Iron Fine Art · 2023
Reborn Wooden Vase
by Chu Jou, Yu Hsuan, Fan Xuan and Ching Ching
- A' Design Award 2023 in Fine Art
- CLIENT: Tainan University of Technology/Product Design Deparment
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 15,257
- Verification code A5065928BD · Verify this award
Colors
About Reborn Wooden Vase
Creating value for the discarded and leftover of wood from furniture industry by using metal inlaying techniques on an organically spherical wood surface. Inspired by life form of growing seeds, brass wire is embedded on the wood grain, and extending out as the shape of the roots grown to support the wooden vase. The pattern has functional uses as wood leftovers are made into a container for planting, resembling a sprouting seed, symbolizing the cycle of life. The flowing metal root shape gives a sense of vitality, resembling a moving organism.
About the A' Design Award
Reborn Wooden Vase is an Iron A' Design Award winner, a prestigious recognition granted to good designs that meet the professional and industrial requirements expected from well-designed creations. Iron winners demonstrate great skill, high specialization, expert understanding, and creative capacity of their creators. Reborn Wooden Vase is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished creation that is practical and innovative. This Iron A' Design Award-winning design integrates industry best practices and has competent technical characteristics linked with know-how and talent. Reborn Wooden Vase is respected for its thoroughness and is designed to provide quality of life improvements that help make the world a better place.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The pattern on this wooden vase artwork is inlaid on a three-dimensional spherical wood surface. Inspired by growing seeds, brass wire is embedded on the wood following the wood grain, with some extending out as the shape of seed roots to support the wooden vase. The pattern has functional uses as wood leftovers are made into a container for planting, resembling a sprouting seed, symbolizing the cycle of life. The flowing metal root shape gives a sense of vitality, resembling a moving organism.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Material: teak wood, brass, glass.
Dimensions: Round seed: Length 15cm x Width 9cm x Height 14cm, Gourd-shaped seed: Length 20cm x Width 11cm x Height 17cm, Eggplant-shaped seed: Length 23cm x Width 8.5cm x Height 22.5m, Elliptical seed: Length 30cm x Width 9cm x Height 10cm. - Tags
- Wooden, Vase, Metal, Inlaid Technique, Art Craft, Brass, Leftover
- Production Technology
- Material: teak, brass, glass.
Production technology: lathe turning out of the basic shape of wood, hand-polished wood appearance,hand-welded metal, inlaid metal, hand-dyed spray
painting.
Surface treatment: spray transparent protective paint after dyeing and then polish and trim the surface to smooth, this process is repeated 2-3 times after polishing the metal, and finally spray a laver of transparent protective paint to prevent brass oxidation. - Design Challenge
- To support the wood above, a thicker and harder brass wire was used for the extended structure. However, the ends of the wire tended to curl up when embedded on the curved surface. To enhance the metal's stability on the wood, eight types of glue were tested and the problem was resolved by referencing riveting techniques. When grinding the pointed end of the wire, it tended to become too thin and curl up, but after trying various methods, the issue was resolved.
- Research
- Type of study: technology, art.
Goal: Apply planar tessellation techniques to surface tessellation.
Methods: Technical application analysis, process technology analysis, material analysis, practical operation experiment.
Data collection: self-observation experience, books, online work observation.
Research tools:
metalworking tools,
woodworking tools, all kinds of drills, all kinds of grinding tools. - Inspiration
- We discovered leftover wood from furniture making and decided to utilize our metalworking skills to combine it with metal through inlaying techniques. After observing that metal inlaying on wood is often flat and purely decorative, we aimed to create something different. We used our craft skill to create new value from the leftover material by combining the gentle nature and unique wood grain of the wood with the idea of the cycle of life, resulting in this artistic piece.
- Project Duration
- The project began in June 2021 and was completed in Tainan, Taiwan in March 2022.
- Operation Flow
- The holes on the flower vessel contain glass containers that can be filled with water to grow aquatic plants, resembling a germinating seed from a distance. Other items can be inserted into the container for decoration, or it can be used as a standalone art piece.
- Image Credits
- Image#1~#5: ChuJou Chen/ YuHsuan Chen/ FanXuan Yang/ ChingChing Weng
