Craftform

Origin: The London Craft Fair at Somerset house. With work by 300 of the worlds leading designer-makers, the show ran from 2nd until the 14th October. For two weeks, buyers and browsers were able to purchase work, meet gallery owners and see exciting new designs from some of the country’s top makers.

Originally marketed as the Chelsea crafts fair, and held annually at Chelsea town hall since 1980, last year saw the first ‘Origin’ event, at its new location in Somerset House on the banks of the Thames. The grand location, on the former site of the famous public record offices, captured the public’s imagination, and its centrality resulted in a greater foot fall, with visitor numbers swelling to a record 22,000. Some believe, though, that the move from exclusive Chelsea to a marquee in central London belies the event’s opulent cache.

This years Origin event featured an additional exhibition titled Craftspace. Craftspace is a community project offering the opportunity for various communities to work with professional craftspeople and practitioners in residency projects. The exhibition showcased some of the work produced by these projects and aimed to be an interesting and inspiring addition to the Origin experience.

The dates for Origin were as follows:

• Week One: Tuesday 2 – Sunday 7 October 2007
• Week Two: Tuesday 9 – Sunday 14 October 2007