We were very excited to be approached by Handmade Tiles Margate to produce some bespoke bronze tiles to showcase at the London Design Festival, from the 18th – 21st September.
Below is the blog from their website, detailing our process and inspiration around our design, you can also view the original here.
Debuting luxury tiles handmade in beautiful solid bronze by Thanet-based interdisciplinary art studio, SPACER
by Sarah Hopkinson, September 03, 2019
SPACER’s foundry team cast these hand-made bronze tiles in solid bronze, using investment methods developed during the Renaissance.
Once the bronze has been poured into the investment moulds, and has had time to cool, the tiles are then chipped out and hand finished. The hexagon tiles are given a satin finish, whilst the square tiles are highly polished.
The tiles can be sealed with lacquer if the installation requires it.
These tiles will be exhibited at the Handmade Tiles // Margate stand, as part of the Margate Tile Makers project, at 100% Design show, Olympia London, from 18th-21st September.
SPACER background
SPACER is an interdisciplinary art studio. Drawing upon skills and expertise from across our diverse community, we create artworks as individual artists, as a collective and for other practitioners.
The work we make exploits traditional and developing technologies,
challenging art’s relationship with science, business, craft, education
and research.
We work with designers, scientists, business, artists, craftsmen, educators, researchers and these have included fashion designers, architects, museums, universities, the film and tv industries, retail and beyond.
Since 2004, SPACER’s work has now reached an audience of over
32,000,000. Specific architectural and sculptural tile based commissions
include those for Royal Caribbean, on some of the largest cruise liners
in the world.
SPACER design inspirations
Our creative team at SPACER regularly revisit the ideologies from international interdisciplinary studios and teams, from both the past and present, including the Bauhaus and Studio Olafur Eliasson, recognising the innovation that can occur when you bring multiple knowledges together.
Placing values on internationalism and the exchange of knowledges and
ideas, we are inspired by patterns and methodologies that transcend
time and cultures, being both timeless and contemporary. We seeks out
common mark making that can be found in historic sites like the
Alhambra, whilst in turn being echoed in modernist architectural sites;
marks and materials that clearly have resonance within deep human
culture.
SPACER in Thanet
We moved our studio to Thanet in 2005, integrating into an already existing creative community, and have enjoyed bearing witness to its continued growth across the whole of the ‘island’. Specifically we relish the space it provides through its expansive skies, unique light and that light’s relationship with the sea.
SPACER for Margate Tile Makers Project
As a social enterprise, we want to demonstrate and facilitate positive social change through our life and work, demonstrating the value of creativity and creative practice.
We connect to our local environment and are responsible for it. We
demonstrate and share our developing sustainable approach, to encourage
others to have a more mindful practice.
Our vibrant centre attracts a diverse group of contributors,
audiences and creative practitioners, creating a best practice model of a
sustainable community supporting the circular economy.
We challenge and contribute to improving local levels of reduced
aspirations, learning and employment opportunities, to build capacity
for change, through the understanding of the value of creative practice.
It was clear from the outset that Margate Tile Makers shared similar ethics to SPACER, and we were delighted to be approached by them.
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