Making time organic, creating a mediator between reality and fiction or opting for immaterial design consumption - BA Design Show Goldsmiths 2010

Here are some of my favorite works at the Goldsmiths BA Design Degree show "Curious".

Toother - by Clair Neal

With the concept of creation of fiction based on the desire to escape reality, Clair managed to wittily and with tremendously beautiful execution materialise a possible object of childhood fantasy into reality, including the exploration of material dissolution through chemistry and an interchange of romanticised exchange of payment with real objects through a mediator, further outlining the mediation between reality and fantasy.




Wolves Don't Wear Watches - by Rachel Howe

This was possibly my favorite project, not only in terms of execution but also because it pointed out a not much thought of situation that truly is an issue. Unlike many other designers (including the much hated iPad people) that develop an object for a problem that doesn't (yet) exist, Rachel identified that time doesn't always want to be measured with watches. Exploring several methods of measurements, time and, in fact, experience of time, Rachel provided way in which time becomes organic and a lot more enjoyable with a form of measurement that suits the activity at hand. Providing an already established need to not want to follow the clock with it's ridiculous preciseness that are, for many activities, harming rather than useful, Rachel created alternatives such as a recipe based on the cues of a song.



Temporal Symmetry - by Livia Rossi

Despite dealing with the much overstretched topic of communal experience Livia managed to infuse an fresh perspective with her fun tri-baloon, double handled ping pong bats and long feeding fork objects. She states that "The process of mediating, adjusting and sharing our pace with others is so effortless and extraordinary that it is taken for granted." Although I have a problem with the use of a contradiction in terms here ("extra ordinary" equals NOT ordinary, making the "taking for granted" a contradiction), the objects were unusual, well made, engaging and certainly outlined a well thought-out activity to point out the matter of harmonious interaction for a communal outcome.






This image has been take from Livia's page on the "Curious" Website.





Hairdressing by Pixels and Vectors - by Christopher Simcock

I am scared of hairdressers, in the same manner that regular children are scared of dentists. I get nervous, I shake and sometimes I hyperventilate and cry. I love my long hair and through sheer job description, it is the hairdresser who cuts it. Without any fault of their own, they are immediately in my bad books, and whatever the cut, it will always be shorter, therefore always worse than it was before. My point is, I came across a project that produced such great results, it would certainly help me to overcome that fear, much like the lollipop that gets pressed into a child's hand for being brave.

Less of a design project but more at home within the specification of being an interactive art project, Christopher managed to take a process, which is very familiar to all of us, and create something beautiful and lasting with it. A hair cut, especially the particularities of it, are invisible to us, and the cut itself quickly grown out. However, beyond simply visualising a haircut (which the haircut in the mirror does itself, obviously), the digital map creates a beautiful blueprint and language of the condition before the cut, the process of the cut as well as the final results all in one. I sense a true possible commercial interest in this process.





Im-Materialism - by Jane Ellen Taylor

In response to a much discussed and truly big issue of the "aggressive rhythms and routines of consumer culture", Jane visualised the image heavy, yet transient and often see-through and unfetchable momentum of possessions. It was clear that she was particularly referring to the fashion industry. She worked through the expression and exploration of that material condition by designing without material and projecting the dresses onto a body. The second image has been taken from Jane's page on the "Curious" website.



Other projects that I also felt executed the brief well and showed a real sense of the grasp of design, their projects, the concept and the resulting objects: Urban Dolls by Vilma Jaruseviciute, Artificial Synthesia by Max Kropitz, Recycled Hollywood by Max Smith, Extending your Senses by Philipp M. Faehndrich and In Pursuit of Perfection by Matt West. There is also a really lovely catalog, which is worth going to the exhibition for in its own right.

For more images of the opening night, including snaps of the "in-crowd" spanning generations of Goldsmiths students all the way back to 2002 (we got given labels! Very cool) and proud and nervous tutors in the Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, have a look here.

If you'd like to read more about the projects, have a look at the "Curious" website and make sure to pop down to the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane where you can discuss the projects with the designers themselves, the exhibition still stands until the 7th of June, every day from 10am to 7pm (5pm on Monday). If you'd like to contact one of the designers I have mentioned, please let me know and I'll put you in contact with them.

Byam Shaw 100 Years - Central St Martins Fine Art and Architecture Exhibition

I grew up with art. Surrounded by art. Almost every holiday, throughout my childhood and teenagerhood, was planned around exhibitions and art fairs to an extent where I actually went through a phase of refusing to enter museums and used to just sit in the sun until my family came back out. I still find myself reluctant to delve too much into the art world - I know it too well to like it. However, I keep finding myself at art openings and galleries a lot more than I'd like to admit, simply because I am still surrounded by people involved in it (and I often wish they were fashion launches I get invited to instead). Needless to say that there is not a lot of art that touches me or manages to excite me. I tend to look at it, acknowledge it, but pick it apart before even being able to enjoy it. However, every now and then it does hit me, and so far it has done so with only a handful of artists, and even more concretely, only very few specific pieces of said artists, which I connect to on an absolutely personal level.

One of them is Jemma Austin. Jemma went through a phase a couple of years back of creating abstract expressionist paintings inspired by Mark Rothko, whose paintings themselves I count among the most boring I'd ever seen. I am a firm believer in the idea that art is personal and sure, I can acknowledge and even admire historical context and meaning, but that doesn't mean I like his pieces. Jemma, on the other hand, created a series of paintings which made me cry the first time I saw them. Bearing in mind I am not exactly a fan of abstract expressionists art (I prefer constructivist, clean, mathematical pieces), this came as quite a surprise. I bought two of her paintings, one of which is the center piece on my office wall and makes me sad and happy every day.

Ratio of Sorrow

So of course I didn't say no when she invited me to an exhibition at the Byam Shaw 100 Years foundation at Central St Martins. The fact that she is practically my sister in law plays only a minor role, I think, and I focused on trying to pick out the talent from the pool of rubbish that was unfortunately also present. Apart from painting and other countless talents, Jemma is also a gifted photographer, who strikingly depicted the concept of doll-like physicality and role playing that we are all involved in, not just when putting on make-up, but in general.

One of my favorite pieces of the whole exhibition was a canvas painting by Joshua Freddie Trewhella Vaughan.


His painting made me think of Keith Haring, both in thickness, strength of certainty in his execution despite the wavy, brain like curves and form of lines that he followed.

Photography by Annie Leibowitz

Hidden away in the hallway was a collection of paintings by Babette Semmer, which I would actually put up in my own hallway, and my picture really does not do it justice. A collection of twenty four contrast depictions of different variations of arms and leg compositions left the rest of the image to the imagination and manages to create an erratic, yet clean and balanced combination of shapes. And I am a sucker for black and white paintings anyway, so that might be one of the reasons I liked these two.


The only actual installation at the exhibition that appealed to me was that of Haruka Hashiguchi, who pedantically and precisely outlined a missing figure in a white space, which overshadowed all objects within it. I didn't quite see why she used fluffy wool, and colorful wool at that, but I enjoyed the concept of empty whiteness that is overshadowed by the absence of man. On top of that she had a striking resemblance to Susie Lau (susiebubble), which was perplexing.



There was also piece that made me chuckle. The piece was clearly a miniature model outlining what an exhibition space might have looked like could Jack Gregory Nelson have been bothered, had the money, space and time to do it properly. It wasn't his only piece, but his funniest. The third painting in a line says "Oh f*ck it" instead of having another would-be massive-mini geometric-constructivist painting. To me it was a very funny, tongue in cheek comment on the limitations of space and resources given in this space and how exactly that hinders the motivation of an artist. The fact that the third piece was just as neatly painted as the other two and the rest of the model underlines this.


Full of miniature figurines and constructed architectural pieces, Ellen Yeon Kim's fragile pieces reminded me of Jeanette Musatti's intricate worlds and surrealist depictions of situations, emotions and environments. I liked Ellen, she definitely contributed to the pieces by just being there herself. She was interesting, sweet, helpful and protectively surveying her (very big) corner of fragile installation in her amazing geek-meets-chic outfit.

“Sem título”(1987) by Jeanette Musatti

Despite the mix of talent and bad art I kept finding myself being distracted by some of the amazing outfits these students were donning and made me reminisce about the good ol' years I'd spent at Goldsmiths.


Taking the Miu Miu swallows found in every magazine a step further, though I'm sure not on purpose. Aren't they just the cutest, unbearably stylish couple?

Ranging from bared breasts (in form of a smoking Kate Moss) to Indian saris on a blond curly haired girl, funky head wear and perfectly placed chain necklaces on low cut tank tops and tailored short sleeved blazers on a guy, I thoroughly enjoyed the art-turned-fashion event.