Comments on: Ground by Michael Antrobus

By: Bangisal

Bangisal — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:59:25 +0000

like it.

i love a scissor form
i already makes 2 scissors for my artwork. thats why i like this scissors too..

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 22:59:07 +0000

Who would have thought that items of stationary could provoke such reaction. This must be truly great art. I’d like them as “ornaments”.

By: designgurunyc

designgurunyc — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:11:07 +0000

Sebastien, I agree with you. Design is not purely about function, and making something more elegant, feel better, or touch one’s imagination are all benefits of good design. It is this that makes us replace our existing pans/objects/furniture with something that’s design has moved us or seems clever or new. I think function is also a factor that one considers ALONGSIDE these other factors and although I may have not made myself clear or have sidetracked myself with a rant, I am as touched by beauty as the next design addict. Its just that , for me (and again I accept other people will think differently) I am not pleasured or excited by these objects. I think the wonderful thing about these blogs is that it shows a cross section of people with very different opinions, and that they are each passionate enough to voice them.

By: Sebastien

Sebastien — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:41:36 +0000

Designguru, can you not get out of your one track mind for one second to see that design is not only a term used for practicality, but a greater experience…Physical products with “good design” are intuitive: they feel, sound, look and work elegantly. Good industrial designers have, for much of the 20th century, mastered physically many of the design types described above, creating an impressive history of design for the human body, senses, environment and mind in a way that transcends, evokes and transforms experiences the user performs with the product. (according to design blogs anyway)

By: designgurunyc

designgurunyc — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:20:21 +0000

To sebastien… enough already ” if I were to own these peices,(?) they would be more for visual stimulation…” We live in a world that is now (according to design blogs) so far up its own arse that it has lost any sense of perspective. Oh, these are occasional scissors, so that we can smile at our taste while we save the real ones (probably orange handled…) to really do the job they were designed for. As I said , when an object does not perform in its apparent use it becomes an ornament.
Now please, can people look at other blogs and you will see that I will applaud design where I think it fit and has a point. what is that saying? ‘too many chiefs, not enough indians’. We now have ‘ too many designers not enough design.’
Thank goodness for the recession , I believe that it will weed out the pretentious from the talented and that design will again gain the respect that it deserves .

By: Sebastien

Sebastien — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:38:33 +0000

I also attended the New Designers and used these objects. Antrobus has obviously made, and played around with plenty of prototypes, researching the most comfortable ways which this sheet metal can be twisted and reconstructed.
I think the final outcome, at this point, is amazing. If you were to own these peices, they would be more for visual stimulation, though still keeping practicality and comfort high on the list.
Well done, beautiful collection.

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:55:11 +0000

It’s not often I feel compelled to write on these blogs but reading the comments above I couldn’t help myself.
Designgurunyc. You are right, ‘An implement should work comfortably and well. An object ,that has concept or form only, but which doesn’t deliver in its apparent use, becomes an ornament.’ At which point I think, designguru, If you want a comfortable pair of scissors that you can cut reams of paper or yards of fabric then go and by a pair of orange handled Wilkinson sword and get off design sites. If on the other hand you have a stunning workspace which you wish to adorn with nice objects (Ornaments) that you use on occasion to open a letter or cut the odd piece of paper then these would be much better. You’ve missed the point, it’s not supposed to perform all day, it’s an ‘occassional’ object. This area of design allows us the freedom to escape the confines of strict ergonomics and explore form and process.
I then read Lizzie Bells post. She states ‘The products severely lacked any ergonomic consideration; the scissors were stiff and uncomfortable.’ Again please read my comments above. I also wish to add at this point that you are viewing a graduates work who has probably produced what designers call a ‘working prototype’. Following this there are normally amendments that bring us to a ‘production model’. Given that Michael probably made these himself I think you need to cut him some slack (No pun intended)
And to all the people who say, ‘it’s like Enzo Maris.’ So what. Enzo probably wasn’t the first to fashion a piece of metal into a letter opener! Or are you just showing off your superior knowledge of design?
I salute you Michael Antrobus for designing a lovely set of stationary that uses a single material and process; a mature and intelligent approach to a brief.
I’m not going to read any more comments on these sites, they just make me angry. I’m off to design some comfy scissors! Good luck to yer Michael..

By: designgurunyc

designgurunyc — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:00:54 +0000

to nope…. A well argued point! I am only too happy to beg to differ. We are each allowed our opinions (especially where the arts are concerned as these are always objective). My view is only that, and in essence it is true for me (’though obviously not for you!).
As a point of interest I would love to hear what your intellectual thoughts and considerations are on objects that do not achieve the function they were designed to do or be, and whether the changing perspective of the layman to these objects as an illusion is either still funny or interesting?

By: rob

rob — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:57:37 +0000

i’m a past student from kingston and if i’m right this would’ve been a project which each student will have to choose a material to start with, then think of a new/ interesting application for it.

in this case antrobus had chosen the 18 inch flat steel to start with and warp them into beautiful stationary.

this would definitely have been a poetic solution to the brief and i personally think its lovely too, just that this is not going to happen in real life and neither is it going to benefit general users; what it does show is that he’s fully aware of the properties of the material and has managed to create a collection which inspires.

good luck!

By: nope

nope — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:28:33 +0000

To designgurunyc… “Please (design students and young designers especially) consider objects are there to be lived with and used. True design considers how things work with human interaction. A chair should be, under usual circumstances, comfortable. An implement should work comfortably and well. An object ,that has concept or form only, but which doesn’t deliver in its apparent use,becomes an ornament.”

-not true.