Pattern Pulp

Trend: Framing the Conversation




Frame art has gotten a lot of airtime over the past few years.  From global recognition in the fashion world (see Tokyo streets and London runway), to providing a polished edge in home decorating, the familiar gilded border is experiencing a welcome role reversal.

A recent New York Times discussion of the Met’s current exhibition, The Pictures Generation (1974-1984), recognizes that Allan McCollum’s installation, Collection of Forty Plaster Surrogates, heightens a viewer’s awareness simply by highlighting the unexpected.  “McCollum’s works were not presented as decorative accessories or social commentary but as physical signs of the mechanical drives of existence—of repetitious behaviour and patterns of market-based relationships.”

Drawing inspiration from this trend, Lisa Rengtsson, a young designer from Sweden, has created wallpaper designed to frame personal moments and details from everyday life.  Entitled, Familjen,this pattern provides the structure for artsy types to create their own visual diaries.

Furthering the concept of the visual diary, this examination wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of Todd Selby, the extraordinary photographer and illustrator behind the website, The Selby.  On a weekly basis, Selby profiles interesting people within their own creative spaces.  This photo, for example, highlights Francois Curiel, the European Chairman at Christie’s Auction House.

Additional contributions by: Nicoletta Granati and Jennifer Machiavera

June 22, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Quick Links: Weekly Notables




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1. Stunning nautilus home by Javier Senosiain, via Inhabitat.

2. Wendy Plomp’s “Message in a box” cardboard carpet at the 400 years later – cite goes dutch exhibition, via Design Boom.

3. Brokenfab’s intricate beaded geometric patterned jewelry, via The Pipeline.

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4. Lizzy House’s latest fabric collection, Red Letter Day, has adorable color combinations and whimsical geometrics, via PrintPattern.

5. Beautiful and compelling info graphics, via Abduzeedo.

6. Stephen Meisel is an inspiration and a puzzle, via Pattern People.

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7. Nooka’s Summer ’09 collection uses bold graphics inspired by triangles, via High Snobiety.

8. Watch as Invader creates one of his trademark mosaics out of Rubick’s Cubes, also known as Rubickubism, via Moco Loco.

9. Love the bold packaging of Bold City Brewery, via The Dieline.

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10. Wonderful wallpapers from Intrade, a Swedish wallpaper supply company, via Decor8.

11. Wearable gifts for hip dads, including some interesting renditions of the typical necktie, via If its Hip it’s Here.

12. Beautiful paper cut maps by Famille Summerbelle, via Joanna Goddard.

By: Emily Gup

June 19, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Diamonds are Forever Changing




Apparently, diamonds don’t have to sparkle in order to shine. Diamond contours are surfacing everywhere. We first noticed interesting uses of the infamous pyramid on the streets of Paris back in November and have continued to spot creative variations across the Atlantic.  From Mike Perry’s vector repeat to this Parisian jewelery display to this remarkable 3D installation by Kirsten Hassenfeld, all of these interpretations glorify the geometric intricacies of the world’s most famous carbon.

While shopping in the trendy Palermo Hollywood district of Buenos Aires (yes, it’s named after Hollywood, California), we sensed this trend emerging on the tails of ArteBA. The graffiti-culture shop, Sixfeet, is covered in diamonds, most notably on the back wall, which is strategically complimented by several colorful diamond hoodies for sale on the floor.  Back in Boston, the creative geniuses at AdamnCompany designed this abstract illustration, replacing stars with sparkling diamonds.  Focusing solely on angle and color, Susann Johansen’s color prisms celebrate light and repetition.

This watercolor repeat by Eika Dopludo is a beautiful departure from it’s angular counterparts, while this metallic Moschino display in New York’s meatpacking district currently presents a mirrored platform for their summer shoe collection.  Moving into the realm of online retail, we quickly discovered this trend’s reach on etsy.com. The artist, lanydevening, creates small heart-shaped wooden wall hangings covered in a similar diamond motif. The heart paired with vibrant diamonds is a fresh take on an otherwise clichéd romantic combination.

BA coverage by: Rebecca Silver

June 18, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Greg Hopkins: Painstaking A-Peel




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Greg Hopkins’ work is tediously created layer by layer with the use of masking tape and an exacto blade.  For each color layer, he covers the canvas, then cuts out the major details by hand, peeling away specific areas in an effort to expose a colorful design. Hopkins’ technique provides a level of unpredictability and reminds us of Poster Boy’s subway art.  While Hopkin’s work certainly has a DIY vibe, it’s subject matter is fairly traditional.  It almost appears as if the artist himself has gone into an old house, taken a knife to outdated wallpaper, and revealed decades of interior design. Each piece is as interesting as it is beautiful, and celebrates the tear, rearrange, and reveal concept.  We could easily see the integration of this technique in bedding, wallpaper and packaging design.

Coverage by: Emily Gup

June 17, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Art: Paper Perfect




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Patience, an exacto knife and creative vision: just three of the ingredients required to concoct a paper masterpiece.  While the simplicity and accessibility of this material levels the playing field, the intricate layering and precise cutting done by today’s featured artists elevates the medium beyond the realm of arts & crafts.  Jen Stark, an artist from Miami, has recently exploded onto the creative scene with her vividly geometric sculptures.  Starting off in Paris while studying abroad, Stark’s exploration of budget materials paired with an interest in nature’s microscopic patterns has led her on an creative path of 3D metamorphosis.  Dabbling in the commercial world of  collaboration, Julien Vallée, of Montréal, has managed to merge art, sculpture, motion and technology to create his highly tangible (not to mention playful) paper masterpieces.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYf5UqJa_O4] For a bit of insight into how Stark got started, check out this video entitled, Paper Constructs, by Andrew Hevia.

June 15, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Quick Links: Weekly Notables




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1. Art Basel in 60 photographs, via Yatzer.

2. The beautiful work of textile artist, Deepa Panchamia, via High Snobette.

3. Certainly the nicest looking fire extinguishers we’ve ever seen! Via The Dieline.

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4. Covering the trend of milk in design, via Abduzeedo.

5. Stella Bugbee’s tape inspired by Navajo patterns, via Kitsunenoir.

6. Ivana Plavec’s used nails to create the sheep design on her modular screens, via Moco Loco.

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7. Gorgeous wallpaper created by Swedish design Lena Hautoniemi, via Design*Sponge.

8. Interview with artist and designer, Mike Perry, via Shiny Squirrel.

9. Marimekko now does wallpaper! Via Always Mod.

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10. An interview with French designer and stylist, Fifi Mandirac, and a peek inside her Paris home, via Decor8.

11. We wouldn’t want any of these beetles in our home, but they sure make for interesting color inspiration! Via Colour Lovers.

12. Gumption’s adorable picture frames made with vintage calico fabric, via Design Boom.

Compiled By: Emily Gup

June 14, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

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