Photo: Walter Jack Studio
Synopsis
‘PositiveNegativePositive’ is an eye-catching sculptural façade yeilding cutout products designed by a dozen emerging artists, celebrating local talent. Walter Jack Studio collaborated with KWMC’s The Factory to co-create this permanent work for Hengrove, where local artists were invited to explore, celebrate and sustain their own practice using the brass sheet materials of the commission. Their work is cut direct from the panels, taking the form of lamps, jewellery and more.
The artists’ work exists twice; in the negative celebrated across the huge facades of the energy centre itself, and in positive, in the products – that they will continue to take forward into their own artistic practice.
Description
PositiveNegativePositive celebrates Walter Jack Studio’s passion in ‘the dance of making’, the idea that the process of making has a beauty all of its own, set apart from the final product created.
Co-created with KWMC’s The Factory artists, this project celebrates the act of making in a showcase of local talent. The project created an opportunity for local artists to produce a product themselves, with support and skills training during production.
The artists’ work, cut from the façade panels, takes the form of lamps, jewellery and more, cut from the 1mm and 1.5mm brass sheet. Skills development included training on the drawing software that would allow the laser to do it’s cutting, and conversations around the properties and limits of materials. Often their work imaginatively exploited the malleability of the brass to create folded elements. Many collaborating artists used slots cut into the brass to create very complex works made from multiple components.
“This project was fantastic, giving local makers an opportunity to engage with public art and prototype their own products”Chris, Workshop and Production Manager, KWMC ,The Factory
Further Reading:
‘Making Hengrove’ is the name given to the Public Art Programme for Hengrove’s new Urban Quarter Development for Tilia Homes (previously Keir). It is the vision of Public Art Consultant Diana Hatton Consultancy and Walter Jack Studio and comprises of three interlinked projects share an ambition to ‘build community, build skills and build a sense of place through collaborative acts and celebrations of making’.
Building Community: Co-creation and participation is integral to each project in the hope that creativity can bring the community together to share in the pleasure of making.
Building Skills: Hengrove celebrates some fantastic initiatives relation to this ambition. Making Hengrove aims to amplify, celebrate and support the creative talent already in the area.
Building Sense of Place: Sense of place is often about a vernacular of materials and building technologies. Thatched roofs, for instance, make the Cotswolds special. Much of this local distinctiveness has been lost through the homogenisation of building processes, however BS4 has a developing expertise in digital fabrication. ‘Making Hengrove’ will harness this to give a layer of distinctiveness to this development of new homes.
The three emerging projects in the programme include:
Commission 1:
‘Stories of Making’. Scott Farlow in collaboration with local communities.
Commission 2:
‘PositiveNegativePositive’, Walter Jack Studio in collaboration with KWMC’s The Factory.
Commission 3:(currently in development)
‘Wildflower’ Billy Colours
In the twenty years since Walter set up the studio, joined by Paul Channing in 2000, he has created a very wide range of ideas and developed them across all sorts of media. Makers of things (as well as ideas) Walter Jack stay hands-on with the making process right through to the finish. The studio has a particular interest in transformation, forms that change shape in use and over time; and in craft and innovation with making processes. All of this work is the result of fruitful collaboration. The studio’s national and international clients include universities, schools, hospitals, UK Police Memorial Trust, the National Trust, Curtin University in Western Australia and many communities.
The Factory is an innovation centre for making, digital manufacturing and product design in the heart of Knowle West.
Develop, Create, Connect
Based at Filwood Green Business Park, KWMC The Factory supports a diverse community of creative practitioners, businesses and local residents to develop new skills, create and test new products and prototypes, and connect with others.
We offer a range of facilities including laser and CNC cutting, 3D printing and product design and prototyping services. Our friendly team can support you with your making needs.
You can get involved in the Factory in numerous ways, from becoming member, signing up for one of our creative training courses, taking part in some free enterprise support activity or sharing your skills through volunteering.
Digital Making Space – Workshop space and facilities at The Factory, Bristol (kwmc.org.uk)
