Making Craft Objects Speak!
A Look into Dragana Kojic & Elsur Design's work
Dragana Kojic | Visit artist profile here
At a time where we are physically distanced, we are always looking at and exploring alternative forms of communication. Ways in which we observe things might also have changed now that we have markedly less social contact, so craft objects have an increased opportunity to be a vessel with which we express ourselves and communicate. Especially when they are in the background of Zoom meeting after Zoom meeting! It is with this that I have decided to look at two Cluster artists and see how their work expresses itself and complements each other. Embracing the necessary trend of online shops and galleries being used in the art and design sphere, I have made my selection from Cluster’s online shop. It’s not too dissimilar to some of the ‘online viewing rooms’ that are popping up courtesy of the world’s most popular galleries, and is a nice little interim virtual space whetting our appetites for the next physical exhibition.
Elsur Design | Visit artist profile here
Dragana Kojic | Visit artist profile here
So I’ll start with the artist who caught my eye first, which is Dragana Kojic, a self-taught ceramicist who graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy at University of Novi Sad in Serbia. The “self-taught” element wowed me, as the Brancusi influences and stunning minimalist aesthetics are a smooth pleasure on the eye. ‘White Portal’ is especially striking as it is reminiscent of large architectural structures and public art installations, but on a much smaller scale. I love minimalism and the concept of a minimal talking point in a room is a huge draw for me. There is an undeniable sculptural quality to Kojic’s work, and the designer’s ability to remove a domestic, utilitarian function to her work is a beautiful way of transporting the viewer and indulging artistic fantasies.
Dragana Kojic | Visit artist profile here
Looking at Kojic’s meditative, calming works, I would like to pose them “in conversation” with the practice of Elsur Design, the brand of Cristina Vallejo, who trained at Madrid ETS of Architecture. It always fascinates me to see 3D design work made by artists with an architectural background; I used to work in architecture myself, and have written about it for some time, and the artistic side is not something that is always so forthcoming in practice, as so many other priorities wrestle for attention. At a time where we are thinking more about ethical practices and consumption, it is very appealing to learn that each product made by Elsur Design is unique and hand-made. ‘A Rope in the Shape of a Vessel in Navy’ is a real treat on the eyes, and while it is perhaps less striking than Kojic’s aforementioned piece, this element works to the vessel’s favour, as it blends in well in a domestic setting, and of course has the utility value if that’s your MO. If, like myself and many others, texture is a big deal for you, you’re bound to have the same reaction as me, in that I was desperate to physically hold it. Elsur Design boasts a simple process and materiality when transforming something simple into a finished product, and here this alchemy has been done using cotton rope and polyester thread.
White Portal by Dragana Kojic | BUY THIS PIECE HERE
White Portal by Dragana Kojic | BUY THIS PIECE HERE
Now the materiality and making process is not something which unites the work of Kojic and Vallejo, but considering them in parallel terms is quite interesting when we think about the different uses and environments where certain craft objects thrive. If I may assess the two works in isolation, ‘A Rope in the Shape of a Vessel in Navy’ is considered to be humble in its materials and beginnings before being developed and crafted into an object for the home, or a sculpture, depending on the owner’s choice. Then we see ‘White Portal’, with its almost regal white hue, made from unglazed stoneware; in contrast, arguably this is a delicately sourced and sculpted material which transforms into a classic, sophisticated but fairly simple final form.
Both artists will be exhibiting in September as part of Cluster’s London Craft Week collaboration and I’m really excited to see how the artists will be curated together, amongst the other makers, of course. I recommend checking out the artists’ individual profiles to hear them talk about their practice further; Kojic’s exploration into “horizontal possibilities of ceramic sculpture” are something to keep an eye out for, as well as the deeply personal input from Elsur Design; Vallejo says “from my observation, experimentation and my own reflection arise the objects I imagine”. It is clear that there is a real poetry in the making process of these works from both designers, and ultimately this is what unites them, despite their aesthetic and material differences: design that comes from the heart and from the hand.
Thank you for reading,
Issey Scott
Elsur Design | Visit artist profile here | BUY THIS PIECE HERE
Elsur Design | Visit artist profile here