Yesterday I went to New Designers 2012, which is the UK’s most important graduate design exhibition. Top of my list of stands to visit was the University of Brighton stand featuring the work of Hanna Mawbey.
Hanna has been involved with our “Designing for the Future” Competition since last year. Her work focusses on making medical equipment aesthetically pleasing and her medical jewellery, and, in particular her beautiful silver inhaler, has been much admired.
Star of this year’s show was a prosthetic leg Hanna made for an amputee who likes to dress in the vintage “chap” style, using traditional beech wood and leatherworking techniques learned through her work experience with Otto Bock (who have subsequently offered her a job).
Also thought provoking are the knitted crutches which, like Hanna’s other work, challenge how we perceive medical devices and bring traditional craft techniques to equipment which is often clinical, hard edged and mass produced.
For more details about Hanna Mawbey and her work, visit www.hannamawbey.com.