Vintage Charles and Ray Eames footage on YouTube

via Core77

Young Blood Markets 2007

Held tonight at the Powerhouse Museum for possibly the third year (correct me if I’m wrong) Young Blood Market is possibly one of the most exciting consumer opportunities of the entire SDO7 event. It’s fun, usually with a DJ or performer (Tina Harrod on one occasion), allows the opportunity to network, meet designers and discover how they have developed their product, exchange ideas and a myriad of other things that I possibly couldn’t even imagine, and it all happens here. Of course designers sell their products directly to the public and may potentially pick up a few retailers in the processes giving them further commercial success.

It’s the place to be seen, and to see (products of the future), meet friends, have a casual drink and a gathering. See you there tonight!

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Sydney Design 07

+ stuff

Today I confess to neglecting my blog for a period of time for a number of excuses of which the Tour de France can take precedence, followed by a much needed rest and an overseas from a family member, my niece who I have not seen in three years. So here are a few tit bits I can offer until I can make a more concerted effort as we ramp up towards Sydney Design Week 07

+ Tour de France. Well here are a few things to distract you - my partner Phil is doing daily posts on SBS, Tour de Lounge but for those who are more visually oriented or graphic designers try this on 1+1=3 for a look at interesting logos and tour related designs

+ For the fashion conscious; Prada has developed an online auction of exclusive collectible pieces. You can track the history and people who make the bids as the site allows you to personalize your bid with information, including website links and images of yourself. The pieces are more affordable but still expensive - good luck!

+ Supertouch beautifully sums-up the processes behind the making of Damien Hirst’s “For the Love of God” diamond encrusted platinum skull recently on display at the White Cube Gallery, London. The step by step expose reveals not only the underlying structure but also the craftsmanship that went into the making. The skull is shockingly kitsch and controversial (is this a desecration?) and repulses and attracts us at the same time. How does he continually get away with this? Hirst is a master of promotion and great ideas that fit in with contemporary culture and on this ocassion allows for element of the macabre to enter the work by using the real teeth in the final setting. A stroke of genius? You be the judge

+ Wallpaper has nominated 101 of the world’s most interesting architectural practices in the world including Australia

+ treehugger reveals Bulbs Unlimited interesting system of recycling the average household light bulb

+ Sydney design 07 is about to launch with an array of exhibitions, events, walks and talks. The entire program can be found here. There is sure to be something for everyone. I’m looking forward to Schmuck Quickies with Yuka Oyama as well as many other exhibitions and events

+ dfactory death date explores life and durability of products and explores ways in which designers may be able to make their products more friendly to the environment as well as to the user

 

June dfactory

Join Matt Butler of Zaishu stool fame to discuss his Indian venture

Canadians crow about the Lee-Chin Crystal

And crow they should as on the 2 June they unveiled the completed ROM crystal extension by architect Daniel Libeskind. In an earlier post I had a small offering of images I had taken of the construction one year ago. Today we can take a birds eye view of the completed building (rather near completed) through Toronoist who was first to walk through the near finished interior.

The spaces are so angular and unique the CEO of the ROM felt a specially designed chair was required for the Museum. Daniel Libeskind and Toronto furniture designer Klaus Nienkämper have unveiled a new limited edition, custom built piece of furniture entitled the Spirit House Chair, inspired by the architectural peaks and facades of Libeskind’s Lee-Chin Crystal.

A little history for your entertainment

The Royal Ontario Museum was opened in March of 1914 and is aagency of the Province of Ontario, operated by the University oToronto until 1955. Canada’s largest museum and the fifth largest iNorth America, the ROM boasts more than six million objects in it collection. Wide-eyed children may tell you that the museum ihaunted by the nightshirt-wearing ghost of its first curator, archaeologis Charles Trick Currelly.

In the summer of 2001, the ROM launched an international search for an architect to expand and renovate the site as part of the Renaissance ROM project. About three months later and with 50 entrants, twelve international architects were chosen to pitch, narrowing down to three by December (Italy’s Andrea Bruno, Polish-born American Daniel Libeskind and Chinese-Canadian Bing Thom). In February, Daniel Libeskind was awarded the Lead Architect position for the ROM’s expansion, which would be based on a deconstructionist crystal-like design he sketched on a napkin during a family wedding at the ROM. Perhaps in a bit of romantic embellishment, Libeskind claimed the idea was inspired by the Museum’s gem and mineral collection, though the multifaceted design has already been seen in many of his other structures like the Denver Art Museum and Hong Kong’s Creative Media Centre.

Some wonderful images of the exterior via coolhunter

Interview with Daniel Libeskind
more images via coolhunter
Renaissance ROM project
ROM launch and celebrations
Torontoist photo round-up

 

Simon MacEwan: lost in the woods

These delicate stenciled pieces by Simon MacEwan via modamuse are exceptionally beautiful and deserve some attention. There has been an almost endless variety of stenciled work in recent times however these for me stand out. I hope you think so as well.

Check out his flickr album.

Elke Kramer

Vogue gives a comprehensive profile on Elke

Elke Kramer is a Sydney-based jewellery designer, illustrator, graphic designer, art director and devoted flower picker. Her love of all things peculiar lends itself to her curious, decorative and elaborate creative work. Working across a multitude of mediums, such as fashion textiles, website art-direction, magazine illustration and much more, always evident is her distinctive bizarre, marvelous and self-indulgent touch.

Fascinated and inspired by psychedelic folk music, the textiles of Zandra Rhodes, orchids, Yayoi Kusama, jellyfish, Bakelite kitchenware, ocean swims and her boyfriend’s colossal porcelain animal collection, her jewellery is a passionate, amalgamated combustion and celebration of everything curious and mistaken. Seen around the necks of Fafi, Karen O, Chiaki Kuriyama and quirky hipsters around the world, her unique creations have been best described as “something that’s completely unlike anything else you have ever seen before.”

The “Anti-Curse of Greyface” is a collection of limited edition wooden necklaces, pendants and earrings by Elke Kramer. The inspiration comes from a celebration of chaos and nonsense and is designed to oppose the teachings of Greyface, who is 1166BC, taught that all humans must live life in an orderly, serious manner and that play was sin. The overtly nonsensical, frivolous shapes of the collection counteract the curse and rejoice in delighted ridiculousness. Though completely abstract in form the pieces are vaguely reminiscent of insect forms, Aztec motifs and clockwork mechanics.

Image Via Modamuse

More hope for emergent designers

are a creatively supported environment for young talented designers to
promote and expose their talents through different mediums.

Hope Street Markets is a collaboration of young designers in:+ clothing

• + accessories
• + jewellery
• + object design
• + art

Adopting the concept of your local community markets, the Hope Street Marketsare to support more art based product than general “bric’a’brac”. It takes exhibitions, fashion parades and art shows to the next level.

The markets are based in Surry Hills in the heart of Sydney, and they will continue to commence at the start of every fresh season and run over 2 days.

Winter has already been launched but stay tuned for coming seasons.

Hope Street is a non-profit organisation. We will be donating money from the markets to help support Hope Street - Urban Compassion projects helping bring Hope to the streets of Sydney’s homeless.

applications for Spring markets will open in August. For updates subscribe here

View list of designers represented at the Winter market here

+ Stuff: very very important stuff to do this weekend!

+ the 2nd Australian international green and renewable energy exhibition and conference is on this weekend. Highlight is Randall Pearce ACF representative and Al Gore’s climate messenger presenting “an inconvenient truth about Australia” at 4pm on Saturday 2nd of June in the main cinema of the venue. Other highlights include Green living zone, GREX innovation awards, house of the future competition, G-film world environment day short film festival and SRD Changex graduate design exhibits and an extensive seminar program covering topics such as the renewable city, water and energy conservation, renewable energy research, stawbale building technology, politics and climate change in Austrlaia along with many other topical disscusssions.

Entry is free on Friday (today for those with business and student cards) and only $15 over the weekend. For the where and what of it all go here and  here

+ and whilst you’re at the event (at the GREX technology Park, Eveleigh) also check out the changex exhibition

just in summary

SRD ChangeX is an annual exhibition of new graduate design and ideas that address issues of sustainability, environmental change and responsibility, social equity and community, often directly challenging conventional expectations. Exhibits are selected from a diverse range of areas, including industrial design, graphics, architecture, textiles, planning, landscape design and more. Featuring 2D / 3D works, audio/visual content and even high fashion models

so don’t miss it!