Colouring craft
Réunion Island captivates with its vibrant energy from the moment one arrives. The local craftsmen embody a similar spirit, yet this essence is often not reflected in how their products are presented. I recognised the importance of highlighting these artisans, thereby adding value and fostering appreciation, as the dedication and labour invested in each piece often remain invisible to buyers. This project is designed to showcase the island's inherent richness, shine a spotlight on its talented craftsmen, and infuse their craftsmanship with a new vibrancy.
A key goal was to develop simple, effective tools that the craftsmen could easily produce themselves. These included elements such as descriptive price tags detailing the hours spent on each item, featuring a photograph of the artisan, and sharing their connection to their craft. Complementing this, I created a unique 'colour dictionary' derived from snapshots of everyday life on Réunion, aiming to visually anchor the crafts to the island's distinctive palette and rhythm.
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Design Academy Eindhoven, 3rd year studio, 2018
Stilllife photography was the main inspiration. I spent 10
days on the island taking images of everyday life, details of architecture, nature, food and a lot of other things. I found
it important to show the diversity of colour and how things around the island influence each other aesthetically.
When it comes to books, I am invested in all the process, bookbinding for me is very therapeutic.
I like to work manually when it comes to colour research. Every project starts like this, with colour painted swatches and a layout wall to see the overview. After this phase, I turn to digital colour, but mixing the colours before really helps to dive into the project.
