Object number
2014/8
Title
We hope you like this product,
Creator
Description
A folding basketwork piece made by Hilary Burns as part of the Radcliffe Trust-funded 'Stakeholders' basketry project, 2013-2014. It was inspired by the folding post office basket (MERL 70/196) in the collection. It consists of 7 full-sized and 3 half-sized woven panels which can be opened up flat, and can fold together to form a cuboid. The piece is made from a variety of materials, including willow, bamboo, oak and bramble, with a rattan frame and metal hinges recycled from an olive oil tin.
Physical description
1 folding basketwork panel: willow; rattan; bamboo; oak; bramble; metal
Label Text
'WE HOPE YOU LIKE THIS PRODUCT' BY HILARY BURNS // This piece consists of 10 woven panels which can be folded together or opened up flat. It was inspired by the ingenuity of a folding post office basket in The MERL’s collection. // Hilary was impressed by the problem-solving solutions the maker of the post office basket had come up with. She liked the idea of making something compact that would not take up a lot of empty space as baskets often do. This piece doesn’t make itself into anything useful, it is meant to be fun to play with and can be arranged in various ways for display: flat on a wall, or standing upright half-opened concertina style, or unfolded and made into a type of shelter. Re-folding it so that it stacks flat is the puzzle! Materials have come from a variety of sources: steam bent rattan imported from Indonesia, willow in natural bark colours grown locally, bamboo strips dyed in the indigo vats, boiled, split and shaved oak, and split and shaved bramble.
Archival history
Accompanying notes from Sue Kirk, July 2014 – 'We hope you like this product' by Hilary Burns (printed on the olive oil tin, recycled from the local Sainsbury's, our nearest shop!) // A folding piece inspired by the ingenuity of the post office sample basket in MERL's collection. // I was impressed by the problem-solving solutions the maker of the post office basket had come up with. I liked the idea of making something compact that would not take up a lot of empty space as baskets often do. // This piece doesn't make itself into anything useful, it is meant to be fun to play with and could be arranged in various ways for display; flat on a wall or standing upright half opened concertina style or unfolded and made into a type of shelter. Re-folding it so that it stacks flat is the puzzle. // Materials have come from a variety of sources that reflect my basketry interests and were already in my workshop. // Frame: steam bent rattan, imported from Indonesia (rattan features in many fishing baskets). // Willow in natural bark colours grown on my willow beds. // Bamboo strips - waste material from the Japanese makers who came to our Basketry and Beyond festival, dyed in the indigo vats at Beenleigh, S. Devon. // Boiled, split and shaved oak - from a swill basketmaking course with Owen Jones. // Split and shaved bramble, prepared for a course on a gypsy basket used in Cornwall, collected at Longmarsh in Totnes. // Sept 2014
Production place
Japan, Indonesia, Totnes, Paignton
Production date
2014 - 2014
Object name
Material
Technique
Dimensions
- Width 320 mm
- Length 370 mm
- Height 175 mm
Associated subject
