julian mayor at interart sculpture park

burnout bench (2007)welded stainless steelset of 5 interlocking benches324 x 170 x 94 cm

british designer julian mayor currently has fifteen of his works installed at the dutch sculpture park, interart.

based near eindhoven, interart has been promoting the work of dutch and international artists and designers for the past 25 years.  this year’s show opened on may 4th and will run until the september 25th, 2013.

julian mayor’s work is initially conceived on a computer, then each piece is built by hand in his workshop in south yorkshire, UK,   combining a high-tech design process with a craft based approach to making that makes each piece unique.

glenda chair (2013)welded mirror finish stainless steel104 x 72 x 61.5 cm

glenda chairthe glenda chair was initially developed on a computer and with scale models, but the physical making processes of folding and welding leave the chair with a tension between the highly controlled design stages and a more organic making process.the welding lines create a counterpoint to the mirrored structure and the heat distortion adds a level of depth and interest to the surfaces of the chair.   although the chair is highly geometric in outline, the surfaces are slightly curved and reflect light in swirling pools.

glenda chair (2013)powdered steel104 x 72 x 61.5 cm

folded wire chair (2011)powder coated mild steel64 x 73 x 80 cm

folded wire chairthe folded steel chair came from the same development process as the glenda chair, but this time the form is powder coated in white, emphasising the geometric elements.

contour chair (2000)powder coated steel69 x 62 x 82 cm

contour chairsculpture at goodwood commissioned a series of designs to provide permanent seating with which to view the changing sculptural presentations in the park. the chair design reflects the undulating nature of the site as a series of contoured steel bands that ensure stability and strength yet give a delicate and lightweight appearance. the contour chair is currently installed throughout the sculpture park.

graziano chair (2010)powder coated welded steel bar40 x 65 x 85 cm

graziano chairthe graziano chair was originally made for a collector in italy who wanted a lightweight yet strong outdoor chair for dining.  keeping the visual language from the frame sculptures and also the ‘loop’ construction of several other chairs this aesthetic was worked into a small cafe chair.

general dynamic chair (2004)fibreglassedition of 5085 x 80 x 72 cm

general dynamic chair with this chair i wanted to represent computers as what i see as a work in progress, still pretty early on in their evolutionary life cycle and so still open to experimentation and risk.  the chair was created to look like a three dimensional sketch, with the idea of technology as having a character of its own. like a computer visualisation, the form gives clues, but it needs the viewers imagination to complete the surfaces.

steel impression chair (2012)powder coated steeledition of 868 x 56 x 67cm

steel impression chairthe impression chair was created from the map of a person’s seat that was then digitised and sectioned on a computer, creating a realisation of a graphic model.  by using a black laminate against a lighter plywood core, the repetition and irregularity of the form is emphasised and constantly adjusts the visual volume of the chair as you walk around it.

astrid rakhorst van rhijn of interart with julian mayor in the indoor gallery at interart