About
Phil is a designer and maker fascinated by relief surfaces and the interplay between craft and industrial making processes. For the last 25 years his work has ranged from objects to furniture and sculpture. He has eight years’ experience as a facilitator of design-focused workshops.
Phil established his UK-based studio in 2009 and now works between London and New Zealand making sculptural and functional works. He has produced performance-based making demonstrations at Milan Furniture Fair, Art Basel Miami and Cheongju Craft Biennale. His material research projects have been recognised internationally, with highlights including nomination for Design Museum London’s Designs of the Year, a residency at the Barbican, London and a commission as part of Bloomberg’s Waste Not Want It programme.
Contact
philcuttance.com / philcuttance@gmail.com / instagram.com/philcuttance
Selected Projects
Commission: Celestine Sculptural furniture
South Gloucestershire Council, UK, due for installation October 2024
A collection of sculptural seating pieces for permanent outdoor installation commemorating southwest England’s celestine mining heritage. My role includes leading on the concept and design, supporting planning applications, managing fabrication, overseeing installation and delivering a series of workshops with the local community.
Workshops: Geometric handmade moulds, Decorative object design with eco-resins Domestika, 2021 and 2022
Two online 14-session courses exploring creative mould-making and casting techniques accessed by more than 14,000 students.
Research project: A vase a day
Supported by Creative New Zealand, 2020
A making project in which he designed and made 40 unique vases over a 40-day period using household materials, documenting and sharing the process digitally.
Residency: Pleat
Barbican, London, UK, May 2018 to August 2019
A series of three large-scale sculptural works in water-based resin and stone, cast from moulds made from hand-scored sheets of polypropylene. These works were displayed with their moulds and inspired a series of casting workshops as part of the Barbican’s Make!, a season of contemporary craft.
Commission: Herringbone
UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2017 and 2019
A 2.5m long bespoke cabinet for the British Embassy in Seoul, Korea, and a series of bowl-like forms for the British High Commission in Wellington, New Zealand.
Research project: Faceture
Supported by Creative New Zealand, 2012 to 2015
A performance-based craft making project using a bespoke rotation casting ‘machine’ and handmade moulds to create faceted vessels. He demonstrated the process at Cheongju Craft Biennale, London Design Festival and Design Miami. The project was nominated for Design Museum London’s Designs of the Year, and exhibited at the Design Museum and Milan Furniture Fair. The project won HOME NZ magazine’s annual design award.
Commission: Keyboard Towers
Bloomberg London, 2012
A sculptural installation commissioned as part of Bloomberg’s Waste Not Want It programme inviting designers to create new works from the company’s office waste.
Commission: ICON Awards
ICON magazine, UK, 2012
Twelve handmade objects used as trophies for ICON magazine’s inaugural awards.
Selected Displays and Exhibitions
Make!, Barbican, London, UK, 2019
Future Heritage, Decorex, London, UK, 2016
Makers n’ Bakers, Milan Furniture Fair, Milan, Italy 2016
Cheongju Craft Biennale, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 2015
Designs of the Year, Design Museum, London, UK, 2013
Waste Not Want It, Bloomberg, London, UK 2012
Faceture, Design Miami, Miami, USA, 2012
The Front Room, Milan Furniture Fair, Milan, Italy, 2012
Salone Satellite, Milan Furniture Fair, Milan, Italy, 2006, 2007, 2009