The Intersection of Craftsmanship and Design
Founded in 2014 by German textile designers, Eva Schlechte and Jennifer Hier, Studio Gutedort’s work is an intersection of craftsmanship and design combined with an experimental position.
Continue reading to find out more about the innovative duo’s previous projects, and the pieces currently exhibited at Mint.
Paper Bowls
In May 2015, Jennifer Hier and Eva Schlechte were invited by Mint to give a workshop for the Iraq el Amir women’s cooperative association in Jordan. The goal of the workshop was to develop design impulses for the goods produced by the women in their workshops. Gutedort created a workshop concept based on their project Krautfarben, which is about the natural colours of the red cabbage and different qualities of paper made out of it. As with the red cabbage, they focused on products from natural, local materials which can be found in the surroundings or be bought low priced at the marketplace. Beside a strong claim on quality and design, the consumption of water used for the production needed to be taken into consideration, as water is scarce in the summer month in Jordan.
Bowls with herbs and spices – 2015 workshop
A second workshop took place in Spring 2016, experimenting further with local herbs and spices to dye new paper bowls and fabrics.
New colours and techniques for 2016
Inspired by the whirring light and shadows one often finds in the village’s main yard, Gutedort used a technique to tie the threads before dying to create a pattern which reflects the play of shadows and light in the open spaces of the village.
Dyed threads & Woven Panels 2016Hidden Beauty – Inner Skins
This project, featured at Mint during LDF15, asks the question of whether or not we can overcome stereotypical aesthetics and appreciate beauty for its appearance: how can we change our habitual perception? Based on experimental material research, inner skins from sheep, pigs and cows, animal entrails like bladders and intestines that are usually considered as unappealing and disposed of as special waste, are used to create unique and beautiful objects.
Hidden Beauty Inner Skins – Photos by Philip Kottlorz
Hidden Beauty Inner Skins at Mint’s LDF’15 Twisting Traditions exhibition
Gutedort have a great array of fascinating works. See below for more of their projects.
Krautfarben
The concept of Krautfarben shows different approaches to handle the characteristics of red cabbage. All approaches are based on the dye anthocyanin which is able to convert its colour to various different hues. Purple turns to shining pink or bright green – amazing colours you wouldn’t bring in conjunction with a natural colouring agent such as red cabbage.
Fantastic Colour Explosion Postcards
It seems to be a white postcard, but painted with the juice of red cabbage a multicoloured pattern appears. The developing phase of the colour takes its time and during the drying process the colours get gradually more intense. Out of this technique, a postcard set was developed.
A Sheet of Paper
In addition, out of the concept Krautfarben handmade papers were created from shredded red cabbage leaves. In production studies various approaches are presented, in which the mixture with other pulps exhibits a wide range of colour and consistency. The paper is completely compostable and could provide a way to recycle vegetable scraps that are no longer suitable for other purposes. The purple papers can then be changed in colour with transparent liquids acid and base.
Spinomatic Colour Twist
Spinomatic colour twist also plays with the element of surprise when acid or base encounter red cabbage dye. Together with German media and technology artist Julian Jungel, a machine was developed which daub a with red cabbage juice brushed paper. Spinomatic colour twist contrasts the technical, artificially generated tool with the natural material red cabbage. This machine does not generate reproducible images, which implies that each sheet is unique.
Dandelion
The project dandelion is an experiment drawing attention to a plant with a multifaceted character, which lies in the area of tension between being an outsider and ubiquity. In spite of the emotional value and its versatile applicability, the common dandelion lived in the shadows of the indispensable agricultural crops or the decorative flowers, what let it become a classical wallflower. The dandelion is investigated in an unusual manner to find and reveal its true nature which lets us rethink its accustomed image.
Should you be interested in finding out further information about Studio Gutedort, don’t hesitate to get in contact with us at info@mintshop.co.uk.
Photographs courtesy of Philip Kottlorz, Studio Gutedort & Mint.