Discarded glass, Discarded copper

Powerful Ordinary Bonds

The use of these seemingly arbitrary materials was a reaction to the designer’s experiences during the 2020 lockdown and the realisation of the importance of the support systems around her, of which these materials are a symbol. By presenting them in this way, she imbues them with new significance and status.

The disparate objects in the Powerful Ordinary Bonds series are, quite literally, connected; thrashed together using rubber bands and copper wire in a making process that is intuitive and impulsive and joyful. The connections represent a visceral bond between the maker, material and locality.

These pieces represent the support systems around each of us, upon which we rely to feel rooted and inspired in daily life.

Making process

“Through my work, I invite the audience to delve into a magical world of second chances, where waste material is the starting point and curiosity is the guide.”
⠀
These object compositions are put together intuitively by Costa Rican designer Juli Bolaños-Durman. They consist of every day found objects; discarded materials and containers that represent the designers’ immediate surroundings, and precious keepsakes, namely pieces of hand-cut glass. Glass is of special significance to Juli as she studied and works with glass and has a habit of collecting discarded glass which she ‘elevates’ through the use of heritage glass cutting techniques.
⠀
These material compositions bring together found objects from the here and now of the designer’s everyday life, with treasured keepsakes and mementos that represent cherished memories. Together, these become souvenirs of a lived experience, eccentric archaeological finds that reflect our current times, and symbols of hope.

Text submitted by the maker and edited by the Future Materials Bank. For information about reproducing (a part of) this text, please contact the maker.