‘Futurescapes’ Exhibition launches at the Leitrim Sculpture Centre
The launch of our ‘Futurescapes’ show at the Sculpture Centre here in Manorhamilton was on Friday night and was a great success with a turnout of around 80 people. Sean O’Reilly, Director of the Sculpture Centre and Perry Share, Head of the Department of Humanities at the Institute of Technology, Sligo opened the exhibition and both spoke about the fusion of art and industrial design within many of the exhibits. The series of sculptural works the studio created for the show demonstrates some of the research we have undertaken into industrially produced structural components that connect together in various ways and we hope this will lead to several new products in the coming months. The show runs until June 10th. Below is the full summary of the exhibition. Contact us for more information
There is a certain beauty in logic and function. The natural world abounds with functional creations, whether in the bone structure of mammals, the web of a spider or the complexity of an ant hill, there is logical evolution within all living organisms to enable them to adapt and flourish within their environment. The same relationship of logic and function exists with high tech machine production methods. Through prototyping and testing, analysis of strength to weight ratios and waste reduction a point is reached where production, within the designers strategy, has distilled all these factors into a logical design
This exhibition is focused on the creation of connectable structures that enable not only the establishment of an efficient method of production but can give rise to unusual constructions when the user manipulates them in different ways. The emphasis in this exhibition is not on the particular sculptures arranged on the walls and floor of the gallery but on the process embodied in their creation. They are merely snap-shots of on-going research which can lead to functional or purely aesthetic, sculptural creations.
The work is process driven – sketches and drawings developed into models and in turn full size art works in a variety of materials. I am researching CNC and laser production to enable part production of components that can be assembled by anyone with simple fittings. By adding certain usable features the artworks will seek to engage the viewer in their creation and subseqent use of the spaces they live and work in. For exhibition full sizes works in cardboard, wood and possibly metal or plastic will be accompanied by drawings and photos an audio/visual presentation and model area.
Leo Scarff is one of this year’s Artists in Residence supported by Leitrim County Council Arts Office. Scarff’s artistic work is informed by research into structural systems and the practical, process based manipulation of materials in the studio. From natural form and structure, man-made tessellated structures to ancient origami techniques or modern architectural theory, the artist’s current area of study could be described as the exploration of beautiful form, structure, science, geometry and industrial manufacture in sculpture.
Scarff is a Dublin born artist and designer now based in Manorhamilton. He trained in Spatial Design at the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Aalto Art and Design College in Helsinki. He is a founder member of the Irish Furniture Designers Network, a lecturer in design since 1999 and regularly curates art and design exhibitions for the main Irish trade shows.