The cultural director of Eastern Iceland, Signy Ormarsdottir invited us to a little road trip today. The plan was to visit 3 old farms. Easy we thought…
After a steep off road leading to a pass, we went down to the sea and reached the first farm.
Four international designers staying in a remote place in eastern Iceland called Egilsstaðir. Team includes a french, dutch, german and an icelandic. The plan is to work with local materials with local craftsmen and workshops to create a series of objects that communicate the local customs and heritage.
Materials include, icelandic; wool, wood, bones, antlers, aluminium and reindeer leather. We are really keen on working with local craftsmen and workshops; felting, sand casting, wood cutting, joinery, sewing and bone sculpting. This variety will give us unique opportunity of mixing both materials and techniques.
Garðar Eyjólfsson, Christian Fiebig, Bas Geelen, Thomas Vailly - Contact
August 6, 2010
Off road history.
August 4, 2010
Origins of bones.
Yes bones and antlers are beautiful when polished, they can do sleak knife handles and shiny shoe horns. But before that bones are kneecap with tendon and muscle around, this is pure natural mechanics.
We are developping an arm using bones as technical pieces. A lamp might come next. T
August 4, 2010
Wood vase, first tests.
Mainly the wood used in Iceland is imported. We decided to work with what was localy available. Due to hard climatic conditions the larch and birch that grow in the country stay short and twisted and lots of waste is produce looking for the perfect wood board. In order to use wood without wasting material, the well known technic of gluing short pieces of wood together is commonly used in Iceland.
We decided to celebrate this necessary technic by coloring the glue instead of hiding it. T.
August 1, 2010
A little hike.
After a nice evening with Ivar, Sigrun and Arna. They invited use for a small(!) walk in the surounding of Borgarfjörður. We came back six hours later, tired but happy, ready to work again. T
July 31, 2010
Antlers & bones.
Getting to know the reindeer antlers and bones and the technique working with it. T.
Reindeer antlers and bones.
Þórhallur, one of few craftsman specializing working with antlers and bones.
Some applications: Origins of bones.
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