Homegoods: Tactile Topography

tactile topography

In our modern times, filled with GPS and GoogleMaps, it’s no wonder that we seem to have developed a fascination for knowing where we are at all times. It’s reached a new level of poignancy to be able to locate yourself as well as peer over your neighborhood from above, observing it’s grid-like form. This sentiment is popping up in various textile projects and is most successfully executed by Emily Fischer of Haptic Labs and Marcello Campa and Stefano Avesani of the Instant Hutong Project. While Fischer references the borough of Brooklyn, quilting on silk dupioni, Campa and Avesani explore the Hutong districts throughout downtown Beijing. Regardless of the landscape, both works bring a permanency to topography that has become nearly extinct with technology’s latest advances. Nowadays lines are blurred so easily perhaps there is a certain comfort in being able to see and feel the things that don’t change so easily.

Compiled by: Emily Gup

July 13, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Measuring Up

tape-measure

Tape measures can be used for more than just sizing up material — in some cases they are the material. Fusing pop art vibrancy with everyday functionality, the tool responsible for measuring our daily lives is stepping out from behind the scenes to claim a bit of creative recognition. We first noticed ruler art on the streets of Palermo Soho, where brightly colored suspenders popped up at a local craft fair. Inside the walls of Tienda Palacio, a trendy Buenos Aires boutique, folded flower pendants and resin keychain accessories reclaim the traditional notion of a tchotchke.

The fine art world hasn’t been exempt from the trend. In 2008, Debbie Smyth of Ireland, combined black and white tape measures to form magnificent geometric woven prisms. Using less malleable materials, a unique wall hanging featured at this year’s ArteBA was composed of several purposely-misaligned wooden rulers to create striped texture. Combining photography with witty art direction, “Space Time,” by Kevin Van Aelst explores multiple dimensions while simultaneously conveying wit through it’s “variable” measurement title.

Compiled by: Rebecca Silver

July 7, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Follow-up: Marketing the Disco Ball

discoball-pattern

As Lady Gaga’s fame rises, so does her love for all things flashy. Beyond her dance beats and uniquely costumed performances, her devotion to the disco ball is a constant for most of her shows. As we noted last month, the convergence of fashion and nightlife continues to intersect in the most literal of ways, spurning metallic fabrics for nighttime use as well as day. This pyramid studded pocket, which we spotted on one of our favorite inspirational blogs, JBlyth, showcases two trends in one: hidden details combined with punk attitude- the perfect blend for a fashionable night out.

June 30, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Crayon Colored Balloons

balloons-dazed-confused-jo-goddard

Summer’s finally here and balloons appear to be the signifier of the season. Be it literal or interpretive, pastel floaters have gained an inspirational edge, as it’s hard to resist a balloon’s youthful, colorful zeal. Artists and photographers seem to be using balloons to convey messaging representative of our time, mixing hopeful optimism with realistic and momentary pleasure. Tiara Mia of Turkey has photographed an incredible layout, using a string of vibrant balloons to convey color, mood and atmosphere. Dipping into the Vogue archives, Dolce & Gabbana have recently curated the exhibit, Extreme Beauty in Vogue, in correlation with the launch of their latest makeup campaign. This June 1949 photograph by Clifford Colin glorifies the swimming cap while reminding us of this familiar prop.

balloon-bunch

In conveying hope and wonder, Disney Pixar, Bloomingdales and Dior have all devised their own interpretations of the familiar phrase, “up, up and away.”

balloons

Sliding into the figurative realm, the Kyouei Design team of Japan reference balloons (as well as wine) with their “glass tank” prototype. This light filled spectrum beautifully displays opaque and transparent qualities similar to it’s balloon counterparts, while this ampersand pattern from ffffound cleverly displays floating typography.

Additional contributions by: Emily Gup

June 24, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

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

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