Design Find | Phil Cuttance | Faceture
With an almost pixelated, digital aesthetic, these triangle-composed structures are equally as mesmerizing as they are individually unique. How is that possible? The beauty of process.
First, the mould is hand-made. Cuttance scores and cuts a sheet of 0.5mm plastic, folding and taping it into the overall shape of the piece that is to be cast. The mould’s final shape and strength are dictated by which triangular facets are popped in and out. This highly intuitive stage in the process happens every time the mould is prepared for the next object, resulting in a collection in which no two pieces are alike. A water-based casting resin is then mixed and cast in the mould where it sets solid.
The resin is poured into the hollow mould and rolled around to coat and encase the sides, controlled on a casting jig on a machine. The material soon sets, creating a hollow, solid object. Then another, different coloured resin is poured into the same mould and swirled around inside over the first. {I love the surprise of discovery with the contrasting colours peeping out from inside the vase.} When this second layer of resin has set, the mould is removed to reveal the solid set cast piece. The casting appears with sharply accurate lines, a visual surprise considering the lo-fi, hand-made process from which it came. The mould is then cleaned and ready for re-use.
Each Faceture vase is handmade, unique, and numbered on the base, making them very collectible.
To me, the finished product looks like something architect Frank Gehry might create – the simple elegance of inspiration found in a crumpled piece of paper transformed into triangular pixels of arresting form and structure.
I am officially longing for a pair of these stunningly unique vases to flank my Mekal sink in my kitchen. Wouldn’t they offer a poignant and perfectly modern edge to my kitchen refresh project? Methinks so. I’m officially in l – o – v – e love. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ll be dreaming in triangles as I drift off tonight.
I hope you’ve been as inspired by Phil’s brilliant process and stunning product as I have. Still swooning.
xo
s.
