Kinetic
I had the priviledge of being asked to show my work as part of an exhibition called Kinetic, at Make Southwest. Make Southwest is an acclaimed exhibition space for contemporary craft and design, as well as a leading charity for craft education. Kinetic focuses on the intersection of craft and engineering.
It felt quite surreal wheeling a bicycle into a white walled gallery space for the set up. But being surrrounded by other craftspeople assembling their work, I realised how unusual it is for craft work to be recognised in such a way, as something to be treated with a degree of care. I know some people have an alergic reaction to the word ‘craft’, associating it with their Gran’s knitting or paper and glue and glitter from a small child’s hands. But I feel that to me it still means something distinct and worthwhile. It is different from industrial production, it signifies a maker’s hands in every step of the process, of a reverance for quality, a desire for durability and an emotional investment in the work.
Traditional professional framebuilding is, to my mind, undoubtedly dying a slow death and I think it’s a real shame. But, the craft world shows that there is a path towards making micro businesses, these small craftspeople’s work, actually economically sustainable. It’s hugely exciting to me, and I’m honoured to be a part of it.