JULY 11- 23, 2021. Lisbon and Loulé, portugal
Metal in Loulé SUMMER SCHOOL
ABOUT THE SUMMER SCHOOL
Metal is not notoriously sustainable, but if respected and used in the correct way will last generations.
How is this conceived of in design? What do we value now that will be valued in 100-1000 years? How can excellent craftsmanship change this value?
This intensive course is developed in partnership with the Michelangelo Foundation, Loulé Criativo and Fundação Ricardo do Espírito Santo Silva. 10 students were selected to work with 6 craftspeople. 2 days in Lisbon experiencing 3 techniques of casting, metalwork and tin-work. 3 days in Loulé focusing on chiseling (engraving), filigree and hammered copper.
Each craftsperson will teach the students in small groups for one entire day. The last week is the focus week. Here students will divide and focus on one technique while working in a team with other students in another techniques in order to join their efforts into final unified designs.
THE FINAL GROUP PROJECT WAS THE TALKING TABLE SET.
This table set is a trigger for interaction. A collection of emotional objects that connect people, their playfulness striving to touch human awareness and perception, in doing so keeping the materials and their forms alive. This is a game with no rules, to be discovered and rediscovered. Bringing longevity through instigated human relationships, to be remembered and passed on through time as treasures.
Candle, 2021
Hammered copper, chiseled brass, silver filigree in brass
Beatriz Canha, Maria Da Conceição da Silva Moreira - craftswomen artesãs
Analide do Carmo, Jürgen Cramer, Luis FIlipe Moreira da Silva - craftsmen artesãos
Bartosz Brylewski, Francesca Calicchia, Ana Margarida Lapa, Hiago Teixeira - students
Candle is the centerpiece of this metal Talking Table Set collection. Envisioned to bring different ambiences to the table through the manipulation of the curved pieces, these, along with the candle, allow for open interaction with light, shadow, and reflections, all composed by the users. Delicately, this project navigated through the techniques practiced during summer school: filigree, hammered copper and chiseling, pushing boundaries within these crafts.
Senses, 2021
Hammered copper, chiseled brass and brass filigree
Beatriz Canha, Maria Da Conceição da Silva Moreira - craftswomen
Analide do Carmo - craftsman
Liva Graubina - student
Do you remember your last date? How was it? How was the communication? Table set of “Senses” is a set of five different wands. They are not only for eating but mostly for little seductions. Each wand is for a different sense - sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. These tools are a good start for conversation or a nice way to begin a game. Sometimes words are not needed for communication. Hear the little bell sound inside of one of the wand’s flowers, smile. Offer the tool to your date partner or ring it closer to his/her ear, laugh. Look at the world through a lace lens and see that it is full of beauty and magic. Let the miracles happen. Remember your senses and experiment with exploring life differently.
Um beijo (One kiss), 2021
Forged copper, brass, silver filigree
Maria Da Conceição da Silva Moreira - craftswomen
Analide do Carmo - craftsman
Sylvia Berté, Gabin Verboud - students
How do we create space for genuine connection? In a world that increasingly drives us towards individuality, while constantly normalizing us, to the point where we are becoming even more oblivious of our natural rhythms, O Beijo calls for an ordinary act of resistance. One that invites us to develop and cultivate more awareness — of oneself, of the other. One that forces us to question and critically review what we’re served as truths. O Beijo can only be activated through coordinated and concerted actions, a gentle reminder of how important interdependency is. One partakes in a captivating performance, and comes to find its unity (a sense of wholeness) alongside the other. Everything falls into place; we indulge in the present moment, together. Secular crafts engage in a dialogue and allow seemingly opposed sensibilities to coexist and collaborate. Frontiers become permeable and seemingly distant sensibilities find common ground (osmosis). What appears at first sight as fragile, vulnerable actually demonstrates enough strength to sustain and bring cohesion to the whole. O Beijo challenges us to look beyond appearances.
Radost, 2021
Hammered and chiselled copper, silver filigree
Beatriz Canha, Maria Da Conceição da Silva Moreira - craftswomen
Analide do Carmo, Luis FIlipe Moreira da Silva - craftsmen
Silvia Gálová - student
This object is a combination and intersection of different techniques, materials and their properties, different contrasts, emotions, interpretations and challenges. It’s a result of exploration and play with copper material properties, pushing it to its limits without being afraid of potential destruction. The design works with the perception of different contrasts: simple and complicated, rough and smooth, raw and delicate, tough and fragile, solid and perforated along with and texture gradients as transitions, combining three different techniques of hammering, chiseling and filigree. The principal shape of the bowl is a representation of Sylvia’s emotional flow when working with copper, a fusion of emotion with material. For the final design touch, the repair of the defects that emerged during hammering are done in a re-interpretation of the Japanese Kintsugi technique, where instead of using lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver filigree delicately repairs the copper. Challenging and pushing the limits of the filigree technique was also a part of the process — hammered copper was used as a substitute of the silver skeleton for filigree. She experimented in soldering thicker copper with thin silver wire and then chiseling around the filigree delicately avoiding the potential danger of breaking the solder. In the end, all the problems while experimenting became the beauty of the final piece. The wounds will heal but the scars remain for us to remember forever, never to forget.
Jim, 2021
Hammered and chiselled copper, brass
Beatriz Canha - craftswomen
Analide do Carmo, José Luis - craftsmen
Pierre Giraud - student
At the core of the table, JIM nobly awaits the slightest crumb falling into his lair. From the outer walls of this den outreach some amuse-bouche delicacies or consequences of a still unknown alchemy. The organic aspect is no longer under discussion however we still have to define the nature of it. Is it bark or skin growing from these blistered textures and are those leaves or tongues, to be defined through gesture and fantasy? The ensemble can be taken apart in this way, guests can grab and keep leaves/ tongues beside them.
Yarost’, 2021
Hammered and chiselled copper
Beatriz Canha - craftswomen
Analide do Carmo, Jürgen Cramer - craftsmen
Petya Taneva - student
The concept for this piece originates from the basic chiseling tool which combines a wooden pedestal, half of a spherical natural stone topped with a special mastic for securing the object to be chiseled. Petya’s fascination came at first sight when she entered the chiseling studio, she felt the soul and the magic of craftsmanship, without any contemporary tools or equipment. She calls this piece a memorial in honor of this artesian workmanship, in honor of all those who continue doing this valuable and respectful craft through the centuries with the general idea of preserving traditions and passing them on. She would like us to sense all the difficulties, obstacles, wisdom and knowledge that accompanied the whole adventure. The chiseling set cannot be functional without all its components. It would be out of balance, like everything around us. As always, the solution is hiding in a minimalist and simple gesture. As such, in Yarost’, the two triangular prisms form a base, holding the vessel stable, making the hand hammered form, functional for eating. Let’s not forget that dinners are the times when the family comes together and moments like this Petya takes for a celebration, wrapping up wonderfully with a board game. Thus, both copper prisms can perhaps be used as targets and or striked with a little ball or a coin... the bowl spun... the rules she leaves to you. Keep playing and enjoy life’s moves!
CRAFTSPEOPLE
Beatriz Canha, Chiseling
Ivo Ferreira, Tin Work
Analide do Carmo, Copperwork
Jürgen Cramer, Copperwork
Conceição Neves, Filigrana
students
Ana Margarida Lapa, Portugal
Bartosz Brylewski, Poland
Francesca Calicchia, Italy
Gabin Verboud, Belgium
Hiago Teixeira, Brazil
Liva Graubina, Latvia
Pierre Giraud, France
Petya Taneva, Bulgaria
Silvia Gálová, Slovaquia
Sylvia Berté, Spain
Partners
The Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship
Loulé Municipal Council
FRESS - Fundação Ricardo do Espírito Santo Silva
Passa Ao Futuro
HOST
Loulé Criativo
Design Mentors
Henrique Ralheta, Loulé Criativo
Fatima Durkee, Passa Ao Futuro
Guest Lecturer
Sam Baron, designer