London + Powerful Making

Timber Wave Cromwell Rd installation by Amanda Levete Architects
Part of the London Design Festival.

There were two amazing exhibitions I saw whilst away where you were 
not allowed to take photos... and this was a great shame. One was in Paris 
and I'll come to that in a day or so. The other was in London at the V&A 
Museum entitled The Power of Making. It was breathtaking.

As you enter the V&A from the Cromwell Road entrance there's a large 
space to the left of the information desk where the bookshop used to be. 
Here, The Power of Making exhibition will be in situ until 2 January 2012 
– a free exhibition celebrating handmade and the presence of craft in 
modern life.





I'm sorry if this is text heavy but I just have to reproduce the exhibition's 
introduction:


Making is the most powerful way that we solve problems, express ideas 
and shape our world. What and how we make defines who we are, and 
communicates who we want to be. 
For many people, making is crucial for survival. For others, it is a chosen 
vocation: a way of thinking, inventing and innovating. And for some it is 
simply a delight to be able to shape a material and say 'I made that'. The 
power of making is that it fulfills each of these human needs and desires.
Those whose craft and ingenuity reach the very highest levels can create 
amazing things. But making is something everyone can do. The knowledge 
of how to make – both everyday objects and highly-skilled creations – is 
one of humanity's most precious resources.


Guest curator, Daniel Charny


Isn't that just fabulous? The exhibition leaflet listed a glossary of the skills 
and techniques employed in the pieces, including: 3D animation, 3D printing, 
airbrushing, annealing, baking, beading, blacksmithing, blocking, brazing, 
carving, cobbling, cordwaining, crocheting, cross stitch, drawing, drilling, 
dyeing, embroidery, etching, felting, glassblowing... and so many more.





It was so very inspiring. We were all blown away by the depth of imagination 
and ingenuity... and just when we started, reluctantly, to leave the space, we 
saw this lovely fella from one of our favourite movies. The handmade Mr Fox :)

photo credit 

There's a vimeo too for the exhibition. My favourite quote is from the 
flutemaker, Steven Wessel, when he says "Craft, or working with yours hands, 
is fundamental to being human". That just about sums it all up really :)




Power of Making from Victoria and Albert Museum on Vimeo.