Dispatch from Vancouver | Barter Collective

Revolve by Kenneth Torrance

Barter Collective based out of Vancouver works with artists, helping tell their stories, learning their processes and methodologies. The result is a collection of objects that is thoughtful, unique and has a story to tell.




As Barter Collective tells us:

"(Above) Revolve by Kenneth Torrance. Kenneth Torrance is a multi-disciplinary designer living in Vancouver, BC. His process is rooted in a strong connection to the origin of the materials he uses: the connection between the clay and the mountains they came from; the journey from a tree, to a log, to a table. Formally trained as a graphic designer, Kenneth approaches objects and space as compositions designed to complete one another and, above all, believes that love for the craft, and respect for the materials, should guide his every design decision. Revolve is an homage to west coast timber. It celebrates the form of these coastal giants and indulges in the raw beauty of BC red cedar. Paired with concrete for stability, and terracotta as a vessel for growing, Revolve invites us to acquaint ourselves with these materials and contemplate their relationship to one another. Revolve can be stacked and configured in a variety of ways, allowing one to experiment and personalize. From 8 inch vessel to 50 foot stacks, this modular series is all about play.

(Below) Vessel by Kenneth Torrance.  Once valued as a precious, vital material used for carrying water, cooking and ceremony, terracotta is now most often found on the back shelves of hardware stores and garden centres. The Vessel series is a resurrection of terracotta: a reintroduction to a material that hasn’t changed in thousands of years. The Vessel series is meant to be cherished but, it is also meant to be used.

Vessel by Kenneth Torrance.

Vessel by Kenneth Torrance.


(Above) Connect by Imu Chan.  Imu Chan is a designer and founder of FSOARK, a Vancouver design studio known for its inventive and unexpected spaces, installations and architectural undertakings. Chan’s designs challenge our ideas about space, weight, and origin—and our own physical relationship to the pieces he creates. He unearths the inherent qualities of the materials he works with and presents them back to us with such simple and intuitive design that it is as if we are seeing these materials for the first time; surprised by their natural beauty. Rather than an object for display, a table, in its simplest form, displays the rituals in our lives. The Connect Table is an exploration in connection. At its heart is a considered wooden ring, allowing Connect’s components to radiate from a strong core. Its intentionally small, circular form brings us together without hierarchy, encouraging us to connect closely with one another.


(Above) Gather by Art Paul. Art has witnessed British Columbia transform and evolve over many years and continues to do so. As a 7th generation Canadian, he is deeply connected to this landscape and its people, valued as an important member to every community he has lived in. Working in Forestry for much of his life, Art has an understanding of our native trees that is unparalleled. His appreciation for local resources and intuitive approach is evident in every piece he creates, and we are so fortunate for his collaboration and mentorship. Each Gather block is unique. Whether you see them as stools, tables, plinths or pieces of art, the Gather blocks are a story told through our environment, design, history and peoples."

bartercollective.com/

Jan Halvarson

1 comment:

Coco Cake Land said...

that marble table with the wooden legs... swoon!!! love those kenneth torrance vessels, too!