Explorations of form and function: David Clark; “Spare Parts” and “More or Less” exhibition.
Photos: Gallery S O.
The artist David Clark works in metal plate. His workshop recalls times past, when all cutlery was hand made. In a sense, his work is keeping alive skills in danger of extinction. But this is art, not just craft.
Clark has two series of work currently showing at the Gallery S O in London's Brick Lane. More or Less takes found, or otherwise acquired objects such as forks and spoons, and modifies them to produce a similar item that does its intended job, but with either more or less efficiency. For example, a spoon might have an extruded bowl holding a relatively large amount of liquid, or the dish shape might be unexpectedly inverted holding less liquid than might be expected.
The pieces are sometimes made from more than one object recycling two disused spoons say, into one gloriously useless, yet functional piece. All the pieces have an elegance to them recalling their original aesthetic value to the household that once owned it as well as the functional role it was expected to fulfil.
The second exhibition, “Spare Parts”, runs until May 26th and consists of a table of strange looking vessels or instruments which are at once recognizable and utterly alien. Created from multiple objects, the pieces have parts to them that can be removed and refitted to other objects on the table, although not all the objects are interchangeable.
By reconfiguring the parts the viewer creates new combinations of form and function or, equally important, non-function. Some of the functions that were once expected of an object have been removed or suppressed. However the pieces are configured, they never quite amount to an object that is useful or complete in the functional sense.
The More or Less pieces shown here, are made of Electro-plated nickel silver and pewter. One piece is from copper.
Spare Parts is showing at the Gallery S O, London until 26th May.
Spare Parts
David Clark in his workshop. Photo: Philip Sinden.
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