MASTORIES06
Tell us a little bit about you and your passions in life.
I'm an Industrial Designer, and I run a lighting and furniture brand called B-TD. I'm a bit of a design tragic. I studied Industrial design over 20 years ago and I'm still passionate about it. I'm also interested in new technology, engineering, Art and anything in between. Plus eating interesting food!
Which is your favourite parfum from the Mihan Aromatics’ collection and why?
Munlark Ash is my fav. It's woody and sharp, and quite grown up.
Can you recall a specific scent memory that stands out to you?
I used to love the smell of Carmex lip balm when I was a kid. It's a bit strange, but it had such a distinct smell.
Jonathan you are one talented being hand crafting minimal and modern lighting, furniture & objects. What's your creative process like, from concept to finished piece?
I'm constantly trying to absorb things around me that are adjacent to design that may be a source of inspiration. Contemporary Art, Architecture, Cinema. I'm a big SciFi fan, and I often find inspiration from iconic SciFi films. Something might catch my eye as a source of inspiration and take me down a particular path for a new idea. Then it is usually a process of sketching, model making, prototyping and testing. Some designs might have more of a sculptural or experimental aspect to them, whereas other products require much more technical resolution. Once I've created a final prototype I'm happy with, there's usually more refining to do for production and creating all the content needed to bring a product to market, like photography and technical specs. It can be a long process, often taking 2-3 years from the first thought to the finished product, and many ideas fall along the wayside!
I get a sense that storytelling is important in your art work - for example The Crash series & An Ode to the Airbag. Can you share with us one of the back stories.
Ode to the Airbag was a piece I created for an exhibition at Sophie Gannon Gallery for the theme of 'Supply Chain'. My studio at the time was near an auto wreckers, which had piles of cars in various states of disrepair, often with deflated airbags strewn across the interior. It struck me that these were interesting objects, always hidden away but constantly in close proximity to all of us when we drive in cars. So I decided to use old airbags for a lighting sculpture that inflated and deflated in a slightly unnerving way using an air pump usually used to inflate rubber dinghies. Airbags are actually quite nice objects, often with intricate stitching details. I wanted to allow people to experience these objects in a different way, considering most people would only see them in possibly tragic circumstances.
Reflecting on your artistic career, has scent ever influenced or inspired a piece? If so can you recall what scent evoked this creation?
I can't think of scent ever being a source of inspiration, however, I'm constantly immersed in the scents of the workshop. Sometimes there might be utility in a scent, for example smelling if something is starting to burn, like metal or timber getting too hot. I have never designed something with scent in mind, but it could add an interesting dimension to a furniture or lighting piece.
When you are not in the studio/warehouse where do you like to hang?
My wife and I have a few family friendly restaurants that we love to take our daughter Yen Chi to. My Tho Vietnamese in Preston is a favourite. The staff has gotten to know us and always gives my daughter free prawn crackers, which is super cute. I also love to catch up with friends at one of the many iconic pubs around Fitzroy and Collingwood. We are spoiled for choice in Melbourne when it comes to good pubs.
What exciting projects, events, and life news do you have bubbling behind the scenes?
I have a few new lighting releases coming up later in the year which are mostly done. I'm pretty excited by how the prototypes have come up, so I can't wait to get them out there.
But the most exciting upcoming project is the birth of my second child which has probably happened by the time everyone reads this interview, which means I'm probably very tired right now!
Huge Congratulations to Jonathan and Kim on the birth of their little girl Bao Linh who was born on 16/8/24.
Check out Jonathan's work...
https://www.instagram.com/btd____/
https://jonathan-bentovim.com/
