HEIRLOOMS OF THE FUTURE: MATTHEW RAW

Tiled-furniture maker Matthew Raw speaks to Dominique Corlett about surface decoration, connecting public and private spaces, and finding his medium

- Dominique Corlett

As an artist who works with ceramic tiles and has a deep interest in public spaces and the built environment, Matthew Raw's latest commission is right up his street. He is working with developers and architects in central Bristol to bring access and life back to a neglected stretch of canal behind the train station. The new path along the Feeder Canal is part of the redevelopment of a series of old factory buildings that will soon be turned into flats, and Matthew will be creating a 450-metre-long handrail for the walkway, as a piece of public art.

Train stations, factories, canals and the onward march of urban development are all subjects close to the heart of this artist, who is originally from Manchester but now based in Paris, while also maintaining close links with London. Matthew loves being involved in these public-facing projects, but moving as slowly as they tend to means he's also had time to explore other surfaces on which to adhere his tiles. Out of this has grown an exclusive furniture range for The New Craftmaker gallery in Pimlico, now in its fifth year, and more recently, other pieces that he sells directly.