm-based maker Julia Olanders does this amazingly well; her ongoing ‘Betweenness’ project utilises often-forgotten or overlooked materials from buildings to make vessels reminiscent of Ancient Greek relics and headless busts. Having a nod to art history in your home while the object bears a functional value is something quite magical, and actually blurs the line between gallery and living space: who says your domain can’t be both?

Functional design often looks to nature for inspiration. Whether in aesthetics (like zoomorphic architecture on a grand scale, which borrows its appearance from animals or nature) or elsewhere in function, the awe we experience from nature is certainly something to aspire to in design. Junsu Kim’s design work is inspired by trees, the way they age and grow; Kim is influenced by how trees can thrive for hundreds of years in the optimum space, and as a result the pieces are highly durable and intricately natural in their appearance. This is a beautiful metaphor for preserving and loving design and nature in tandem; creating sustainable objects that will love you back by being long-term staples of the home.

In the contemporary world, where theory is a large part of art and design from the stance of the viewer and the maker, of course form and function are not mutually exclusive. Beautifully, and lovingly, created craft pieces are not made this way by happy accident. At Cluster, the makers we collaborate with produce work that is not an end in itself, but instead spark conversation. As you can see, we are constantly being surprised and inspired by their practices, and love to share this with you. Take a look around you now, what is your favourite functional object in your home? Do you perhaps have two favourites, one with the best function and another with the best form? It is through our lived experiences that we mold our taste in design and aesthetics, but it takes masterful makers to create the objects that we hold dear.

Thank you for reading,
Issey Scott