Positive Externalities!

Today I found a very interesting Facebook of an emerging MA artist, Eleanor Davies, who turns waste materials into interesting furniture and other decorative eco pieces that she sells. Her work is also part of this years Wombledon College of Art MA exhibition. I like this take on eco art, it's very theatrical - which makes sense as Eleanor recently graduated with a first class honours degree in Theatre: Design and Performance. In fact, Eleanor has already started her own business and you can see on her facebook page the photos of the event, plus the catalogue of playful works that employ a mixture of novel ideas and traditional craft skills, including wood joinery and upholstering. I shall definately be going to the exhibition at Wimbledon College of Art (4th - 9th Sept).

What I like most about this work is the fact that, like the works in the second lives exhibition, merges notions of art and craft and has a social conscience. However, I think that with my work I want to edge away from the design aspect to create work that considers notions of community and contemporary culture. I also have no plans to sell my work and will actually be giving it away for free so that the 'surplus value' created by my physical work is returned as a 'positive externality' for the community, retrieving the original surplus value created by the industrial process.