Smoke Mirror
Mirror
2007 (made)
2007 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This mirror was created by charring a 19th-century French overmantel mirror with a blow-torch, then sealing the surface with epoxy resin to preserve the burnt wood. Designer Maarten Baas developed this method for his graduation collection at the Design Academy Eindhoven in 2002.
Like much contemporary Dutch design, Baas's 'Smoke' furniture provokes us to think about the history of the objects, and encourages us to value something which might otherwise be discarded or overlooked. The making process is destructive as well as creative, bringing into question the role of the designer as a creator of new objects.
Like much contemporary Dutch design, Baas's 'Smoke' furniture provokes us to think about the history of the objects, and encourages us to value something which might otherwise be discarded or overlooked. The making process is destructive as well as creative, bringing into question the role of the designer as a creator of new objects.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Smoke Mirror (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Silvered glass in a wooden frame, charred and sealed with epoxy resin |
| Brief description | Overmantel mirror with a charred frame, sealed with epoxy resin |
| Physical description | Overmantel mirror with charred wooden frame sealed with epoxy resin, the frame decorated with carved floral ornaments and flanked by a pair of barleytwist columns. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Production type | Unique |
| Gallery label | ‘Smoke’ mirror
Maarten Baas (born Netherlands, 1978)
2007
19th-century French mirror, charred
Unique
V&A: W.41-2008
This mirror disturbingly evokes the middle-class parlours of 18th-century prints and novels, where the disrepair of the furnishings symbolises the inner ruin of the characters. A chasm between comfort and discomfort exists in the stark contrast between the polite form and its post-apocalyptic appearance. Ironically, it is the poverty of the charred wood that lends the mirror value and charisma.(14/07/2009-18/10/2009) |
| Production | Made from a nineteenth century French overmantel mirror |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This mirror was created by charring a 19th-century French overmantel mirror with a blow-torch, then sealing the surface with epoxy resin to preserve the burnt wood. Designer Maarten Baas developed this method for his graduation collection at the Design Academy Eindhoven in 2002. Like much contemporary Dutch design, Baas's 'Smoke' furniture provokes us to think about the history of the objects, and encourages us to value something which might otherwise be discarded or overlooked. The making process is destructive as well as creative, bringing into question the role of the designer as a creator of new objects. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.40-2008 |
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| Record created | January 16, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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