Merry Kirkwood
BA Furniture & Product Design
As a sculptural furniture designer I strive to bring my love of art into my designs, while creating functional pieces. Whilst primarily working with metals, I'm always looking to expand my practical techniques to create new and innovative pieces, and develop as both an artist and a designer.
Reliquary
Reliquary is a jewellery box designed to make us consider the relationship between ourselves and our jewellery. The piece comes in 2 parts, with the box acting as a chest to keep your treasurers in and the necklace that is used as a key to open it.
The aesthetics of the inside and outside contrast, with the outside being rusted to look neglected and unimportant, while the inside provides a soft mossy bed for jewellery and other important items. This enhances the idea of inner or invisible value, as things that are precious to us might not look important to others, but the meaning within is what makes it special. The piece also creates a connection between you and your treasurers, as even if they are in the chest, through wearing the key they will always feel like they are with you.
Corona
For this project, I wanted to explore brass and create a centre piece that would highlight the material and its properties. Through exploration, I was able to discover that when light is shined onto polished brass, the reflections create an effect reminiscent of the corona of a Solar Eclipse.
Eclipses are very significant to my family, having travelled to multiple different countries in order to see them, therfore, I wanted to create an artificial version of the eclipse that users can experience in their own homes.
The light utilises patina and the natural, polished surface of brass to create the visual of the moon. The front of the sun and is angled and utilises layers to ensure the reflections travel across the wall, filling the entire room.