Wrapper's Delight

Designer Anton Alvarez’s work is as much about the process as the beautiful end result.

Source: Photography by Gustav Almestål. Courtesy Gallery Libby Sellers’.

New Works by Anton Alvarez, 2014.

The Swedish-Chilean RCA design products graduate takes a highly distinct approach to his work, which showcases a design background that combines interior architecture, craft and cabinet making.
His focus is on creating systems and tools as well as furniture and products, such as his Thread Wrapping Machine, which binds the object’s components together using glue-coated thread, bypassing the need for screws, nails and traditional joinery.
It’s this machine (as well as American hip hop trio The Sugarhill Gang) which gives Anton Alvarez’s forthcoming show at London’s Gallery Libby Sellers its title – Wrapper’s Delight.

Source: Photography by Gustav Almestål. Courtesy Gallery Libby Sellers

New Works by Anton Alvarez, 2014.

The bright colours and folkish textures of the thread can be used to join any materials, and so the pieces are created often from a mixture of wood, steel or plastic.
Despite the craft-like connotations the look of the thread may have, Alvarez is keen to set himself apart from ideas of tradition, and part of his motivation in creating these machines is to give himself autonomy from industry.
He says, ‘I have full control over the development of the machine. I can freely experiment and develop it according to what I discover are my needs in this new craft.’

Source: Photography by Gustav Almestål. Courtesy Gallery Libby Sellers

New Works by Anton Alvarez, 2014.

Alvarez’s wrapping technique has previously been shown at the Design Museum, when the designer’s Wrapping Crystal was on display as part of the museum’s Digital Crystal: Swarovski show in 2012.
His gorgeously colourful Wrapping Bench also features in Gallery Libby Sellers’ Drawn From group exhibition, which runs until 1 March.
Anton Alvarez – Wrapper’s Delight runs from 6 March – 17 April at Gallery Libby Sellers, 41-42 Berners Street, London W1T

 

(Wed, 19 Feb 2014 | By Emily Gosling)