HotelMotel X Artists
Mark Johnsen, Vancouver based artist, printing on leather
When we began Atelier HOTELMOTEL, we knew that we wanted to collaborate with artists to offer limited editions of sneakers and leather accessories. Making the products ourselves allows us to create small batches, unlike large companies which have huge minimum orders and work with manufactures abroad. We are fortunate to have direct contact with artists and can develop accessories together in our studio. We are inspired by the richness of these exchanges and where they can lead. We choose the materials together, our collaborators experiment with their respective creative approaches and technical skills. The end result is always a surprise. We offer the base, the sneaker as canvas, and our technical support concerning materiality and functionality of the products (if we make a pair of wearable sneakers, they have to be comfortable and durable).
The creation evolves in parallel, they test with their medium and we test how the material reacts when it’s going through the sewing machine or how it reacts to friction etc ... The technical challenge is as stimulating as the artistic approach.
“It was amazing to see how our works transformed when printed onto leather and to see them take a three dimensional shape. ”
This is an opportunity for us to break the monotony of repetitive production. Small batch manufacturing of leather sneakers, bags and wallets is tedious work. To be able to offer our products at a more affordable price than custom or bespoke, we have to several pairs or products at one time, which can become very repetitive. To avoid boredom, collaborations are an important element that keep us inspired and passionate about our craft.
Our ultimate dream? Create a collective exhibition of collaborative pieces. Seeing each finished project individually is great, but putting them all in perspective and bringing all of these talents together under one roof is exciting!
