Minnie Kemp introduces us to the creatives who are pushing traditional materials in ways we haven’t seen before
TAKING HER LEAD FROM FRED FLINTSTONE AND HIS MODERN STONE AGE FAMILY, MINNIE KEMP ENVISIONS A DESIGN WORLD WHERE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
There is a lot to be said about the Flintstone aesthetic. The wibbly-wobbly organic shapes animated in the town of Bedrock have always, just somehow, felt right to me. It must be the innovation and the optimism of the 60s I find so alluring. Characters adorned in highly saturated coloured garments – hot pink, kiwi green and tiger orange – set against a surreal backdrop of purple mountains and rolling sandy yellow dunes. A pleasing cocktail of sweet nostalgia and salty futuristic flavours. Could this modern Stone Age aesthetic be the answer to the last decade of minimalism?
This vibe is 21st-century retrofuturism, and designers and artists are using innovative processes to push traditional materials in ways we haven’t seen before.
Casey Mccafferty’s pieces are oh-so smooth to the touch. It’s hard to believe they haven’t been whittled from giant dinosaur bones. Using traditional techniques to manipulate raw materials, Casey works in a spontaneous fashion, sometimes not knowing what the final outcome will be. The result is truly authentic. My favourite piece is this Desk (below) made from sandblasted and white-washed maple.
Paola Paronetto is an Italian ceramicist who creates ‘paper clay’ sculptural objects and hanging pendants. She has dedicated her life to pushing the boundaries of ceramics and her most recent artistic endeavour, using a blend of paper pulp, natural fibres and clay, results in a unique textural finish (below). The glazing ranges from moodily monochrome to primary technicolour with the occasional flash of gold lustre. A collection of these with varying heights arranged on a round occasional table would be sure to have any visitor singing Yabba Dabba Doo!
Steve Clark is a Scottish designer based in Melbourne; his company, Den Holm, is named after the ‘wee town’ in which he grew up in the Scottish Borders. Starting out as a stonemason, Steve moved into fashion and textile embroidery before coming back to stone. Den Holm offers concrete and woodchip side tables, sandstone counters, limestone stumps, concrete triangle shelves, powdercoated polycrete benches and other stone and timber furniture. On my wish list is his Bobster indigo coffee table – smooth curves and rich with texture – a visual delight.
OK so we have gathered a few key pieces that are going to help conceptualise our Bedrock house of dreams – I vote Maison de Sable, a 3D and moving image studio founded by designer Charlotte Taylor. If it’s dreamy evocative spaces you’re after, she is your go-to girl. Charlotte is inspired by the architectural illustrations of Charles Schridde and his 1960s visions of the homes of tomorrow commissioned by Motorola. The illustrations are not intended to depict a present reality but to inspire an optimistic vision for a potential future, one that feels bright, possible and exciting.
Designers are using innovative processes to push traditional materials in ways we haven’t seen before