HUMANS SINCE 1982

Studio 'Humans Since 1982' are swedish designers Per Emanuelsson and Bastian Bischoff.  I haven't been able to find much information on them, and their site doesn't have an 'about', but I wanted to blog it anyway...... 

Controversial AND clever.  I like it.  Often times in order to make a strong statement, aesthetics are sacrificed for commentary..... not here.  That lounge is beautiful.

I also like the studio name (Created in '82 myself........!)

'Celebrating the Cross 1' Lounge Chair

'Surveillance Light'

click click

CHEER UP, MURRAY

the usual winter depression has hit, full-on.

these make me smile :)

MOOOI

My favourite manufacturing/design company.  Hands down.  I was at the ICFF in New York last May and couldn't tear myself away from their exhibit.  When it comes to furniture and lighting design, Moooi is perfection.

Their pieces are sculpture.  Conceptually unique but still very marketable, and so grand. Beauty.

from their site:

"Since April 2001, Moooi has inspired and seduced the world with sparkling and innovative designs within the interior industry.  The founders Marcel Wanders and Casper Vissers decided to change the already existing brand Wanders Wonders into Moooi (meaning beautiful in their native language, Dutch) with one extra 'o' because it is extra beautiful.  Besides the designs of Wanders, Moooi also has other designs from both national and internationally recognized designers, such as Jurgen Bay, Bertjan Pot, Jasper Morrison, Ross Lovegrove, Studio Job, Front, and many more"

The wing chair at the bottom is even set on fire as part of the production process!

click click

LIZ WOLFE

So sleepy.

From designboom:

"While her work appears bright and colourful, little touches hint at the subversiveness below the surface.  The subjects in her work are still lives created using plasticine, flowers, cakes and other props"

Liz is a TORONTO BASED photographer (yay) that just closed a show at the Gladstone Hotel on Queen West on February 8th.  I love how multi-dimensional her work is.  It's gorgeous and bright, but also so subtly twisted.  An inspired contrast!

'Breasts', 2008

'Yellow Shoes and Sardines', 2004

'Cakes' and 'Butterflies on Wounded Cake', 2008

'Red Shoes' and 'Tampon', 2008

'Popsicle' and 'Cupcakes', 2008

'Bunny with Candy', 2008

click click

HELLA JONGERIUS

I'm feeling lazy and swamped with homework, but really want to post!  

So, i'll quote:

"Designer Hella Jongerius (1963) has become known for the special way she fuses industry and craft, high and low tech, tradition and the contemporary.  After graduating Eindhoven Design Academy in 1993 she started her own company, Jongeriuslab, through which she produces her own projects and those for clients such as Maharam (New York), Royal Tichelaar Makkum (the Netherlands), Vitra (Basel), and IKEA (Sweden).

Her work has been shown at museums and galleries such as the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum (New York), MoMA (New York), the Design Museum (London), Galerie KREO (Paris) and Moss Gallery (New York)." (www.jongeriuslab.com)

I have been following her since she first did work for Droog, likely ten years ago now, and has been an inspiration for me ever since.  Have a look at her site, and if you're into IKEA you'll likely recognize a series of vases she created for them......

'Embroidered Tablecloth', 2000

'Shippo Plates', 2007

'Backpack Stool', 2007

'Backpack Sofa', 2007

'Animal Bowls', 2004

'Props', 2007

'Ikea Wall Tapestry', 2009

click click

NOAM TORAN

Noam Toran is a teacher at the Royal College of Art and lectures worldwide, his work spanning multiple disciplines and mediums, from film to installations, conceptual product design to photography.

From his bio:

"Toran's research informs the creation of objects and films that reflect upon and critique the intersection between design, mass culture, technology, cinema, and psychology.  Consistently, the work appropriates the discourse of design as a means with which to investigate and envision anomalies in contemporary and speculative human behaviour.  Often foregrounding them in short films, the objects are imagined as constructions for particular individuals and psyches, vehicles for an elaboration of the desires, fantasies and pathologies unique to specific modern subjects"

His work is part of the NY MoMA and FRAC Ile-de-France collections.

'Buried Alive', 2004, installation and video

'Object for Lonely Men', 2001, conceptual product and film

'Accessories for Lonely Men', 2001, conceptual product 

'All the Robots', 2007, film

'Bra Machine', 2007, Mixed Media

I love the bra 'trainer', a play on the concept of the 'training bra'.  This piece was inspired by accounts of post-war repressive institutionalized sex education and is meant to teach adolescent boys how to easily unhook one.

And, if you love 'Breathless' like I do, have a look at 'Object for Lonely Men', a short about a man who was so obsessed with the film that he "designs and builds a tray which reflects the visual language of the film".

click click 

KEETRA DEAN DIXON

This is Keetra Dean Dixon, and she is friggin brilliant.

Stats: Graduated with a BFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and an MFA from the Cranbrook Academy of Arts (which, hey detroit/windsor locals, is like 15 mins away from you).

She has her own studio in New York and often collaborates with the Time and Place Workshop. The lady has such a strong personal vision that her commissioned work is tough to distinguish from her independent projects, which can only be why her clients love her.

She approaches client work like she approaches "gift giving": "What would ______________ (insert client name) REALLY like for their birthday?"..... I am looking to make someone smile" (siouxWIRE).

It works :)

click click