Hole & Corner # 10

Joining this issue for fascinating discussions on the subject of form and beauty are some of the leading figures in art, fashion and design. These include Adrian Joffe, President of Comme de Garçons, leatherware designer Bill Amberg and the legendary Sir Peter Blake, who was happy to put us straight on a few art movements, from Pop Art to Ruralism.

Meanwhile, we go back to the source in search of raw materials – from the stunning marble quarries of Carrara, photographed by Kate Jackling, to Retrouvius, the reclaim and design company who are the understated ‘International Rescue’ of interiors.

We spend a day with rush weaver Felicity Irons – who harvests her own crop from her punt on the river Ouse, keeping alive a craft that remains unchanged since Anglo Saxon times – while antiquities expert Peter Hone allows us to photograph his home shortly before his unparalleled collection is broken up to go up for auction at Christie’s.

In our exploration of form, we speak to mannequin makers Proportion London investigate the intriguing world of high-end automotive model makers CMA in New York. We rummage through the sheds and out buildings of sculptor Simon Gaiger in Wales and the renowned potter Richard Batterham in Dorset. Meanwhile, in Canada, we speak to Omer Arbel of the design firm Bocci, for whom process dictates both form and function.

And, while we were at it, we thought we may as well tackle the origins of art too – uncovering the story of possibly the earliest ever example of a sculpture found in Britain – from the man whose back field it originated from.

The Form Issue: it shapes up nicely…