Gallery
Postgraduate Rohan Nicol
I have worked in the realm of craft for the majority of my career, having trained as a gold and silversmith. A focus on one off handmade objects has dominated my output, yet recently my interest has expanded to include industrialised modes. This shift is motivated by several factors.
The one off pieces have increasingly acquired and refined an interest in the industrial aesthetic. Looking back over that body of work I see they have engaged in discussion with the industrial object through imitation of aesthetic, appropriation of materials and processes and parody of its pervasiveness in our built environment. This dialogue has provided valuable lessons in how objects that populate our artificial landscape are made, consumed and discarded.
It has been necessary to undertake a kind of informal apprenticeship in industrial design and engineering and develop skills with computer aided design and modelling software while consolidating my understanding of tooling development, manufacturing and materials technologies. This process has provided a common language with which I can commune directly to manufacturers.
My aim is to gain access to the industrial system and through a shared language I inevitably introduce studio craft methodologies to the industrial setting that are inseparable from my practice and have historically questioned the methodology and motivation of industrialised approaches to manufacturing. Consequently I have established the platform for sustainable product development by modelling and ultimately encouraging manufacturers to consider key issues including economic, environmental and social sustainability of manufacturing.
Now an opportunity exists to work from within the industrial approach and to provide a distinctive and articulate alternative product that addresses some of the questions and challenges raised by the existing Australian industrial manufacturing paradigm.
I currently live in regional NSW and this fact has drawn my attention to sustainability in design practice. Products and product service systems are in the position to address some of the key issues relating to sustainability and quality of life issues in the fragile economic, social and environmental systems that typify the regional areas of Australia. My interest finding answers to the questions arising through these issues motivates a shift from a sole focus on one-off handmade objects toward an industrial approach to product manufacture instead of commentating from the sidelines.
Some of these images that accompany this text are taken in the factory I have been collaborating with to manufacture the stretch and splashlight. They are located in Wagga Wagga where I live and they have generously provided me with support to develop the product- without which I would not have been able to continue development. They have provided support in terms of access to personnel (expertise), materials, and machinery. They are an extremely busy operation with no gaps in their production schedule, yet have been willing to squeeze work in on my project where possible on the basis of supporting local research and development.
All images by Rohan Nicol and courtesy of Precision Signs
