Cristian Zuzunaga and his pixilated prototypes have gained notable buzz as of late. Similar to Kashiwasato’s vibrant animations, Zuzunaga’s printed textiles provide a softer, more tactile alternative to digital geometry. Each work is heavily influenced by architecture in addition to the metropolitan landscapes Zuzunaga has traveled to, including Barcelona, Paris, London and Shanghai. Each product, be it a chair, couch, wall covering or jacket showcases a playfully abstract vibe, providing an intricate snapshot that’s as detailed as it is abstract- eye candy for the artistic nerd.
Fashion: Surrealist Hares
At the first sign of spring, bunnies start to emerge. This year’s been no exception, as countless prints and mediums have shared the unifying theme often associated with Easter. The 2009 trend has appeared to take a refreshing left turn away from the usual pastel cuteness. As seen in Bergdorf Goodman‘s windows last month, sophisticated gilded frames balance loose contour bunny portraits. Jäniksen Vuosi’s rabbit toss for Marimekko‘s Autumn 09/10 collection presents a playful overlay of translucent silhouettes.
Cineplexx Picnic, a photo and design project by Pattern Pulp favorite, Alan the Gallant, collages rabbit profiles for the cover of their European music album. Combining fantasy photography with real life story telling, Tim Walker’s UK Vouge photoshoot embraces the ideas of fertility, sexuality and femininity with the use of color, layout and subject matter. Translating these surreal storylines into wearable fashion, Eley Kishimoto creates a dali-esque toss with leaping rabbits frozen in motion.
Follow-up: Armed with Asymmetry
Israeli stylist, Maayan Goldman is a genius at her craft. Combining juvenile detailing with playful sex appeal, her outfits for the Tel Aviv based girl band, Terry Poison are as eye-catching as they are inspiring. Showcasing an asymmetric feline intarsia, this sweater is reminiscent of the garments created by Ashish, Marc Jacobs and Comme de Garcon. For some background, click here for Pattern Pulp’s March coverage.
Trend: Digital Dividers
Digital influences are everywhere- from Invader’s pixelated street art to fashionable home goods and clothing themes, typically invisible details are gaining recognition across non-digital platforms. Dutch designer Nienke Sybrandy‘s sheer curtains are a coder’s delight. Her tree branches are compiled of assorted letters and numbers and are laid out within a monochromatic palette. In an alternate world, the LA designers behind the Oumi label have embraced this fashion friendly fusion by pairing transitory pixels with satin and knit.
When assessing which patterns are most successful, it’s important to consider the role of color. If a palette isn’t balanced, the eye will wander to the dead spots or over accentuated details. These pixelated animations by the Japanese design team, Kashiwasato display type and movement for Microsoft Office’s 2008 for Mac launch. Carefully choreographed squares cover the screen in chaotic movement, revealing digital disarray reminicent of a visual virus.
Trend: Type Remix
The assemblage of letters and words is fascinating. As children, we create our own mechanisms to communicate, then hone our craft and cognition skills as we age. In recent weeks, there appears to be a visual unraveling of this basic foundation for which our society functions. The results have been playful, though somewhat symbolic of confusing times. “This reminds me of when you’re tongue-tied and everything you want to say becomes sort of mush in your head. Or when you think you know what you want to say but completely forget,” says Pattern Pulp contributor Emily Gup. Marina Camargo’s falling content was recently spotlighted on Swiss Miss and presents a surreal image of lost typography. In real world time, these matching typewriter chairs are a curious window display at the high-end vintage furniture store Adelaide, in the West Village of Manhattan. In the gaming and digital corner, Morisawa of Japan has created the addictive character game, Font Park, where beautiful calligraphy can be formed by disfiguring character symbols.
In higher stake markets, scrambled letters are also catching on. Bergdorf Goodman’s March window display showcased a backdrop of mismatched letters behind highly stylized mannequins. A few blocks south at the MoMA, the just opened exhibition, Tangled Alphabets presents León Ferrari and Mira Schendel’s combined work over the later half of the 20th century. Ferrari and Schendel’s joint collection addresses language as a major visual subject matter, encompassing the body, voices, words, gestures and metaphors for naming and writing trends. Back downtown on Mott Street, I Heart NYC’s store signage is a retail reminder of Camargo’s work.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toWFvXHghDk]Camille Utterback’s Text Rain interactive art installation from 1999 is quite mesmerizing, not to mention amazing, considering the technology was fairly rudimentary ten years ago. For an afternoon laugh, check out the Prudential game Falling Words, as it’s a marketer’s lighthearted stab at releasing negative thoughts that people rarely share.
Print: Illusionist Masks
For as long as I can remember, garbage pail kids have claimed their stake in pop culture. Though the cards are iconic of the 80’s, throw-backs have been rampant throughout the web ever since. Vivid line drawings paired with parodical humor can be found on Street Carnage, while printed on home goods, at Alakazam. Using ski masks to conceal his characters’ identities, Bryan Schnelle, a west coast artist, illustrates his alternative reality, admitting, “nothing is what is seems, people aren’t who you think they are, don’t trust [anything], and question everything.” Though this concept of ulterior identities may seem extreme, it has laid the foundation for many plots. For the twisted comedians among us, it validates the satire behind the punch line.