Based in South Kensington, the studio creates intriguing art pieces that aestheticise their own utility and express their personalities by coming to life in use. Founded by designer & artist Jim Rokos in 2012, the practice is fascinated with glass, producing a range of vases, candleholders and decanters. They can mirror the behaviour of drinkers (13° 60° 104° decanter) or take on the behaviour of the contained item (Gauge flower vase) or give overstaying dinner guests a polite clue when it is time for them to go home (≲ 231 MIN candleholder).
Rokos (pronounced like rock, together with os, as in the the first syllable of ostrich) creates objects that sit in the intersection between industry and craft - each is made with the utmost care and are of exceptional quality, made without compromise at any stage of the process, from design to making.
Rokos won the Reddot Design award for the 13° 60° 104° decanter and the Gauge vase won the German Design Award 2017, for Excellent Product Design. The ≲ 231 MIN won a special mention in the German Design Awards. Works have been featured in the Times Luxx, the Financial Times How to Spend It, Wired, the Sunday Times Style, Monocle and Icon.
Originally Jim Rokos trained as a model-maker in the film and television industry (working on Muppet Treasure Island, Band of Brothers, Tomb Raider, Victoria & Albert) before completing a master's degree (2006) in Industrial Design at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design. The university holds several pieces of his work in the CSM Museum & Study Collection. You may discover more about Jim and his other work on his website jimrokos.com.
'One of the UK's leading designers.'
- Jaime Derringer founder of Design Milk
In 2016, Jim curated the exhibition Dyslexic Design. Working in collaboration with Ab Rogers, the show challenged perceptions of dyslexia by accentuating its positive effects and its close association with design. The exhibition is a Silver Winner in the London Design Awards. It was also nominated for the iF Social Impact Prize 2017 for Health & Demographic Change. Many consider Jim's work to be a symbol of the gifts that dyslexia can bring.
'"It is my belief that I am able to design the way I do because of my dyslexia and not despite it." said curator Jim Rokos.'
- Emma Tucker for Dezeen
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