Art Unbound

“There are moments in life that go beyond the ordinary, that add depth and dimension to our existence. Whether it’s art, music or another form of expression, each moment is like a gift. From creative people who are devoted to their craft and to making life more exceptional. The same is true with design. While functional design makes everyday life easier, beautiful design makes your heart beat faster.” – 3daysofdesign

At LyZadie Design studio we have long been enamoured with the broader art world. As well as our love of nature, art in its many forms provides inspiration for the collections we launch. We consider all of our makers artists, as the level of care, love and craftsmanship they bring to each piece they work on is at a level that must surely be recognised as art.

With our first solo art exhibition: A Path Through A Land Swathed In White, we wanted to pay homage to the thrill and creative spark of the art world. We wanted to see how far we could blur the lines between literature, art and object and watch what might unfold as a result. In short, we wanted to make art and design work hand in hand and see what beauty might be brought forth.

Our ReLEATHERED Collection is a manifestation of storytelling brought to life and was the starting place for this new, genre breaking collaboration. In our furniture pieces, the team weave the previous lives of old leather belts into new objects. In sideboards, armoires, benches and more, the journeys these belts once took are on display, rich in texture, deep in history.

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”– Edgar Degas.

This was the starting point for the collaboration. Lyzadie was intrigued by the stories of where the former owners of these belts came from, how they travelled and where they were heading. Lyzadie spoke with collaborator, writer Michele Powles, about her concept for the collection, and they both grew excited, imagining the lives the previous owners of the belts had lived.

Then, Michele went to work and created Unbound: Short stories and Poems of New Zealand. Michele created the journeys of those men and women who lived and worked and travelled and loved. In earthquake-shaken towns, in glacial enclaves or, just as likely, in verdant farmland, she has given us glimpses of their possible lives. It is therefore, a work of fiction, although many of the dates and locations correspond to true events. It is an imagining of times and places, of people and events that form part of the foundation of New Zealand. Stories, moments, poems. They are small fragments of what might have been, based on what is left behind.

The process of having a book come to life, sparked by a piece of furniture has been incredibly rewarding for the studio. Literature and design, side by side, speaking to each other and to those who both touch the work of the ReLEATHERED Collection and turn the pages of this incredible book. It is a process that has brought new ideas of collaborations, new possibilities for cross genre works and new conversations into what constitutes design.

But anyone who has turned the pages of Unbound has already agreed, it has brought even more life to this work. At LyZadie Design Studio we pride ourselves on creating unique, timeless objects that add value to our lives. Now, more than ever, we are reminded of the importance of these works on our bodies, on our minds and on our souls.

“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.”– Pablo Picasso