“Erasing is definitely just as important as making a mark, it is leaving a mark. That act of removal is utterly active. It is not a backwards step, but rather a change. To distinguish between creating and erasing in a hierarchical way curtails the possibilities for invention and discovery.”
- Charlotte Mann, British artist
The way Mann described her work on Wolf-Gordon’s Wink paintable surface really put things into perspective. A misstep or mistake should be valued for its input and influence on the finished product. It’s all part of the journey.
Design, and any kind of creative or artistic process, is organic and ever-evolving. The beauty of a product like Wink is that it allows you to throw things against the wall and see what sticks, in a very literal and hands-on way.
I wish my walls were covered in a surface like this, because then I could do away with mood boards and rousing Instagram posts and just have a mood wall. I think designers will find similar value and inspiration in a product like this, whether utilizing it on a project or in their own studios.
Read more in the official press release:
Wolf-Gordon commissioned British artist Charlotte Mann to create a site-specific, large-scale drawing on its Wink clear dry-erase coating. Mann’s finished artwork, Erasing is Leaving a Mark, is on view from March 2-13 at the Gowanus Souvenir Shop at 543 Union Street in Brooklyn. The work was unveiled at an opening event on March 1..
Charlotte Mann is known for her site-specific and densely detailed 1:1 scale wall drawings that have the uncanny ability to completely transform a space. While her exhibitions are typically executed on a non-erasable surface, Wink allows Mann’s blank wall surface to be transformed into an erasable canvas. The key characteristic of Wink makes it the perfect medium to challenge the artistic approach—changing the drawing by not only adding, but also removing.
As Wolf-Gordon approaches its 50th Anniversary, the company celebrates art and design product collaborations with fine artists such as Christine Tarkowski (2003), Hector Guimard for MoMA (1999), and Michael Graves (2013). The use of Wink as the foundation for Mann’s artwork reflects a commitment to maintain this tradition, while commenting on the playful characteristics and the limitless opportunities that the product provides its users.
A segment of the finished installation of Erasing is Leaving a Mark will be photographed and reproduced to create a limited-edition digital wallcovering that will be offered for sale at the Gowanus Souvenir Shop.
