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| Fink Design |
| Check out some unusual homewares using pyrotechnics... it's mad. |
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These quirky and eye catching pieces are the work of an all Australian company called Fink and Co. They produce a range of functional homewares made from aluminium, stainless steel and glass. Reg takes a look at the unique form and process of these designs.
F!NK was established by Robert Foster in 1993 to manufacture contemporary and innovative tableware. Having gained an international reputation as a silversmith and designer, Robert Foster's vision is to stimulate the Australian design industry.
F!NK's aim is to create opportunities for other Australian designers. Each object in the FINK! Range has its own story of development and usually involves some form of innovation both technically and aesthetically. Each product has its own comical persona, reinforcing the quirky and unique nature of the distinctive design. Particular attention is given to the functionality, performance and quality.
F!NK products are designed by Australian artists and made solely in Australia. Most of the manufacturing processes occur in the F!NK studio, they only outsource the specialist processes, such as surface treatments. F!NK products are not mass produced, for instance they produce the Blink Lamp in runs of only 20-30 at a time. Each object is individually hand finished.
The Jug was F!NK's first product. It is now regarded as the flagship of the collection and has been described as an Australian design icon. The success of the Jug, can be partially attributed to the fact that it is found in the best restaurants throughout capital cities in Australia and New Zealand.
Through the investigation of an appropriate production process for the Jug, Foster has invented a unique and unconventional pressing process that allows the formation of such organic forms. Each jug requires three separate pressing stages before a bottom is welded on. Each jug is then hand abraded and sandblasted before it is anodised. The jugs are hand polished taking approximately two hours each through a series of three polishing processes. The F!NK beakers & tray complete the set.
The FINK! explosive vase originated from a trio of one-off vases Robert Foster created for a solo exhibition in 1996 and has evolved as a production piece through the exploration of a technique - explosive forming. This unique process allows the manufacture of organic types of forms, which is otherwise difficult to achieve using traditional industrial techniques. Such a process is complex, volatile and costly to set up which prevents the design from being copied. Research into the technique has spanned a six-year period.
Each "Explosive Vase" is unique in character since the process ensures that no two objects are ever identical. Any marks inside the Vase are a result of the detonation process and symbolise the force of its formation occurring at a rapid speed of 2-3 thousandth of a second.
The shape of the vase is formed in a specially built steel mould that is locked together with hydraulic rams. Once the initial form is created the Vase goes through a series of abrasive clean-up processes to create a smooth surface.
The Explosive Vase is featured in the International Design YearBook 2000. Other products include the F!NK tea strainer, citrus squeezer, storage pod, shot glasses and Blink Lamp.
F!NK is regularly commissioned by restaurants, corporate companies and design firms to produce both large and small runs of custom designed and manufactured objects. Commissions have involved a ranges of objects for Australia's' top restaurant and wineries such as: the Crown Casino, The Hyatt Hotels, The National Museum of Australia, The National Gallery of Australia, Belmondo, Rock Pool, Crown Casino, the three new restaurants in Grace Bros Department Sydney City Store, the Sydney Conference Centre, The Adelaide Hilton, the Australian International Hotel School and the Perth Sheraton.
The Museum of Modern Art in New York sells the Fink jug in their shop and are in the process of buying the Fink vase to add to their collection. |
Total Cost
Prices range from approx $77 for tea strainer to $425 for the trio of bowls.
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More Info
F!NK & Co.
PH: 02 6298 1884
fink@dynamite.com.au
www.finkdesign.com
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