Matan Fadida | Journal

03/07/2022

On May 11th I moved from New Zealand to London. Currently on a two year youth mobility visa. What prompted the move? I think it was curiosity.

After finishing university I always said I would move overseas, but then the pandemic happened. So I did my own thing and grinded it out in my garage. Exploring ideas and building myself a name in NZ. In many ways it was the right thing to do. It better prepared me for this move.

I had a few years to work on myself as a creative and build somewhat of a foundation. But I always had an itch to move, to at least see what it would be like somewhere else. To open my eyes.

I'm extremely fortunate to have a part time job here in London with Martino Gamper and also a residency at HQI to continue to develop my work. But I do miss home. I've been here for two months and have a renewed appreciation for the love and freedom I had in NZ. How lucky I was to even have my garage to do my work.

A part of me feels like I didn't make the right choice.

Could I have used the money for this move to instead build a studio back home? What am I truly gaining from being here?

These are questions I've been asking myself. But then I have to remind myself it's literally only been two months. And in those two months I've already learnt a lot at Martino's studio, set up a work space, went to Italy and have new ideas to explore. I'm just feeling a bit homesick and lonely right now.

But it is going to be challenging and thats why it's worthwhile.

At the start of the year it was always the dilemma of should I stay or should I go, but I told myself whatever decision I decide it's on me to make that decision the right one. So I'm going to do that. Two years isn't long and I have to make the most out of it. I'm going to learn and soak in as much as I can and establish myself here. Home will always be there. I'm still just 25. This is the time to take a risk.

19/03/2022

Starting at the garage, never meant staying there. It was just to show what was possible.

20/12/2021

A photo my sister took. Feel like I'll look back on this pic in 40 years and be like This is where it all started :')

27/11/2021

After finishing university in 2017, I found myself lost again. Like many others, the removal of the safety net that university provides was daunting. I felt unsure about what my next step should be. I was passionate about design and wanted to go further, to see how much more I could learn.

Being in New Zealand, there were only two studios I applied to. I was rejected by both — to be fair, they weren’t hiring at the time. So I made the decision to work independently. I felt like I had only just started to scratch the surface of the kind of design I was interested in, and I wanted to explore it more deeply. Too stubborn to take on a conventional job, my mum supported me in following this passion. She even gave me the garage to use as a workspace.

To support myself, I picked up odd jobs — building swimming pools, working at an art store, and doing bits at signage studios. But most of my energy went into my craft. I had a vision of building all the furniture in my room, and piece by piece, I made that happen. As I shared my process on Instagram, I started gaining a bit of traction. Eventually, people began asking me to make pieces for them.

I am still mostly struggling, and I do get envious of friends who have more financial freedom. But I feel like I am starting to build something here, and I am genuinely excited to see where it takes me.

08/09/2021

My mum with my first publication - ISLAND Magazine (NZ)

05/09/2021

From my world to yours.

27/01/2021

First big commission for a store - Modular Display Tables for KAUKAU (Wellington, NZ)

16/04/2021

In 2018 I said making for the sake of making. But now my making is more purposeful and deliberate. There's more reasoning behind what I'm putting out. I'm not making for the sake of making. I'm making to fulfil a vision.

10/02/2021

Don't get too high or too low. Just do the work in front of you.

07/10/2020

First commission - Display table for Dangerous Goods Studio (Auckland, NZ)

27/07/2020

World building.

24/05/2020

You'll only go as far as your community takes you.

14/04/2020

Done is better than perfect.

06/04/2020

D.I.Y is the new luxury. Knowing what you want and having the knowledge and ability to make it, that's the highest form of luxury.

28/11/2019

For the last two years I've been going to this adult night school for welding. It's the most cost effective way for me to continue doing metal work and explore my ideas. It's so annoying though...loading and unloading my car with metal, just for an hour and a half of work. But it's what needs to be done.

24/01/2019

Making for the sake of making.

03/02/2019

A piece I created in my final year at university. Looking back, I see uni as an introduction to design. There’s still so much to learn, but I’ve come a long way since I first started.

When I finished high school, I was completely lost. I was a moody 18 year old who didn’t think anything really mattered. Barely scraping by with my grades, I applied for just one degree, industrial design at AUT.

Even after starting, not much had changed. I was still getting C grades and just getting by. I genuinely thought about dropping out after the first month. But I talked myself out of it and made a decision: to actually apply myself and care about the work I was doing. The very next project, I got an A-.

I still remember that feeling. The sense of gratification. From there, it snowballed. My self-confidence grew as I continued to commit and take my education seriously. Looking back, there are plenty of things I’d do differently during my time at uni, but I'm so glad I didn't drop out.

21/03/2018

Discursive design.

14/03/2018

The objects we possess are a representation of who we are. It is often exploration of self through products and goods become an expression of our values. Without realisation, we may look past the intangible qualities of products, overlooking its reflection of ourselves.

It's important we understand the relationship between ourselves and our products.

Products are used to create our identities. We express ourselves through product. Whether that be personal, social, financial or spiritual. These are intangible qualities that products provide and usually on a hedonistic level. Thus, we must be aware of how products are expressing ourselves and if it's reinforcing core values that are truly genuine to us.

18/09/2017

My first furniture prototype.