Slow → articles in Creative Culture

Nik Christensen

On the 8th of March Galerie Gabriel Rolt opened a new exhibition named 'Don't Sleep On Your Moon'. The exhibition is the fourth solo exhibition of Amsterdam-based artist Nik Christensen, who creates sumi ink works on paper. These rambling, often larger-than-life pieces contain haunting imagery that straddles the line between the natural and the artificial, the organic and the mechanized, by interspersing intuitive strokes with pixel-like building blocks. It’s a tightrope-balancing act, which Christensen has made even more explicit for the forthcoming exhibition, juxtaposing man and nature, society and isolation both in his methods and in his imagery. Frantic, kaleidoscopic, enigmatic, disruptive Christensen works leave the viewer dazzled and dazed, yet at pains to pinpoint what exactly makes these works so eerily unsettling. [ Continue reading ]

Last Season

The Dutch artists Lernert & Sander continue their string of fascinatingly beautiful projects with their concept named 'Last Season'. Amsterdam-based Lernert Engelberts and Sander Plug created a concept in honor of the arrival of the new seasonal collections at high-end Maastricht-based boutique Kiki Niesten, which yearly creates a concept in honor of the TEFAF Maastricht art fair. 'Last Season' revolves around the reduction of last season's knitted garments by Céline, Chloé, Jil sander and Prada to balls of yarn: "symbols of hope and aspiration." From the 14th until the 23th of March of this year, the results of the proces will be showcased in the window display of Kiki Niesten. Every year during the renowned art fair TEFAF, the prestigious boutique in the heart of Maastricht takes pride in participating artistically to the TEFAF experience, with this year resulting in the great collaboration with Lernert & Sander. [ Continue reading ]

Keepsakes

Cologne-based agency Bel Epok has again joined forces with LITOLFF, taking on full design, development and realization responsibilities for a new beautiful homewares line. The collaborative effort was released to the public at 2014 MAISON &OBJETS, where the range of products named Keepsakes was received very positively. Keepsakes is a line of products that was designed for: "the safekeeping of life’s precious objects." The Cabinet of Wonders, a flexible, functional furniture accessory to suit individual needs is the key piece in the collection. The Cabinet is a elegant wooden box in the style of simple jewel caskets of various sizes can be arranged and decorated as desired to form a personalized sculptural storage unit. Some of the boxes are partially covered with a fine paper, a touch which underscores the use of unorthodox materials and  craftsmanship. Details which are a key in the holistic design and branding approach of Bel Epok. The collection also features extraordinary bowls made of a striking pairing of bisque porcelain and handwoven wicker. [ Continue reading ]

The Lotus Dome by Daan Roosegaarde

The Lotus Dome by Daan Roosegaarde is a living Dome consisting of hundreds of ultralight aluminium foils that unfold in response to human behaviour. The high-tech work of art has been travelling the world since it was created in 2012. Having been on display at a number of historical locations abroad, the Lotus Dome is now facing a contemporary juxtaposition with the Rijksmuseum’s 18th-century period room. The Lotus Dome comes to life in response to a visitor’s body heat. Hundreds of aluminium flowers unfold, a deep bass sound fills the space and light projects the lotus flowers onto the walls. Roosegaarde calls it Techno-poetry. The smart Lotus foil was designed by Studio Roosegaarde and its designers. The foil is made up of different layers of Mylar, a type of polyester, which makes the leaves fold and unfold in response to light and heat. [ Continue reading ]

Freunde von Freunden Apartment

Today, Vitra and our favorite online interview magazine Freunde von Freunden have started a fascinating new collaboration, in the form of an apartment in the centre of Berlin. The 'FvF Apartment by Vitra' on the Mulackstrasse 26 offers a glimpse into the world of the Vitra living collage and visualizes Freunde von Freunden’s conceptualization of urban living. The house is fully designed for the digitally oriented generation, for whom creativity, sustainability, and mobility are more important than status. Based on the common styles and experiences of Vitra and Freunde von Freunden, the FvF Apartment offers the necessary space to examine what this group of people is looking for in their home. At the same time offers the Apartment a platform for innovative products from friends and fellow partners (including New Tendency, Aesop and Paper & Tea) and will be available as an apartment, for events and for presentations. [ Continue reading ]

Marc Giai-Miniet

Marc Giai-Miniet is a French artist who makes highly fascinating dioramas that tend to feature reproductions of human organs, crime scenes, submarines in basements, and our favorite: libraries. The libraries by Giai-Miniet are detailed and striking, replete with book cover art, author names, and identifiable typography. Occasionally a diorama’s title will conjure a loose narrative, an obscure starting point from which the viewer might further consider the art. Giai-Miniet balances the handcraft of tiny diorama with poignant explorations through memory, association, and dreamscape. His tiny homes, though dealing with images of mundane possessions, industrial equipment, and furniture, evoke a feeling that's very surreal and a little sinister. [ Continue reading ]

Infinity Bamboo Forest

This beautiful passage in a public annex building in Wuxi, China, was designed by Prism Design and has been recently opened to the public. As the main building, where the passage leads to, has a concept based on Japanese culture, Prism wanted to use the image of a full-grown bamboo forrest prominently in the space, continuing the reference to traditional Japanese design and culture. The project had limited budget, time, and space within the annex building, causing Prism to take on a minimal approach in its design. Inspired by the concept of visual infinity they decided to create the illuminated passage of twenty meters, using only a limited amount of the total space and creating a clear focus on their enhancement to the space. As the rest of the room is dimly lit the beautiful passage "seeks to extent to infinity in a finite world." [ Continue reading ]

Stratifications

Stratifications is a beautiful collection of five objects by Paris-based designer Krzysztof J. Lukasik, based on the complementarity between the simplicity of the designed forms and sophistication of the texture of the laminated marble. One of the goals of Lukasik was to rid marble of the heaviness it is often associated with in funeral monuments, making it more suitable for the modern interiors. The technique of laminated marble used by the designer is a way to break the massive aspect of marble by slicing it and also to use otherwise unused scraps, just like with glued laminated wood. Lukasik found this approach to the natural stone collaborating with an experienced stone mason. The outcome of the laminating of the marble allows to bring forth the graphic aspect of marble by breaking the linear pattern of the natural veining. The series of objects is somewhat an echo of the natural stratified appearance of marble as found in quarries, before being transformed. [ Continue reading ]

Palladium

Recently we stumbled upon this amazing collection of invitations, programs, flyers, posters, and broadsides from the period 1985 to 1987 of the legendary New York-based Palladium nightclub via recto|verso. The level of creativity and diversity is truly astonishing. The Palladium was a cinema, concert hall and later a nightclub. Designed by Thomas W. Lamb and originally called the Academy of Music, it was built in 1927 across the street from the site of an earlier venue of the same name. Opened as a deluxe movie palace by movie mogul William Fox, the Academy operated as a movie theater and concert hall through the early 1970s. In 1985, the Palladium was converted into a nightclub by Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager. Japanese architect Arata Isozaki redesigned the building's interior for the club. When Rubell and Schrager took over a new important chapter started for the Palladium as the heart of the New York art and music scene, exemplified by this wonderful collection. [ Continue reading ]

8 artistes & la terre

Last week the fascinating exhibition called ‘8 artistes & la terre’ has ended at the London-based gallery Erskine, Hall and Coe. The exhibition has been one of the most popular exhibitions to date at the gallery, and was based on the namesake book, which was published by Argile Editions in 2009. All of the eight artists knew each other before they created their work, with Jacqueline Lerat functioning as the lead artist, which resonated in a direct influence in the creation of their individual pieces. Some of the pieces really stood out in our eyes. We love the beautiful and raw sculptures by Claude Champy and Daniel Pontoreau and particularly the dolmen-like work of Bernard Dejonghe. At the same time we are also highly attracted to the the beautiful shape created by Setsuka Nagasawa. [ Continue reading ]

Nothing

From the idea that some of us have everything, Pim de Graaff, an Amsterdam-based freelance copywriter created Nothing. His Nothing is a piece of wood with a matte black finish that intends to remind people to enjoy everything they already have, which from quite some perspectives can be seen as everything. The idea of Nothing emerged from Pim’s observation of people around him that have everything they need, including himself. Pim: “Year after year we don't know what to ask for a birthday gift and many of us are searching for the thrill of tomorrow or the meaning of life.“ [ Continue reading ]

NEW TENDENCY

NEW TENDENCY is an interdisciplinary design company based in Berlin. Its portfolio consists of original products and collaborations with selected designers, always following an holistic approach: Products by the design company are characterized by conceptual design, clear aesthetics and functional form, as well as handcrafted regionally. Ranging from furniture to accessories this creative and technical consistency has been awarded with the German Design Nominee 2013 and Interior Innovation Award 2014 (Shift Shelf) and featured within numerous internationally recognized publications and specialist magazines. [ Continue reading ]

Studio Toogood for Hermès petit h

We are still amazed by the work of Studio Toogood, when they collaborated with Hermès for their petit h collection, at the end of last year. Hermès petit h was established in 2010 as a series of products using the brand's offcuts and rejected stock, which proved to be a highly inspiring concept for designer Faye Toogood. The entire ground floor of the flagship Bond Street store was dedicated to a custom-designed interior that acted as an antidote to London West End slickness. The created aesthetic for the store reminds us highly of the work of Anish Kapoor and is one of the more daring designs we witnessed within the field of (luxury) retail spaces. [ Continue reading ]

Lapka Breath Alcohol Monitor

Our favorite Lapka has succeeded again, next to their first endeavor, in introducing yet another lovely hybrid of aesthetics and technology: the Breath Alcohol Monitor. The Lapka BAM is an accessory for your phone that allows you to track alcohol metabolism over time, compare your measurements with friends and share them with the world. The device fits in your palm and when you hold it in a fist and the edge of your hand becomes the mouthpiece. Just one blow connects the device to your phone and starts the measurement process. The overall appearance of the app reflects your reading. It adapts to your night, meaning if you take it a little too far, it will even check in on you the next morning. [ Continue reading ]

Metamorfica by Studio Flud

Studio Fludd, a multidisciplinary creative collective based in Venice, Italy, recently released an aesthetic handmade collection called Metamorfica - Change and Persistence. The collection of necklaces was inspired by a Geology essay from the year 1830: "An attempt to explain the former changes of the earth's surface, by reference to causes now in operation." by Charles Lyell on the Principles of Geology. Studio Flud believes in high quality materials, artisanal manufacturing and extensive visual research, which are the principles from which they also created this fascinating collection. [ Continue reading ]

Orchis

Kristin Victoria Barron, a interior designer who founded the company KRIEST in 2005, recently launched a fascinating collection of classical, material-driven small scale sculptures and lighting inspired by the ‘aether element’, or dream world. Barron was influenced by both mythical archetypes and her own dreams to create the interesting collection. By honing her sculptural craft through mentor Vladimir Rodin, celebrated jeweler and painter whose work for Kieselstein-Cord is in the permanent collections of the Louvre and Metropolitan Museum of Art, Barron was able to create a unique collection of objects that act both functional and is aesthetically appealing. Barron crafted her debut collection in three categories: vessels, objects and lighting. [ Continue reading ]

Superfront

Superfront is a new swedish furniture company that designs fronts, side panels, tops, legs and handles for IKEA cabinets; the Bestå sideboards and cupboards, Faktum and Metod kitchen cabinets and Pax wardrobes. The company started online and as a pop-up-store in Stockholm Mood Gallery and has moved to a permanent showroom in central Stockholm on the 5th of October. For a fraction of the prices found on the High Street, Superfront offers customers  to combine quality furniture with etched patterns and details in robust classic materials such as brass, copper, marble, birch wood and leather. [ Continue reading ]

Land Rover Defender by Studio Job

To celebrate the fact that the first Land Rover Defender was produced 65 years ago, Studio Job was asked to take this 4x4 in hand. In their own way, they have created an ode to the vehicle that makes many of us dream of adventures. Eventually, it has turned out to be more than simply a revised or upgraded vehicle. The result is a sculpture that questions escapism, power relationships and above all Studio Job’s own work. "Designing a car is the same as when, as a designer, you’re sometimes given the chance to redefine a hotel: it’s a higher goal. You don’t get such important commissions every day," says Job Smeets, founder of Studio Job. "On top of that, Defender is an emotionally charged icon. We’ve approached that golden carriage in our own way, maybe not so much from the angle of this one car but rather from the phenomenon of the holy cow in general." [ Continue reading ]

Nature Rewired

On the 16th of November the exhibition Nature Rewired has opened at Museum Het Valkhof in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. The exhibition showcases the fascinating creations of Dutch artist Christiaan Zwanikken. The installations of the artist, who lives and works in Portugal and the Netherlands, are hybrids of skulls and bones from nature and robotics from the hands of the artist, which are computer-controlled mechanism creating the moving dynamic within the works. Through his creations Zwanikken shares his vision on the future of man and nature, which is both confrontational and compelling. [ Continue reading ]

People Blocks

We love the collaboration between Case Studyo and graphic artist Andy Rementer called People Blocks. It consists of four unique wooden characters entirely made and painted by hand. The individual pieces are interchangeable, allowing them to be re-assembled and stacked to create custom characters or abstract sculptures. The series captures the spirit of Rementer’s work, high key color, bold decorative pattern and oddly pensive characters which interact in unexpected and often humorous ways with the surroundings in which they are arranged. The characters: Antoine, Fabienne, Jean and François are sold individually and packaged in a screen printed wooden box. Each sculpture comes with a certificate of authenticity signed and numbered by the artist. [ Continue reading ]

Rozmowa

Rozmowa is a series of five objects fashioned from copper surfaces and glass containers by French designer Amaury Poudray. The glass is imperfect, blown without using a mould, while the simple shapes of the copper are precise and perfectly fitted. Created in France, they are the fruit of multiple dialogues between the craftsmen, the designer and at an earlier stage, the gallery. The project articulates the lack of congruence between appearance and reality. It feels as if these elemental masses with their Polish forenames are still inhabited by the history which has shaped them. The individuals involved in the whole Rozmowa (or 'conversation') are Katarzyna, Piotr, Ola, Agnieszka and Maciej. [ Continue reading ]

Feathers at Gallery 33

Our friends at Gallery 33 opened a very interesting new exhibition named Feathers on the 25th of October. The multidisciplinary exhibition has dinosaurs as its main theme, resulting from the everlasting dinosaur phase which the Gallery 33 crew never outgrew. And with the popular opinion amongst palaeontologists nowadays that modern birds are considered to be the only surviving dinosaurs, as some of them had feathers in some way, shape or form; the exhibition was named Feathers. [ Continue reading ]

Tintypes from Afghanistan by Ed Drew

We love the story of Ed Drew. The Brooklyn-born serves in the California Air National Guard as a defensive heavy weapons and tactics specialist on Combat Search and Rescue special operations helicopters. He has moved from New York City and currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where Drew, beside his work for the Air Nation Guard attends San Francisco Art Institute full time, pursuing a BFA in Sculpture with a minor in Photography. The contrast of attending art school and his military job gives him a unique perspective and interesting opportunities to create work. His most recent body of work focuses on USAF combat search and rescue. [ Continue reading ]

Long Distance Watch

The Long Distance Watch by Hong Kong-based designer Kitmen Keung explores how people’s perception can be diverted into an everyday object. The clarity of the secondary clock face has been delicately dimmed to appear like a shadow on the interface, acting as a quiet conscious reminder of the distance between the user and someone on the other side of the globe. [ Continue reading ]