Michael Eden | Maker

According to the Wedgwood Museum[1] “Rococo-inspired wares formed a very small part of early Wedgwood production, but the most distinctive of these were those naturalistically-moulded earthenware fruit and vegetable forms made around 1760. Other potters in Staffordshire also made similar wares at this time. The lower portions of the cauliflower wares received a decoration of a brilliant green glaze, considered by many to have been developed by Wedgwood himself around the time of his partnership with Thomas Whieldon, master potter at Fenton.”

I have been attracted to these early Wedgwood pots, and chose to use them as the starting point for a vase that connects art and mathematics. The florets of the cauliflower are arranged in a spiral formation which can be seen here in this beautiful Romanesco cauliflower.

Like sunflowers and pine cones, the pattern created by the florets conforms to the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Spiral, a simple mathematical system that controls how most things grow in nature.

The other interesting mathematical connection is the fractal structure of the cauliflower florets, a fractal being “a never-ending pattern. Fractals are infinitely complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales.”[2]

My Romanesco Vases also incorporate leaves created using photogrammetry, a system where a number of photographs, taken from different angles are stitched together to create a 3D photograph which can be imported into the CAD software. Once trimmed and edited, they can be connected to the other parts of the design.

[1] http://www.wedgwoodmuseum.org.uk/collections/collections-online/object/cauliflower-ware-teapot/from_browse

[2] http://fractalfoundation.org/resources/what-are-fractals/

Currently on show in 'Wedgwood and Wouldn't' until September 17 at the Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle.

Available through Adrian Sassoon, London. 

According to the Wedgwood Museum[1] “Rococo-inspired wares formed a very small part of early Wedgwood production, but the most distinctive of these were those naturalistically-moulded earthenware fruit and vegetable forms made around 1760. Other potters in Staffordshire also made similar wares at this time. The lower portions of the cauliflower wares received a decoration of a brilliant green glaze, considered by many to have been developed by Wedgwood himself around the time of his partnership with Thomas Whieldon, master potter at Fenton.”

I have been attracted to these early Wedgwood pots, and chose to use them as the starting point for a vase that connects art and mathematics. The florets of the cauliflower are arranged in a spiral formation which can be seen here in this beautiful Romanesco cauliflower.

Like sunflowers and pine cones, the pattern created by the florets conforms to the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Spiral, a simple mathematical system that controls how most things grow in nature.

The other interesting mathematical connection is the fractal structure of the cauliflower florets, a fractal being “a never-ending pattern. Fractals are infinitely complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales.”[2]

My Romanesco Vases also incorporate leaves created using photogrammetry, a system where a number of photographs, taken from different angles are stitched together to create a 3D photograph which can be imported into the CAD software. Once trimmed and edited, they can be connected to the other parts of the design.

[1] http://www.wedgwoodmuseum.org.uk/collections/collections-online/object/cauliflower-ware-teapot/from_browse

[2] http://fractalfoundation.org/resources/what-are-fractals/

Private Collection. Acquired through Adrian Sassoon, London. 

According to the Wedgwood Museum[1] “Rococo-inspired wares formed a very small part of early Wedgwood production, but the most distinctive of these were those naturalistically-moulded earthenware fruit and vegetable forms made around 1760. Other potters in Staffordshire also made similar wares at this time. The lower portions of the cauliflower wares received a decoration of a brilliant green glaze, considered by many to have been developed by Wedgwood himself around the time of his partnership with Thomas Whieldon, master potter at Fenton.”

I have been attracted to these early Wedgwood pots, and chose to use them as the starting point for a vase that connects art and mathematics. The florets of the cauliflower are arranged in a spiral formation which can be seen here in this beautiful Romanesco cauliflower.

Like sunflowers and pine cones, the pattern created by the florets conforms to the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Spiral, a simple mathematical system that controls how most things grow in nature.

The other interesting mathematical connection is the fractal structure of the cauliflower florets, a fractal being “a never-ending pattern. Fractals are infinitely complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales.”[2]

My Romanesco Vases also incorporate leaves created using photogrammetry, a system where a number of photographs, taken from different angles are stitched together to create a 3D photograph which can be imported into the CAD software. Once trimmed and edited, they can be connected to the other parts of the design.

[1] http://www.wedgwoodmuseum.org.uk/collections/collections-online/object/cauliflower-ware-teapot/from_browse

[2] http://fractalfoundation.org/resources/what-are-fractals/

Available through Adrian Sassoon, London. 

“We are thrilled to announce the addition of NTT DOCOMO’s original set of 176 emoji to the MoMA collection. Developed under the supervision of Shigetaka Kurita and released for cell phones in 1999, these 12 x 12 pixel humble masterpieces of design planted the seeds for the explosive growth of a new visual language.”[1]

According to Wikipedia “Originally meaning pictograph, the word emoji comes from Japanese e (絵, "picture") + moji (文字, "character"). The resemblance to the English words emotion and emoticon is purely coincidental”[2]

The emoji is simply the latest in a long line of pictograms and symbols that convey meaning; they are a form of language.

On a visit to the British Museum I noticed the surface decoration of a hu, (6th century BC Chinese ceremonial wine vessel), as it reminded me of the QR barcodes. The decoration are actually symbols, when translated they tell of battles won or of heroic deeds by emperors. Like the QR code and emoji, they are a form of language.

I then found other highly decorative vessels produced in that period which were used as the starting point of my emoji vase.

When inspected closely, the viewer will be able to identify a group of common used emoji.

[1] https://stories.moma.org/the-original-emoji-set-has-been-added-to-the-museum-of-modern-arts-collection-c6060e141f61#.vxyrhgymd

[2] http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Emoji

Available through Adrian Sassoon, London. 

“We are thrilled to announce the addition of NTT DOCOMO’s original set of 176 emoji to the MoMA collection. Developed under the supervision of Shigetaka Kurita and released for cell phones in 1999, these 12 x 12 pixel humble masterpieces of design planted the seeds for the explosive growth of a new visual language.”[1]

According to Wikipedia “Originally meaning pictograph, the word emoji comes from Japanese e (絵, "picture") + moji (文字, "character"). The resemblance to the English words emotion and emoticon is purely coincidental”[2]

The emoji is simply the latest in a long line of pictograms and symbols that convey meaning; they are a form of language.

On a visit to the British Museum I noticed the surface decoration of a hu, (6th century BC Chinese ceremonial wine vessel), as it reminded me of the QR barcodes. The decoration are actually symbols, when translated they tell of battles won or of heroic deeds by emperors. Like the QR code and emoji, they are a form of language.

I then found other highly decorative vessels produced in that period which were used as the starting point of my emoji vase.

When inspected closely, the viewer will be able to identify a group of common used emoji.

[1] https://stories.moma.org/the-original-emoji-set-has-been-added-to-the-museum-of-modern-arts-collection-c6060e141f61#.vxyrhgymd

[2] http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Emoji

Available through Adrian Sassoon, London. 

The garniture is based on and inspired by 3 of the Wedgwood Vases held in the Bowes Museum collection. They are part of a group commissioned in about 1920 by the Mond family to fill the niches in the Georgian gallery at Winnington Hall, Cheshire, then the headquarters of the chemical manufacturers, Brunner Mond Ltd., which later merged with 3 other companies to become ICI. 

The factory responded by creating adaptations of its 18th century designs in black basalt, but in a scale far larger than any known before. Many of the vases were gifted to The Bowes Museum and other museums in Britain by ICI in 1999.

Typical of the neo-classical style that was very fashionable at the time, two of the vases depict scenes from mythology.

Wedgwood’s designs were inspired by Greek ceramics and sculpture, but not all the scenes depicted gods, goddesses or battle scenes. Many of the pots in the British Museum that I have studied illustrate scenes from daily life, for instance a shoemaker in his workshop, or performing musicians and dancers.

My interpretation brings these vases firmly into the 21st century, utilising new design and manufacturing technology and replacing the scenes with images derived from popular culture, Strictly Come Dancing and the X factor television programmes.

The vases were created using Rhino 3D CAD [computer aided design] software, slowly building up the individual sections. Once I was satisfied with the design on screen, the virtual designs were made real through Additive Manufacturing and the vases were manufactured using the latest Selective Laser Sintering technology. They were then hand finished.

The use of these new tools allows me create objects that were previously impossible to manufacture and enables me to inhabit an exciting grey area somewhere between craft, design, art and technology. 

Available through Adrian Sassoon, London

“We are thrilled to announce the addition of NTT DOCOMO’s original set of 176 emoji to the MoMA collection. Developed under the supervision of Shigetaka Kurita and released for cell phones in 1999, these 12 x 12 pixel humble masterpieces of design planted the seeds for the explosive growth of a new visual language.”[1]

According to Wikipedia “Originally meaning pictograph, the word emoji comes from Japanese e (絵, "picture") + moji (文字, "character"). The resemblance to the English words emotion and emoticon is purely coincidental”[2]

The emoji is simply the latest in a long line of pictograms and symbols that convey meaning; they are a form of language.

On a visit to the British Museum I noticed the surface decoration of a hu, (6th century BC Chinese ceremonial wine vessel), as it reminded me of the QR barcodes. The decoration are actually symbols, when translated they tell of battles won or of heroic deeds by emperors. Like the QR code and emoji, they are a form of language.

I then found other highly decorative vessels produced in that period which were used as the starting point of my emoji vase.

When inspected closely, the viewer will be able to identify a group of common used emoji.

[1] https://stories.moma.org/the-original-emoji-set-has-been-added-to-the-museum-of-modern-arts-collection-c6060e141f61#.vxyrhgymd

[2] http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Emoji

Private Collection, Italy. Acquired through Adrian Sassoon, London. 

“We are thrilled to announce the addition of NTT DOCOMO’s original set of 176 emoji to the MoMA collection. Developed under the supervision of Shigetaka Kurita and released for cell phones in 1999, these 12 x 12 pixel humble masterpieces of design planted the seeds for the explosive growth of a new visual language.”[1]

According to Wikipedia “Originally meaning pictograph, the word emoji comes from Japanese e (絵, "picture") + moji (文字, "character"). The resemblance to the English words emotion and emoticon is purely coincidental”[2]

The emoji is simply the latest in a long line of pictograms and symbols that convey meaning; they are a form of language.

On a visit to the British Museum I noticed the surface decoration of a hu, (6th century BC Chinese ceremonial wine vessel), as it reminded me of the QR barcodes. The decoration are actually symbols, when translated they tell of battles won or of heroic deeds by emperors. Like the QR code and emoji, they are a form of language.

I then found other highly decorative vessels produced in that period which were used as the starting point of my emoji vase.

When inspected closely, the viewer will be able to identify a group of common used emoji.

[1] https://stories.moma.org/the-original-emoji-set-has-been-added-to-the-museum-of-modern-arts-collection-c6060e141f61#.vxyrhgymd

[2] http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Emoji

Private Collection, Italy. Acquired through Adrian Sassoon, London. 

voxel (ˈvɒksəl) 

A voxel represents a single sample, or data point, on a regularly spaced, three-dimensional grid. It can be thought of a 3-dimensional pixel.

The starting point for the Voxel-Sèvres vessel was my exploration of museums via the Google Art Project. It allows the viewer to float through galleries, and zoom in on anything that catches our fancy. Why join the queues when you can navigate through the empty galleries from the comfort of your armchair? It is an extraordinary technical achievement, a very useful tool, but it’s not the real thing, you can’t smell the oil paint and you can’t quite walk all the way round the sculptures. It is a 2D representation of the real world.

The Voxel-Sèvres vessel explores the relationship between the actual world of real objects and the virtual world of digital technology. 

The Sèvres potpourri vase was chosen for its sensuous flowing curves, which would contrast the more rigid structure of the ‘voxel’ extrusions, emphasising the differences between physical objects and their virtual representations.

I spent many hours creating numerous iterations of the design using Rhino 3D CAD software.

Once satisfied with the design on screen, the data was sent to a bureau specialising in Additive Manufacturing and the piece was manufactured using the latest Selective Laser Sintering technology. It was then hand finished.

Private Collection, Italy. Acquired through Adrian Sassoon, London. 

The Sir John Soane Museum, facing Lincoln’s Inn Fields in London is an ‘eccentric 19th-century collector's home, packed with classical sculpture, paintings and curiosities’. It is a place that I visit at least once a year as it gives an insight into the world of a fascinating architect and collector.

Visiting the museum can be an overwhelming experience, packed as it is with an eclectic mix of artefacts, paintings and architectural models. It’s very easy to miss hidden gems, hence the need to revisit regularly.

One object that caught my eye on the last visit was a silver lidded tureen, a gift to Sir John Soane. Apart from its pleasing design, the reflections of the rest of the room in its surface caused a slightly disturbing sensation, fracturing the reflection in to a myriad of shards.

The image stayed with me and I was reminded of it when looking through some Wedgwood catalogue drawings. Like the silver tureen, the ceramics had employed strong classical references.

I decided to use the form as the starting point for my design, and create a simplified triangular ‘sliver’ representing the reflection of the contents of the room, arranging them to create a dynamic and energetic vase.

I spent many hours creating numerous iterations of the design using Rhino 3D CAD software.

Once satisfied with the design on screen, the data was sent to a bureau specialising in Additive Manufacturing and the piece was manufactured using the latest Selective Laser Sintering technology. It was then hand finished.

The use of these new tools allows me create objects that were previously impossible to manufacture and enables me to inhabit an exciting grey area somewhere between craft, design and art. 

Private Collection. Acquired through Adrian Sassoon, London. 

The Olympic Games are regarded as the world’s leading sports competition, with athletes taking part from over 200 countries.

According to Wikipedia, “The first Olympics is traditionally dated to 776 BC” [1]. The winners would be given a crown made from the leaves of the sacred olive tree at Olympia. In addition, they often received pottery prizes, such as amphora filled with olive oil. The decoration on these pots often featured images of the competitions that the winning athletes had taken part in.

On a research visit to Rooms 13 and 14 I was interested to see, that in addition to Olympian scenes and mythological imagery, there are also scenes taken from daily life; domestic scenes of food preparation, and in the scene shown below, women chatting whilst filling their water containers at the fountain.

For Krater V.I, I decided to combine the ancient and the contemporary, by illustrating the vessel with a scene from Greek red and black pottery and a scene from contemporary British family life. In this case, it is a scene from the popular Channel 4 TV programme Gogglebox, where the family are seen watching and discussing the activities on their television.

I spent many hours creating numerous iterations of the design using Rhino 3D CAD software.

Once satisfied with the design on screen, the data was sent to a bureau specialising in Additive Manufacturing and the piece was manufactured using the latest Selective Laser Sintering technology. It was then hand finished.

[1] http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Ancient_Olympic_Games

Private Collection, USA. Acquired through Adrian Sassoon, London. 

The Olympic Games are regarded as the world’s leading sports competition, with athletes taking part from over 200 countries.

According to Wikipedia, “The first Olympics is traditionally dated to 776 BC” [1]. The winners would be given a crown made from the leaves of the sacred olive tree at Olympia. In addition, they often received pottery prizes, such as amphora filled with olive oil. The decoration on these pots often featured images of the competitions that the winning athletes had taken part in.

On a research visit to Rooms 13 and 14 I was interested to see, that in addition to Olympian scenes and mythological imagery, there are also scenes taken from daily life; domestic scenes of food preparation, and in the scene shown below, women chatting whilst filling their water containers at the fountain.

For Krater V.I, I decided to combine the ancient and the contemporary, by illustrating the vessel with a scene from Greek red and black pottery and a scene from contemporary British family life. In this case, it is a scene from the popular Channel 4 TV programme Gogglebox, where the family are seen watching and discussing the activities on their television.

I spent many hours creating numerous iterations of the design using Rhino 3D CAD software.

Once satisfied with the design on screen, the data was sent to a bureau specialising in Additive Manufacturing and the piece was manufactured using the latest Selective Laser Sintering technology. It was then hand finished.

[1] http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Ancient_Olympic_Games

Private Collection, USA. Acquired through Adrian Sassoon, London. 

The Olympic Games are regarded as the world’s leading sports competition, with athletes taking part from over 200 countries.

According to Wikipedia, “The first Olympics is traditionally dated to 776 BC” [1]. The winners would be given a crown made from the leaves of the sacred olive tree at Olympia. In addition, they often received pottery prizes, such as amphora filled with olive oil. The decoration on these pots often featured images of the competitions that the winning athletes had taken part in.

For Krater V.II, I decided to combine the ancient and the contemporary, by illustrating the vessel with a scene from Greek red and black pottery and a scene from the contemporary Olympic Games.

Hence the inclusion of a Paralympian athlete.

I spent many hours creating numerous iterations of the design using Rhino 3D CAD software.

Once satisfied with the design on screen, the data was sent to a bureau specialising in Additive Manufacturing and the piece was manufactured using the latest Selective Laser Sintering technology. It was then hand finished.

The use of these new tools allows me create objects that were previously impossible to manufacture and enables me to inhabit an exciting grey area somewhere between craft, design and art.

[1] http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Ancient_Olympic_Games

Available through Adrian Sassoon, London.

The Olympic Games are regarded as the world’s leading sports competition, with athletes taking part from over 200 countries.

According to Wikipedia, “The first Olympics is traditionally dated to 776 BC” [1]. The winners would be given a crown made from the leaves of the sacred olive tree at Olympia. In addition, they often received pottery prizes, such as amphora filled with olive oil. The decoration on these pots often featured images of the competitions that the winning athletes had taken part in.

For Krater V.II, I decided to combine the ancient and the contemporary, by illustrating the vessel with a scene from Greek red and black pottery and a scene from the contemporary Olympic Games.

Hence the inclusion of a Paralympian athlete.

I spent many hours creating numerous iterations of the design using Rhino 3D CAD software.

Once satisfied with the design on screen, the data was sent to a bureau specialising in Additive Manufacturing and the piece was manufactured using the latest Selective Laser Sintering technology. It was then hand finished.

The use of these new tools allows me create objects that were previously impossible to manufacture and enables me to inhabit an exciting grey area somewhere between craft, design and art.

[1] http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Ancient_Olympic_Games

Available through Adrian Sassoon, London.