Emmet Rock (25) from Ballylennon, St Johnston, and his friend Emma Brolly from Convoy pictured on the chair Emmet designed. The photo was taken by Declan Declan Devlin on location at Glenveagh Castle.
BY SEÁN P. FEENY
A CHAIR designed by a talented young Donegal man has this week been on exhibition as part of the City Of Culture celebrations in Derry. Experimental designer Emmet Rock (25) from Ballylennon, St Johnston was one of ten artists from the North West to participate in the Legenderry Chairs exhibition in the Craft Village, Derry.
An innovative collaboration between ten designer-makers in partnership with ten Derry businesses saw a distinctive set of one-off, bespoke furniture being created as a unique souvenir of the legendary year for the City of Culture.
Emmet and the other artists re-created or re-imagined reclaimed furniture with inspiration from their partner organisation to produce a legendary themed ‘work-of-furniture’.
The project was aimed at connecting local applied artists with local business in Derry during this eventful year and to continue the legacy beyond 2013.
Emmet collaborated with professional manufacturer Allpipe Engineering. Titled, ‘Irsirra’ the cross platform chaise lounge was designed Emmet and helped realised by Allpipe using their engineering technologies.
Simple lines of tubular stainless steel created by Allpipe have produced this elegant conversational piece that will be permanently housed in the organisations new showcase presentation based at their premises in Maydown.
Emmet said: “The inspiration behind the chair are the hills of Donegal; although the project was based in Derry I wanted the chair to reflect the beautiful countryside of my native county and the workers at Allpipe did an incredible job putting in 200 hours into the chair.
“To get such belief in your design, as well as investment, is incredible and I couldn’t be more grateful to the staff at Allpipe who put in a 100 per cent.”
Liam Gallagher, MD of Allpipe said: ”Our engagement with Emmet Rock on this project was a fantastic match. Both his vision of what was possible and what he wanted to represent in the design of the chair, was matched by our Stainless Steel piping fabrication facility and our Engineering Cleanroom fabrication capabilities.”
The exhibition, initiated and driven by furniture upstylers, ReFound and interdisciplinary arts projects, The CAAKE Project, comes to a close tomorrow (Saturday), November 2.