Jerwood Images

The images are of the work currently exhibited at the Jerwood Space.

The last image is of the new piece titled Nocturne. The piece comprimises of four individual trajectories dancing towards the central light source.

Jerwood Contemporary makers Prize 2009...

So with the Jerwood Contemporary Makers Prize all done and dusted plus the Private View going very well (thanks RMT for the strike on the same night of the PV) and I would just like to thank everyone that I have worked with during this very tight deadline.

The work looked fantastic and hopefully anyone reading this will get to visit the Jerwood Space and see how correct lighting for my work create a dramatic impact.

Next up BECon in Portland. Also I have started a Twitter. I will be posting during the conference and also during my time in New York.

Flight landing 2009...

These are the first images I have seen of the new piece for the Jerwood Contemporary Makers Exhibition. I would like to thank Lhotsky Studios for all there expertise and especially their patience during this difficult casting.

Nocturne...

Nocturne moth
Long Exposure series
Nylon, SLS, LED
Varied dimensions
2009

Nocturne will be exhibited during the Jerwood Contemporary Makers Prize. This installation materializes the nocturnal performance of moth .

COLLECT 2009... edit

Unfortunately the new supports I designed for Flight have not been able to balance the piece. Hopefully when I attend COLLECT today I will be able to sort this out.

However, I was nominated for an Art Fund purchase prize unfortunately I did not win but this is still a high accolade especially considering the other exhibits.

I will be on the Craft Scotland stand from 1.30pm tomorrow hopefully with a fully support glass bird...

edit. These are new images from COLLECT of how the piece should have been displayed. This will be adjusted for the Jerwood in 2 weeks time...

As you can see the support for the white piece was very successful, especially with the thin defining line that has been created.

Crafts Magazine May/June - Sudden Impact

A good article in Crafts Magazine this month regarding the Jerwood prize. There is a small quote by myself commenting how craft should be a 'playground of experimentation' and 'everyone is sick of the same old stuff'. Perhaps on hindsight I would not have used the word 'stuff' but at the same time the variation of work within this years Jerwood prize is a healthy platform for perhaps Craft 2.0 to be built upon.

Now keeping the article in mind I better get back to finish my third piece for the exhibition, 'a Scottish Summer scourge of midges'.

The Studio & Blown 2009...

With the Jerwood just around the corner I have been getting asked where I work and especially what kind of facilities do I need for my practice.

The video is currently being shown at MAD as part of the Object Factory exhibition. Thanks for all the enquiries regarding Blown, there is something special brewing so stayed tuned.

edit: Actually I have just moved into a larger studio with separate dust and dry zones.

Object Factory: The Art of Industrial Ceramics

I will be exhibiting Blown 09 at Object Factory: The Art of Industrial Ceramics from 6th May - 13th September. I will unfortunately not be attending the private view tomorrow night so hopefully I will get some images to post via another exhibitor. Here is the exhibition outline.

Object Factory: The Art of Industrial Ceramics is the first major U.S. museum exhibition to survey contemporary innovation in industrial ceramic production and the renaissance of ceramics in art and design today. The exhibition explores how artists and designers are reviving interest in ceramics through collaborations with industry that enhance and sometimes subvert the industrial process. Object Factory presents works created for leading manufacturers as well as artworks by independent artists and designers. Both non-functional and functional works are highlighted, as are important technological advances in ceramic material that allow for its use in electronic appliances, cutting implements, and other surprising products.

Object Factory features more than 200 pieces by fifty artists, designers, and industrial manufacturers, including works by Swedish artist Kjell Rylander, American jeweler and designer Ted Muehling, Dutch designers Hella Jongerius and Jurgen Bey, and Russian-American designer Constantin Boym, among others. Manufacturers represented in the exhibition include Bernardaud, Nymphenburg, Rosenthal, and Royal Tichelaar Makkum.

COLLECT, Blown and Front...

With COLLECT just around the corner I have finally created a 'support' solution that I think answers the question of " How do you make a heavy object appear weightless?" I'm sure I will still have my critics regarding this ongoing saga but the problems arises from never designing the piece with a base in mind from the outset.

I have also finished the new versions of Blown. This series was first created in 2005 as part of my RCA graduation project. The set will be on-show from the 6th May - 13th Sept in New York at the Museum of Art & Design as part of the Object Factory exhibition.

In regards to Blown, I was interested to see a new piece by the innovative Swedish design collective Front was showcased during the Milan Design Festival. Their piece titled 'Blow Away Vase' for Moooi uses 3d animation software to simulate a gust of wind. This is an interesting piece as I feel the attention to detail in the surface pattern makes the simulation feel real.

edit: I've been having some account issues so please excuse any random blog posts.

Same subject matter different audience...

SMart Series 16 / Episode 3

CBBC 2009

As promised here is the episode of SMart I featured in. Keeping in mind that the series is aimed at 4 - 14 year olds, the subject matter still comes across clearly.

Also here is a link to the audio from the ExMachina event in February held at RIBA, London organised by ArtQuest.

Blown 2009... update

So with the looming Object Factory: The Art of Industrial Ceramics exhibition deadline ever pending here is an update on the progress of the new Blown series of cups. I have to thank Becca Wilson for her speed and professionalism during the mould making process.

Each cup & Saucer set will be 'frame per second' stamped and will be produced in bone china. I will accompanying the work with a narrative video.

Up next will be COLLECT at the Saatchi Gallery with Craft Scotland. I will be showing three pieces of work, each with their own installation challenges.

This image was taken in the Louvre and is demonstrating movement in a static object. The current issue with the Flight pieces is exactly this, how to portray a sense of weightlessness rather than gravity. I will have some test 'supports' this week.

On another note here is the edited Press Release for the Jerwood Contemporary Makers Prize:

Through art, craft and design in his work, Geoffrey Mann has created a new hybrid practice. Using a combination of cinematic stop-motion techniques, CAD modelling, rapid protoyping and traditional hand-craftsmanship, his work challenges the known boundaries of glass kiln casting fabrication. For the first time, he will present two works concurrently, both produced virtually by a glass factory in the Czech Republic.

Geoffrey creates highly crafted object which, while not made by him, are still loyal to his signature style.

Blown 2009

This is a sneek preview of the new Blown series that will be exhibited at Object Factory II during May in MAD, New York. I felt these pieces needed a new lease of life since 2005 and also I have always thought this was an under-developed and much under-rated project.

Also I would like to thank everyone for their support regarding the Jerwood Prize. I'm currently working on a third special peice for the exhibition in June.

Jerwood Contemporary Makers Prize

I am pleased to annouce that I have been selected for the 2009 Jerwood Contemporary Makers Prize. I will be exhibiting alongside the following designers and applied artists within the Jerwood Space, London.

Committee – Clare Page and Harry Richardson are a collaborative practice called Committee. They work together to assemble, adapt and juxtapose discarded objects, the leftovers from the retail world. Their signature Kebab Lamps are ‘totems' for today’s material culture, painstakingly constructed by skewering different objects together to create standing lights.

Linda Florence – Creating customised, tactile and highly decorative surfaces, Linda deals with our messy and complicated world in her work. She is known for her application of ‘fugitive’ materials in her works: sugar, rust, iron filings and biscuits, and as a designer specialises in bespoke hand made wallpapers.

Julia Lohmann – Inspired by flotsam, jetsam and the ever-increasing masses of rubbish floating in the oceans of the world, Julia will create a series of objects made from porcelain, leather, rubber and plastic for this exhibition. Working with a zoologist, she will 'seed' them with tiny marine organisms called Bryozoa to create intricate, lace-like surface patterns on the objects.

Geoffrey Mann – Through art, craft and design in his work, Geoffrey Mann has created a new hybrid practice. Using a combination of cinematic stop-motion techniques, CAD modeling, rapid prototyping and traditional hand-craftsmanship, his work challenges the known boundaries of glass kiln casting fabrication. For the first time, he will present two works concurrently, one hand-crafted and one produced virtually by a glass factory in the Czech Republic.

Rachael Matthews – Co-founder of Cast Off Knitting Club, Rachael Matthews works with other artists, knitters and collectives to organise events that are always collaborative, socially interactive and unique. For the exhibition, she will create an X-Factor style knitting experience, inviting knitters to present their half-made, problem pieces to a panel of artists who will decide whether or not they are worth taking on to complete.

Claire Norcross - A textile graduate who until recently has been known as lighting designer for Habitat, Claire Norcross is inspired by organic forms and is passionate about paper and origami. Her concept for the exhibition focuses on the light source being central to the sculptural form of her works. Using energy saving bulbs at the centre of her design, she will create huge, bespoke and highly crafted paper lights inspired by the geometric structures within nature.

Ismini Samanidou - weaving Ismini is a textile designer and artist working with woven cloth. She is fascinated by the construction methods of woven fabrics and by the way textiles can exist within an architectural space. Her work is mainly woven on a computerised jacquard loom, and will create her piece for the exhibition on a special large size loom in North Carolina. The finished piece will be a 3m high walk-through installation inspired by the history of the Jerwood Space building.

I will be documenting the process of creating two new pieces of work for the exhibition in June in the upcoming months.

New wax bird has arrived

The image shows the new wax. This has a different end profile as the previous version of Flight landing was too ambiguous. Once again I am creating the piece in collaboration with Lhotsky Studios.

I am currently exhibiting at Talente 2009 in Munich. Unfortunately I will not able to attend the event but I will hopefully be receiving photos asap for the blog. The piece on show is Flight takeoff, the following UK based makers will also be on show:

Abigail Borg
Sangeun Kim
Il Jung Lee
Geoffrey Mann
Jonathan Oliffe
Claire Pardoe, Silversmithing
Caroline Saul
Louisa Taylor
Hsiao-chi Tsai und Kimiya Yoshikawa
Owen Wall

As a high profile competition for young craftspeople, applied artists, makers, designers and inventor-technicians from all over the world, Talente aims to promote the idea of skills in the designing and technical trades as well as in the applied arts.

Talente will run until 17th March.

Limited Edition and more...

So what has been

happening in the last 3 months?

I have been exhibiting in Germany at Tatorte and the up-coming Talente 11th – 17th March. I gave a lecture titled ‘Craft is not Making – The Digital Endorphin’ at Ex Machina / Artquest in February held at RIBA in London. On the whole this was met with open minds however I was also questioned regarding the lack of personal attachment and emotion my work portrayed. This is an interesting question especially as I openly announce how I do not make my work in the traditional sense; my rush or endorphin is the challenge of rendering the intangible through either bits or atoms. However what I found most poignant regarding these questions was that the piece titled Blown was embraced due to its familiarity to the everyday where Flight was dead from human emotion, interestingly the latter piece is fabricated in a traditional hands-on approach and Blown is machine born and breed.

I have also moved into my new studio in Edinburgh, Coburg House Galleries in Leith. Though my space is compact I feel I have been given a new lease of life as I am now surrounded by a vast array of disciplines. Resultant of this is two new pieces, one is re-visiting Blown for the up-coming Object Factory II in New York and the second is a new way of materialising Sound.

As the photo illustrates I have been featured in Limited Edition - Prototypes, One-Offs and Design Art Furniture. The piece that has been selected is Attracted to Light, unfortunately it is the old image rather than the new 2008 version.

I am also currently creating a new version of Flight landing in glass, once again working in collaboration with Lhotsky Glass studios. This will be the first time I have exhibited two kiln cast sculptures, more information to follow regarding why I am creating this new piece.

Lastly, for all you SMart fans I have been informed that my guest appearance on the CBBC program has already been aired. Hopefully I will be given a copy soon and will have some, embarrassing, footage online.

I have a lot of exciting events happening in the near future so will get back to blogging on a regular basis from now on. Also the website will be changing starting with the new logo.

The Regeneration of Crafts in Education...

This is an interesting article written by Prof Stuart MacDonald regarding the rejuvenation of the crafts in education. I was asked to give a quote which to be honest was not as straightforward as you would think. Here is a sample of the text:

The contemporary role of crafts in expressing ideas forces both a rethink of the intermediate role of crafts and the strengthening of its relationship to both art and design. Self-styled design artist Geoff Mann believes that the role of craft has "mutated through its own fluidity". According to him, the cross-pollination of art, craft and design has stimulated a new hybrid practice and has created practitioners who are astute generalists. If this is so, then the use of craft in aggregating value to create a new-found flexibility demands to be recognised as an important development for the creative industries.

Full Article

The Regeneration of Crafts in Education via Creative-Choices (beta)

Current & Upcoming...

After a long absence from writing on the website I felt it was time I gave a brief snap-shot of what is current and upcoming for Studio*Mrmann.

I will be updating the website during January to feature new images, detailed process videos and possibly a new logo.

During 2009 I will be completing a new body of work in association with the Past Present & Future Craft Practice research group based at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design. The work will following my current ideology of making the intangible, tangible but that is all I will discuss. Although I can leak that I will be using scripting software to investigate 'real' physical input...

I also have been invited as one of 23 makers to submit a proposal to exhibit in the upcoming Jerwood Contempoary Makers exhibitions 09. This is a great opportunity for my practice to be profiled alongside some the most respected makers in the UK.

Another piece of exciting news is that 'Limited Edition' a publication edited by same collective as Furnish and published Birkhäuser will be released during the first quarter of 09. This book will showcase the bespoke designed object.

Alongside my lecturing position at Grays School of Art, I will be exhibiting and lecturing nationally and internationally throughout 2009. The main theme I will be investigating and discussing during my lectures will be the notion of contemporary maker who 'Thinks Slow - Makes...?' juxtaposing the traditional thought process of 'Think Fast - Make Slow'.

Exhibtions (to date):

Tatorte: tbc
Passagen, Cologne, Germany,19th - 25th January 09

Talente:
Munich International Trade Fair, Germany, 11th - 17th march 09

Object Factory II:
The Art of Industrial Ceramics, MAD Museum, New York USA, 6th May - 23rd August 2009

Collect:
Saatchi Gallery, London UK, 15th - 17th May

Invited Conference Speaker (to date):

Ex Machina:
Exploring digital manufacturing in fine arts, crafts and design practice.
RIBA, London UK, 24th Feb 09

Inside Out:
Rapid prototyping for sculpture and design.
De Montfort University, Leicester UK, 23rd - 24th March 09

BeCon: KILNCASTING
Filling the Void
Portland State Universtity, Oregon USA, 18th - 20th June 09

I would like to take this oppertunity to thank everyone who has assissted me during 2008, which has been an amazing year for my practice which has seen Studio*Mrmann exhibit at MoMA New York to winning the World Craft Council Award for glass.

Hopefully 2009 will bring as exciting times.

New work Images

more to follow... Just wanting to thank Sylvain Deleu for once again creating fantastic images of the work.

Also I've not updated the blog and there is a lot to mention so this will be corrected within the next couple of days.

In the mean time check out Digital by Design by Troika. You might recognise someone on page 44-47...

Arts & Business Promo Video

Here is a link to a series of still images of the work Cromarty. I would like to thank Graeme Mowart of Cinecosse for his direction and patience during filming. Also here is the link to the Press & Journal coverage of the commission, Prize pieces go on show.

Blast from the past

via Rosentahl Generations project 2004

I'm currenting creating a timeline for the Past, Present, Future Craft Practice commission. The images will document the period from 1998 - 2008 which in my case is actually my 'design' career to date including undergraduate work.

The piece above was a collaboration with ceramist and friend Anders Ruhwald.

Flocking

Cromarty - wave

Cromarty wave
Natural Occurrence series
Acetal Delrin
15 x 15 x 15
2008

Commissioned by Arts & Business Scotland

Named after the North-East shipping region on the North Sea coast, ‘Cromarty’ encapsulates a frozen moment in time. The installation comprises of 18 sections, each individually narrating the savage poetry of the North Sea.

Currently on display at the Aberdeen City Art Gallery.

A&B Awards WIP

The awards will be installed in Aberdeen City Art Gallery on Monday with a press call to follow. I'll post final in situ images asap.

I've been alittle wayward of late with news however I some exciting info regarding 'Blown', more to follow...

Interview

via Doodlemotion

This is a small interview discussing my practice and also the impact of digital technologies such as rapid prototyping.

Press & Journal Press coverage

via Press & Journal 20/09/08 Aberdeen

Craft Scotland feature link

Vox Design article

Here's the link to the article. I believe it is discussing the endless opportunities of RP.

Flight Takeoff

Also here is a selection of images from the European Glass Context exhibition

World Craft Council Award

I have been awarded the World Craft Council Award at the European
Glass Context exhibition in Denmark. I was selected from exhibitors
in both the emerging and established glass categories.

It is a great honour to receive this award especially given the nature of the work I have created. This is another example of how the World Craft Council embraces progressive practices.

EGG 2008 Installation

Flight takeoff NEW display

Web round-up

Waterdrop by roca/ Hector Serrano collaboration
Animation of installation

Scottish Arts Council & British Council grants awarded

I have been awared two grants to assist in exhibiting and attending the European Glass Context 08 from Scottish Arts Council and the British Council. I would like to thank both parties for their assistance.

Flight takeoff progress

It has been a long wait, but I have just received these images of the new piece and I am speechless. Amazingly I still haven't seen the piece in the flesh, and to be honest I haven't even spoken to the team at Lhotsky Glass Studio, but I could not have asked for anything better.

A&B Scotland Awards - Progress

The Crafts are the lab for Design

Crafts September 2008 No.214, P24-25

An interesting article regarding the current state of 3D Design courses in Scotland that offer degree route ceramics that interconnects other craft disciplines.

A&B filming

Galerie Handwerk - Digital Formenschatz

I will be exhibiting in Munich at the Galerie Handwerk exhibition 'Treasury of the Digital Form'. Both Flight and Attracted to Light will be on display.

Web round-up

Semiconductor's Magnetic Movie: by Douglas Kahn
via Semiconductor films

Web round-up

Andreas Nicolas Fischer 'Reflection'
via DesignNotes





Radioheads 'House of Cards' Video
via CR Blog
















Michael Somoroff 'Illumination I'
via Core77

Cromarty

Cromarty is the title for the series of awards I have designed for Arts & Business, Scotland. The 3 x 7 installation details the transience of water. The piece has been created via fluid dynamics software through scripting the factuals and spectrums of each wave.

Cromarty is the shipping region of the North-East of Scotland.

MoMA acquire Attracted to Light

Scottish product artist Geoffrey Mann, a lecturer at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen, has had his work acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Mann’s piece, entitled Attracted to Light, was part of the Design and the Elastic Mind exhibition curated by Paola Antonelli, senior curator for architecture and design at MoMA.

I am delighted to be included within this prestigious collection and like to thank MoMA for their support.

Flight take off progress

via Lhotský Glass Studio c/o Václav Rezác

The mold is currently drying out before the extensive kiln time to come.

BBC SMart

On Thursday I was at the Royal College of Art filming for the BBC program SMart. The short film will air early 09. The form created represents Mike performing a front hand spring. This is the first human study I have worked on, though the piece is very successful I feel the issue of scale will have to be addressed if to tackle human locomotion again.

A&B awards press image