In der neuesten Ausgabe der führenden englischen Zeitschrift für Kunsthandwerk (Nr.262, Sept/Okt.2016) publiziert Annabelle Campbell vom Crafts Council den Artikel „Moments and Makers – seven key moments in the extraordinary history of automata“ aus Anlaß der gerade in London eröffneten Ausstellung „A curious turn“, der hier vollständig gelesen werden kann:
http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/articles/moments-and-makers/
A Curious Turn: Moving, Mechanical Sculpture
A Crafts Council exhibition of automata at the Platform Gallery, Habitat, Kings Road, London SW3 5XP until 2 october 2016
For centuries automata have delighted and bewitched people.
A Curious Turn features 30 automata from the leading makers of the last 40 years, ranging from the humorous to the macabre and from the playful to the satirical.
Visitors will be able to turn, push and crank to see many of the pieces in action, while other pieces will have films to show them in motion. Amongst many others some key makers and automata promoters explored in the exhibition are;
Sam Smith is seen as the grandfather of contemporary automata! Despite being a folk art toy maker, his celebrated style has influenced generations of automata makers. His beautifully painted colourful ‘toys’ at first glance look playful and harmless, but on closer inspection they explore the darker side of human life. The Crafts Council Collection holds some wonderful examples of his work, some of which will be shown in the exhibition.
Paul Spooner is a dedicated automata maker and has been perfecting his making process for over 30 years. His work is humorous but also makes you think, as with Five Artists Reflect on Their Waning Powers, a popular Crafts Council collection work. As well as being a skilled carver, Spooner is a an accomplished illustrator and in the course of developing the exhibition the Crafts Council have discovered some his wonderful drawings in the archive, which will be revealed in the exhibition for the first time. Spooner played an important role in revival of the automata craft in the late 1970s, supported by Cabaret Mechanical Theatre.
Illustration and storytelling are the focus of Melanie Tomlinson’s automata. The surfaces of her automata are printed with beautifully intricate drawings of folklores and fairy tales, which are brought to life when the sculptures move. Her illustrations will be exhibited alongside her work in the exhibition. Tomlinson works hard to keep secret the mechanisms that make her characters come to life, making her decorative work even more intriguing.
Cabaret Mechanical Theatre and their founder, Sue Jackson, have played a strong role in the revival of automata and in supporting a growing number of automata makers. Recognising the potential popularity of these moving machines, Jackson actively encouraged a group of makers in Falmouth, Cornwall – Peter Markey, Paul Spooner and Ron Fuller – to make automata to sell in her local craft shop, Cabaret. She often actively guided their creative direction, looking for wit and entertainment in the automata that she collected.
Cabaret Mechanical Theatre have assisted the Crafts Council in developing A Curious Turn as exhibition consultants.
Touring venues to be announced shortly.