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FAUCET FANTASY: GRAFF x STEPHEN BURKS
By GRAFF
GRAFF collaborates with Stephen Burks for an exclusive sculptural installation
GRAFF and renowned industrial designer Stephen Burks revealed Faucet Fantasy - an artistic installation and collaboration drawing attention to the importance of water conservation - at Chicago’s 7th annual River North Design District (RNDD) Gallery Walk.
“Inspired by the graphic flow of water, Faucet Fantasy showcases nine luxurious faucets in a colorful array of handcrafted finishes, textures, and materials,” Burks said. The eye-catching installation generated considerable buzz among the attendees at the unveiling event during the September 9th kick-off party for RNDD.
Founder and President of GRAFF, Mr. Ziggy Kulig, commented: "For GRAFF, quality, design and sustainability, go hand in hand. We look to align with creatives whose own work embodies this same philosophy. We are pleased to partner with Stephen Burks for creating an exclusive sculpture installation. We hope his creation will inspire viewers to do their part in supporting water conservation initiatives."
Burks’ installation also dovetails seamlessly with GRAFF’s rich heritage of artisanship and craftsmanship in production. “For Faucet Fantasy, we were looking at the idea of bringing the hand to industry and presenting a range of products that give the customer a sense of what’s possible,” said Burks. Together with his studio Stephen Burks Man Made, Burks has been commissioned by many of the world’s leading design-driven brands to develop collections that engage hand production as a strategy for innovation.
As a product development consultant, Burks has worked in close collaboration with artisans and craftspeople around the globe. His work has been exhibited internationally and he has been the recipient of several awards, including being the only African American to win the Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt National Design Award in Product Design. In 2019, he became the first Harvard Loeb Fellow in the discipline of product design and was recently an adjunct assistant professor of architecture at Columbia University’s GSAPP.
Following its unveiling at RNDD, the Faucet Fantasy installation will be on display at Chicago’s Studio 41 home design showroom from September 10th to September 30th and then at the GRAFF Design center at the Mart for Design Chicago.