Charlwood Design's latest team member Dean Benstead was particularly inspired by Australian Silversmith Johannes Kuhnen at this year's AGIdeas event.
Johannes Kuhnen from the Australian
National University, Gold and Silver
smithing department, spoke passionately about the importance and benefits of materiality
in design. Developing jewellery, vessels and spectacles like art forms. He spoke about his short attention span with
one design (laughing), he will only work on a design if there is a great
opportunity to improve or develop the function and form.
He uses inspiring traditional techniques
for production of such quality and timeless designed pieces. Bending, twisting,
cutting and forming, Kuhnen’s design and making process just makes you want to
get some metal and head to the workshop. His constantly evolving spectacle designs show
an amazing amount of problem solving, material use and technique. They are like
art forms. He spoke about the love of fabricating short runs and not making
thousands of his designs. A passion for the bespoke and personality within a
product for an individual user.
Manipulating different metals, with
chemical treatment, bending techniques and fine fixings are the key to his
highly aesthetic pieces. His use of anodised aluminium allows such vibrant
colours and designs. This vibrancy in his work is what stands out and highlights
the traditional metal smith techniques and materials. His minimalist approach to the spectacle design
is seen with arms that are created with one bend, yet highly detailed fine
joints and hinges just look amazing. We love the detail (tiny bolts, tension
wires, o-rings, amazing hinges and fine lens holders) in the glasses and would
love a custom designed pair.
Spectacle Design - Johannes Kuhnen
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