alex garnett: football designs

with the FIFA world cup 2010 in full swing, we wanted to share the work of UK-based alex garnett who has designed a range of products revolving around the sport of football.

‘footbowl’ ceramic earthenware 10 x 23 x 23 cm

‘footbowl’ is a series of ceramic bowls which have been handmade from enlarged casts of footballs… just don’t trying kicking one! for the production process, garnett remade the standard football larger so that his cast would compensate for the ceramic body’s 10 percent + shrinkage when fired in the kiln. the resulting form is slightly larger than an actual ball to accommodate more items. to do so, he makes / sews a ball, filling it with plaster so that it becomes ridged. he then casts this form first in urethane and then silicon, producing a flexible master which allows for greater detail and undercuts in his working molds.

‘footbowl’ ceramic earthenware 10 x 23 x 23 cm

process work resulting forms – top row: glazing process with finished bowl at far right. slip casting mold at bottom.

‘footballers knees’ ceramic earthenware 21 x 14 x 16 cm

‘footballers knees’ is a pair vases which placed next to one another, present a healthy pair of athletic knees.

‘the final whistle’ stainless steel 87 x 45 x 57 cm 1:18 scale whistle chair / sculpture edition of 10

alex garnett portrait © designboom

previously, alex garnett exhibited as part of designboom’s ‘handled with care’ exhibition. he has also particpated in our: designboom tokyo mart 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 designboom mart ICFF new york 2008 designboom mart melbourne 2009