Collect 2019 – Art, design and craft increasingly inform and fuse with each other for the 15th edition of Collect, the only gallery-presented art fair dedicated to modern craft and design showcasing the work of creatives from over 30 countries from February 28 to March 3 at the Saatchi Gallery in London. “Collect has always been a great platform to uncover new trends in high end, craft-led art and functional objects.” Says to Archipanic the Fair’s Director Isobel Dennis.
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COLLECT was founded by the UK Crafts Council but has been international-facing since its inception in 2004. “Of the 45 galleries and 400+ artists participating we have representation from the US, China, Korea, Czech Republic and wider Europe, Israel, Scandinavia – traversing three continents,” adds Dennis who highlights some of the main trends and must-see exhibits on show.
Luxury and everyday materials blend
“Artists are getting increasingly adventurous in mixing materials”. Super luxury like precious metals and gemstones meet traditional materials, reinterpreted in interesting new ways – for example, utilising Asian lacquer techniques – to surprising applications using everyday materials such as paper, polystyrene, salt, linoleum and resin. …
Social themes coming through at Collect Open
Collect Open is the fair’s capsule showcase shining a light on 15 individual makers selected by an expert panel and represents a platform to present exceptional, ambitious craft-led art installations on a larger scale. London-based artist Sara Peymanpour is creating a bejeweled shawl hijab and glasses, using the change of materials to create meaning and encourage conversation about the role and symbolism of the hijab today.
Tackling sustainability with crafts
If you think that bespoke creations are just about looking good you must definitively reconsider. Environmental messages promoting a more sustainable approach reign. At Collect Open, creative campaigner Sophie Thomas and artist Louis Thomson have an installation entitled Broken Ocean which features a series of blown glass visuals infused with fishnets and plastics to spotlight the issue of pollution in our oceans.
One hundred porcelain elephants that were made in 24 hours by ceramicist Charlotte Mary Pack on National Conservation Day will spotlight elephant poaching.
Craft-tech: digital algorithms and robotics go bespoke
Discover how the Art of Making narrative merges with new technologies and cutting-edge materials. British artist Gareth Neal unveils his reinterpretation of the Hack Chair, which he first launched last year and is produced with a computer numerical control (CNC) machine using green timber, then finished by hand.
On Friday 1st March, Gallerist Sarah Myerscough mediates a cross-generational conversation between ‘godfather of British wood furniture design’ John Makepeace OBE and acclaimed Gareth Neal exploring where ‘chisel will meet robotics’ in practice.
Talks, installations and more…
Expect to be excited, inspired and challenged by the Collect experience which alongside an unprecedented number of galleries exhibiting, includes two large-scale stairway installations and a rich programme of talks. Excitingly, six UK-based artists will also be showcasing their work for the first time since learning that they are finalists in the prestigious LOEWE Craft Prize 2019.
All pictures: courtesy of Collect 2019.
RELATED STORIES: read more bespoke about Collect 2019 on Archipanic…
