Way is a platform that looks at the importance of traditional hand-making techniques. It aims to showcase local makers, focusing on the processes and materials related to their craft. 

My research journey began by looking at eco packaging and sustainable materials, only I found myself wanting to delve further into these issues to explore the root of the problem: mass production and consumer culture. These issues stem from the widespread need to constantly update our belongings and possess more. These belongings typically have a limited lifespan and when they have fulfilled their initial purpose, become junk. Something that really interested me in this topic was our attachment to material things, or lack of. What is it that makes us really care about something we have purchased?

During my research, something that interested me was the process and value ascribed to craftsmanship; something of which there are many ways to look at. Some people view it as any creative extension of the mind, but for this project I am viewing it as tangible output through traditional hand-making methods. The phrase hand-crafted is a buzzword these days, used primarily to sell products and raise their perceived value through a sense of artisanship or specialty. I found myself asking, why is it that hand made good have the appearance of quality? A machine could probably make a similar product with less mistakes than a craftsman could by hand. For me, it is the value of time, and the fact each item is one-of-a-kind. The processes involved in crafting something by hand mean that the craftsman has put his time into sourcing the materials, been conscious of waste, machine usage, along with each imperfection or subtle difference that adds a uniqueness to each individual product. These nuances reflect the personality of the craftmaker and are forever etched into the finished product. Way aims to explore these themes of handcraft, while acting as a platform to showcase and give exposure to local NZ craftsmen who work by hand, emphasising the value this form of work holds. It focuses on the tangible processes associated with hand making and how the associated attitudes both challenge and answer issues of consumerism. 

I explored my own processes throughout the project, experimenting with HI8 tape recording and film photography. This influenced the aesthetic of the project reflecting the flaws that come with thesse analog methods of documentation. The video series aims to be digested alongside the print component, which I wanted to include to provide something tangible and with tactile value to underpin the idea of physical possession and the value of tangible products. I hope to encourage viewers to get a true feel for the way these people work.  I invite the viewer to feel what the makers are feeling and aim to understand what makes handcraft so valuable in our digitally and physically saturated world.

I have used found and upcycled materials where possible, presenting my finished project on a desk I found discarded on the roadside. In doing so I hope to further highlight the fact that goods with the ability to still fulfil their original functions and provide a benefit are too often deemed useless due to a perceived reduction in their aesthetic quality or in their previous owners ongoing pursuit of novelty for material satisfaction.