In Conversation with Stuart Haygarth

SH: I make my choices based predominantly on aesthetics - each piece varies in material, shape, and form. Aside from aesthetics, quality and provenance are also important considerations. My aim is to give an everyday object a new meaning. I like giving a new life to overlooked items that have been made redundant. During the past year, I have collected miscellaneous items, such as carriage clocks and hand mirrors. Throughout the past 5 years, I have also found balls that have been thrown out of reach, which I have rescued from inaccessible places like rooftops, canals, and fences.

SH: Objects that are created by society have idiosyncrasies and patterns of behavior that emerge when they are viewed in large quantities. Their message is amplified. Archives are fascinating containers of human endeavors; the way we define the history of an object's design and how it defines us fascinates me. Through creating different archives and adding to them continually over time, I consider the relationship between the physical world and society, a way to process material. 'Tide' (2004), for example, is an archive of clear and translucent objects found on UK beaches.

SH: Since my work is largely functional, it is important to fulfill this aspect. However, an industrial designer applies a different approach to their work, and prioritizes functionality to the extreme. My work has to be visually appealing to the viewer as well, but the concept is just as important; there has to be an explanation for repurposing the objects and displaying them in a fresh way. Through my work, I hope to demonstrate that there are many ways of seeing the world around us.

SH: The original 'Flame' chandelier was commissioned by a client in Cadaques, Spain, where artist Salvador Dali spent a lot of time. The client's house was themed after Morocco and Moorish culture. Warm firelight and lanterns were the starting points, and the chandelier was to run along a 4m long dining table crafted from a North African tree trunk. It was important to use items with culinary associations that would give off a warm light reminiscent of fire.

SH: This is an interesting point regarding amber glass used in medical fields to prevent UV light from damaging the contents. However, the amber glass used in the laboratories is much denser than the amber glass used to make decorative amber glassware. In 'Flame', the glassware is inverted in order to create a dynamic, upward movement that prevents dust and insects from collecting within the vessels.

SH: Fireplaces have been places of warmth and comfort where people have congregated and socialized for centuries. In my light installation, I wanted to mimic that atmosphere and replicate the feeling of warm light entering a room in the late summer afternoon.