Afgespeeld
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Every now and again I break the format of the podcast and speak to a critic or someone who can provide an overview of the field. In series one I featured the New York-based curator and commentator Glenn Adamson. The fact that he also had a new book out – entitled Fewer Better Things: The Hidden Wisdom of Objects – was an added bonus.
I think it’s safe to say that we cover a fair amount of turf in our conversation: the relationship between academia and craft, the role of museums in our digital age, middle class consumption, and how his grandfather Arthur became a rocket scientist (I know what you’re thinking but he really did). The thread running through all this is the importance of what he describes as ‘material intelligence’. Incidentally did you know that Glenn can play the Irish pipes? No, me neither.
You can find out more about Glenn and his work here: glennadamson.com
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Eleanor Lakelin appeared on in the first series of Material Matters and is one of the UK’s leading woodturners, concentrating on making an array of vessels since 2011. As she explains: ‘I’m fascinated by wood as a living, breathing substance with its own history of growth and struggle centuries beyond our own. I’m particularly inspired by the organic mayhem and creative possibilities of burred wood. This proliferation of cells, formed over decades or even centuries as a reaction to stress or as a healing mechanism is a rare, mysterious and beautiful act of nature.’
During our chat Eleanor tells me about her childhood growing up in North Wales, why she initially decided to take up teaching, her early career as a furniture maker, and how a visit to the Collect fair changed her life.
Most importantly though we talked timber and her fascination with the material. Oddly we also managed to touch on dentistry too.
To find out more about Eleanor and her work here: eleanorlakelin.com
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