Surface Tensions: Surface, Finish and the Meaning of Objects (Studies in Design and Material Culture) (PDF)

By: Glenn Adamson and Victoria Kelley

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Synopsis: Surfaces are often held to be of lesser consequence than ‘deeper’ or more ‘substantive’ aspects of artworks and objects. Yet it is also possible to conceive of the surface in more positive terms: as a site where complex forces meet. Surfaces can be theorized as membranes, protective shells, sensitive skins, even thicknesses in their own right. The surface is not so much a barrier to content as an opportunity for encounter: in new objects, the surface is the site of qualities of finish, texture, the site of tactile interaction, the last point of contact between object and maker, and the first point of contact between object and user. Surface tensions includes sixteen essays that explore this theoretically uncharted terrain. The subjects range widely: domestic maintenance; avant-garde fashion; the faking of antiques; postmodern architecture and design; contemporary film costume. Of particular emphasis within the volume are textiles, which are among the most complex and culturally rich materialisations of surface. As a whole, the book provides insights into the whole lifecycle of objects, not just their condition when new.

Book Quality:: Excellent
Book Size:: 232 Pages
ISBN-13:: 9780719087516
Publisher:: Manchester University Press
Date of Addition:: 03/22/21
Copyrighted By:: Manchester University Press
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: Nonfiction, Art and Architecture, Home and Garden, Mathematics and Statistics
Submitted By:: Jessica Foster
Proofread By:: Jessica Foster
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.