SETTINGS & FINDINGS N.18 WITH HASAN KURD
by matt lambert
“Hand tools are paradoxical objects. They are collected, admired, displayed, bragged about, hoarded, treasured for their provenance, valued for their aesthetics, appreciated for their functionality, and more…But when we are using them, they disappear from our consciousness and become extensions of our hand which we manipulate as naturally as walking. They become embodied, an extension of our body, a seemingly natural part of us.” - Jeff Peachey, On Tool Embodiment, issue #15 Decorating Dissidence
"In their project “Extension of” Munich based Palestinian artist Hasan Kurd investigates the relationship we have as humans with tools. Questioning use, function and aesthetics Kurd produces forms that are somehow familiar yet foreign, creating a feeling of estrangement or a rumbling of ungraspable kinship. “Extension of” uses white carrara marble, a material with loaded historical references which only adds to the familiarity, precarity, the feeling of transformation and of a history and intention behind these objects. Kurd received the Preziosa International Award for which purpose is to present and reveal innovations in jewelry research, and to present the innovations of new jewelry designers for this project. Enjoy dear reader!"
ml
"Immersed in the realm of handicrafts and jewelry fabrication, my temporal commitment unfolds predominantly within the confines of a dedicated workshop, where protracted hours are spent in communion with an array of tools and equipment. Going beyond just practical use, a special connection forms between me as an artisan, and the tools, creating an emotional bond. This intimate association extends to the juncture wherein tools infiltrate my personal spaces, manifesting unexpectedly beneath furniture or ensconced within bags and apparel pockets.
In the "Extension of" project, I intricately explore the dynamic relationship between craftsmen and tools, shedding tools of formality and utility. This endeavor prompts a rigorous inquiry into their physical demarcations, bridging the realms of the corporeal and resultant jewelry. My comprehensive investigation into the expansive concept of tools gives rise to inquiries probing the interplay between humans and tools. These include questioning the boundaries, distinctive characteristics, and tangible definition of a tool, exploring whether its origin lies in corporeal interaction or is divorced from corporeal influence, exhibiting a delineated commencement and conclusion in form.
My finding: The resultant pieces serve as a testament to the expanded and extended nexus between the body, tools, and jewelry. The deliberate abstraction of formal and functional attributes imparts a novel character and context to these artifacts, transcending mere utilitarian objects and instead prompting inquiries into their inherent nature, utility, and the identity of the materials involved. This transformative approach underscores the project's capacity to reposition these creations, elevating them beyond mere fulfills of needs to catalysts for contemplation on the essence of their existence, and pose additional inquiries to prompt the recipient in answering the question: "Who am I?"
-Hasan Kurd
Instagram: @Hasan_al_kurd
E-mail: [email protected]
“Hand tools are paradoxical objects. They are collected, admired, displayed, bragged about, hoarded, treasured for their provenance, valued for their aesthetics, appreciated for their functionality, and more…But when we are using them, they disappear from our consciousness and become extensions of our hand which we manipulate as naturally as walking. They become embodied, an extension of our body, a seemingly natural part of us.” - Jeff Peachey, On Tool Embodiment, issue #15 Decorating Dissidence
"In their project “Extension of” Munich based Palestinian artist Hasan Kurd investigates the relationship we have as humans with tools. Questioning use, function and aesthetics Kurd produces forms that are somehow familiar yet foreign, creating a feeling of estrangement or a rumbling of ungraspable kinship. “Extension of” uses white carrara marble, a material with loaded historical references which only adds to the familiarity, precarity, the feeling of transformation and of a history and intention behind these objects. Kurd received the Preziosa International Award for which purpose is to present and reveal innovations in jewelry research, and to present the innovations of new jewelry designers for this project. Enjoy dear reader!"
ml
"Immersed in the realm of handicrafts and jewelry fabrication, my temporal commitment unfolds predominantly within the confines of a dedicated workshop, where protracted hours are spent in communion with an array of tools and equipment. Going beyond just practical use, a special connection forms between me as an artisan, and the tools, creating an emotional bond. This intimate association extends to the juncture wherein tools infiltrate my personal spaces, manifesting unexpectedly beneath furniture or ensconced within bags and apparel pockets.
In the "Extension of" project, I intricately explore the dynamic relationship between craftsmen and tools, shedding tools of formality and utility. This endeavor prompts a rigorous inquiry into their physical demarcations, bridging the realms of the corporeal and resultant jewelry. My comprehensive investigation into the expansive concept of tools gives rise to inquiries probing the interplay between humans and tools. These include questioning the boundaries, distinctive characteristics, and tangible definition of a tool, exploring whether its origin lies in corporeal interaction or is divorced from corporeal influence, exhibiting a delineated commencement and conclusion in form.
My finding: The resultant pieces serve as a testament to the expanded and extended nexus between the body, tools, and jewelry. The deliberate abstraction of formal and functional attributes imparts a novel character and context to these artifacts, transcending mere utilitarian objects and instead prompting inquiries into their inherent nature, utility, and the identity of the materials involved. This transformative approach underscores the project's capacity to reposition these creations, elevating them beyond mere fulfills of needs to catalysts for contemplation on the essence of their existence, and pose additional inquiries to prompt the recipient in answering the question: "Who am I?"
-Hasan Kurd
Instagram: @Hasan_al_kurd
E-mail: [email protected]
HASAN KURD
Pictures List & Credits
Captions
- Headshot image credit: Yousef Salhi
- 1 - the full collection, carrara marble, hand cutting and sculpting, Photo by Akram Dwaik.
- 2/11 - handpiece, carrara marble, 25*295*20 mm.
- 3/12 - handpiece, carrara marble, 25*295*20 mm.
- 4/10 - bracelet, carrara marble, 90*135*63 mm
- 5 - ring, carrara marble, 63*66*23 mm.
- 6 - handpiece, carrara marble, 56*65*23 mm.
- 7 - ring, carrara marble, 25*25*30 mm.
- 8/9 - chain, carrara marble, 370*260*15 mm.