Human Hardware Cast In Bronze. Tongues, Ears and Hands Handles and Drawer Pulls.

Brooklyn-based Artist and sculptor Malia Jensen has created some interesting functional art for the home, exclusively for Artware Editions. Drawer pulls and door handles cast in bronze and patinated bronze are shaped like human tongues, ears and hands. The unique hardware is made in only 100 editions of each.


Tongue Pulls, 2013, polished bronze:




Tongue A (small): 7/16" h. x 1 1/8" w. x 1" d.
Tongue B (small): 3/8" h. x 1 1/8" w. x 1 1/2" d.
Tongue C (large): 5/8" h. x 1 5/8" w. x 1 7/16" d.
edition of 100, each

Small: $175 each
Large: $200 each

Existing hardware can accommodate a drawer up to 1/2" thick. Hardware can be replaced to accommodate drawers of different depths.

Ear Pulls, 2013, polished bronze:



Round: 1 1/2" x 7/8" x 7/8"
Pointy: 1 1/2" x 3/4" x 7/8"
edition of 100, each

Existing hardware can accommodate a drawer up to 1/2" thick. Hardware can be replaced to accommodate drawers of different depths.
$180.00

Hand Handles (based on Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel), 2013, patinated bronze:



installed dimensions: 1 1/2" h. x 6 3/8" w. x 1 1/2" d.
edition of 100 pairs

Existing hardware can accommodate a drawer up to 1/2" thick. Hardware can be replaced to accommodate drawers of different depths.
$600.00


Shop for these and other items by Malia Jensen here at Artware Editions.

Qualy Shakes Things Up With Two New Awesome Seasoning and Spice Shaker Sets.

Two different sets of seasoning or spice shakers have just been introduced by Qualy of Thailand. Four Seasons and Animal Parade consist of four clear domes (with holes in the tops) in a white tray in which you can place herbs, spices and seasonings. With a look reminiscent of snow domes, the products are both fun and functional, like all of Qualy's products.

Four Seasons features trees indicative of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Animal Parade features creatures associated with each of the seasons: bunny, camel, elk and polar bear.

Four Seasons Seasoning Shaker Set:




Animal Parade Seasoning Shaker Set:



All of Qualy's products and packaging are made with recycled materials.




To find retailers for Qualy products, simply Google Qualy products or Qualy Design.

The Coolest Swimming Pool Slide Ever. The Carbon Fiber Silver Leafed Shoot Slide.

SplinterWorks, formed in 2009 by Miles Hartwell and Matt Withington, is a custom furniture company whose designs are more like functional art than traditional pieces of furniture. Their self described mission is to create functional sculpture that unites conceptual, visual and practical fundamentals to create engaging and inspiring pieces.

One of their pieces that stands out is Shoot, a slide for an indoor or outdoor swimming pool that puts all those hideous fiberglass ones to shame.




Starting as a thin burst and shooting up vertically from the ground, the large shining arc emulates the trajectory of water itself.



Made of carbon fiber coated with silver leaf, the sculptural piece curves inwards at the edges forming handrails and the steps are like artful pedestals that form the footholds for climbing to the top.



While it's beautiful to look at and undoubtedly fun to experience, I do not know how the slide keeps from getting too hot. Although I know that Carbon Fibre (or Carbon Fiber for us Americans) has a very high heat tolerance.

The piece, measuring 1800 mm high by 3800 mm long by 900 mm wide was created in an edition of three.

Based thirty minutes south of London in Guildford, SplinterWorks portfolio consists of pieces crafted from exceptional materials such as marble, concrete, jesomite, mirror polished stainless steel, laquers and exotic woods.

See more of SplinterWorks beautiful pieces here.

The "Fun"ctional art of Nicola L. Whimsical Aquariums & Furniture

French born Nicola L. (that's right, just an L. for the last name) is a conceptual artist who creates everything from performances, films and functional art. Having had a hugely prolific career for over five decades, she has shown in many galleries and has a clear affinity for heads, eyes and snails as you can see from some of her functional art pieces I've chosen to share with you below. Some of the following pieces were created as editions and may still be available for purchase via the galleries listed at the end of this post.

Heads:


above: plexi head fish tank

above: head aquarium and bar

above: detail

above: head library

above: wooden head bookcase

above: green head sofa

above: white vinyl head sofa

above: little heads tables

above: plexi head planter

above: giant head fountain

above: little fire head

above: giant fire head

above: the 12 faces rug

Eyes:

above: plexi eye ceiling lamp

above: Glass eye coffee table

above: large plexi eye wall lamp

above: plexi eye wall lights and lips floor lamp

Snails:

above: snail birdcage

above: blue snail sofa

above: snail wardrobe cabinet

above: snail table on snail rug

above: snail bed reflected in snail mirror

The artist:


A bit about her:
In the thirty years since her first exhibitions, Nicola L. has returned to the body on numerous occasions, producing extremely limited editions of lamps, see-through planters, aquariums, storage containers, tables, and her famous "Femme Commode" and "Femme Coffre Fort".

She had her first show at Daniel Templon Gallery Paris in 1969, followed by many exhibitions in european galleries and museums, with also a show in New York at Wadell Gallery in 1973. She moved to New York in 1979 where her functional work was featured between 1986 and 2004 in numerous galleries including: Alan Moss, Vrej Baghoomian, Peder Bonier, Wooster Projects and also recently at Twentieth Gallery in L.A. She is currently showing her work at Galerie Patricia Dorfmann, Galerie Pierre Alain Challier, and Galerie Catberro in Paris. Her last show in New York City was a retrospective at Ingrao Gallery in 2006.

Nicola’s work is frequently featured in auctions at Christie's, Sotheby's, and Bonhams & Butterfield. Her work is part of the permanent collections of the Museum of Beaubourg, Antwerpen Museum of Contemporary Art, The Museum of Modern Art of Glasgow, The Collection of The Frac Bretagne and many private American and European collections.



Recently, in 2008 she has had two shows in Paris, in April and May 2008, respectively, "Planet Eye" at Galerie Pierre Alain Challier, and "Functional Art 1989-2008" at Galerie Catberro, Paris.


above: THE RED COAT FOR 11 PEOPLE (1969) Last performance for Canal Plus+ at Galerie Favardin de Verneuil, Paris, Sept. 30th 2008

She is also continuing the performance with The Blue Cape, named now "The Blue Cape Of Human Rights".

The Book:



Buy it here


Learn more about Nicola here and see more of her work here.