May Reading List – Jürg Lehni & Alex Rich

Introducing a reading list may be quite a demanding task, as lately it seems to be quite difficult to actually find books that are readable in the conventional sense. “Looking at and understanding the meaning of written or printed matter by interpreting the characters or symbols of which it is composed” isn’t the primary activity to throw ourself in when opening the books listed below. The experience they offer is mostly of a contemplative kind.

The following four books are part of the archive documenting Jürg Lehni’s and Alex Rich’s collaborative work that started in 2008 with a series of emails. The emails revolved around the issues of communication and technology, the gap between the user and the technologies of communication. The archive itself is named “A Recent History on Writing & Drawing” and it was exhibited at ICA in London involving a series of performances. All of the books have been published by Nieves.

Things to Say

“Things to Say” is a book documenting the drawings made by Victor and Hector. The mechanical brothers are actually relatively simple spray-can output devices driven by two motors. The devices are a collage of other tools, giving them the characteristics of being malleable for interaction and interpretation. 
“Things to Say” brings together the drawings that appear like simple in-line illustrations, thus hiding their origins and confirming the authors’ ideas.

Research Notes

“Research Notes” is a book born with the idea of celebrating “how we find ourselves doodling while on the phone, testing pens in stationery shops, with our belief in folklore, with the need to misuse technology or thinking whose idea it was to fly aeroplanes in formation to write messages across our skies”. The book is an ode to the human necessity of documenting our thoughts and ideas.

News

“News” is a simple title that unveils the content of this clever book. The artwork presented in the book is a series of anonymous phrases taken from the newspaper headlines reproduced with a Speed-i-Jet, a mobile hand printer. While you start doubting the utility of the object itself, the beauty of the book might actually give its existence an actual meaning.

Empty Words

“Empty Words” is another word-play (and also a tech-play) with a series of phrases cut out with another mechanical device. The actual device has been brought to almost industrial perfection making it suitable for mass production of dotted posters and texts, drilled at a controlled speed. According to the authors, it should be almost as solid as a Linotype.

Kristina Gill: Courgettes

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about tomatoes, one of my favorite summer foods. Courgettes (zucchine in Italian) are tied at the top of my list with tomatoes. I like them so much that I eat them year round. I know eating out of season is so 20th century, but I just can’t get over how much I love them, even when they aren’t at the top of their game. My favorite way to have them is lightly sauteed with garlic and onion, and in summer I add some tomatoes – sometimes sauteed together and sometimes fresh. Sometimes I eat them with pasta, sometimes I slice them paper thin and eat them alone. Today I put it all together and it was an early taste of summer.

The Editorial: Shard, Supervillain

It isn’t often a single piece of architecture changes a world city: the Acropolis, the Empire State Building, and of course, that tower of rivets and pick-up sticks in Paris. It’s generally less than a once-in-a-lifetime event. But as these words are written, builders are putting the final touches on Renzo Piano’s jarring, colossal Shard just steps away from London Bridge. And the London of quaint, reserved British icons we once knew is beholden to it. This is now a new city.

Its size is exaggerated by the fact that it doesn’t sit in a cluster of other towers. Everything adjacent looks flat. Smashed. The Shard lords over the city. When I met Mr. Piano in 2009 in Bologna – when the Shard’s planning was already well underway – he extolled the importance of architecture’s user and went on at length about the importance of good materials. He built the cheeky, colorful Centre Pompidou. So it’s a strange that his friendly modern modernist ethos is behind this work of architectural supervillainy, a structure that recalls North Korea’s terrifying Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang. One might have expected one of Hadid’s bio blobs mutate and strike London first…

The name (and the tower itself) conjures up the image of a jagged piece of broken mirror used in a jealous murder. Smeared with lipstick and blood. Or maybe something Courtney Love might keep handy in her purse for that occasional line-on-the-go. In any case, it feels every bit as aggressively violent as its crosstown neighbor, Norman Foster’s cheekily nicknamed Gherkin, feels frustratedly sexual.

And so even before it’s opened, the Shard has stabbed a new hole into the calico and tweed fabric of London. It is visible from positively everywhere, from Primrose Hill to Poplar and probably far beyond. As shabby tenement houses and icons of midcentury modernism in the east and west are torn down at a feverish pace, the Shard seems to embody a new London. Its cold, jagged lines are being finalized just as the first examples of the new retro-futuristic Routemaster buses are hitting the streets and as the city gears up for its transformative Olympic summer.

Just as the chippies and jellied eel and tawdry charity shops of yore have given way to generic sushi bars and boxed sandwiches and uniform high streets, London’s architecture has a new overlord. Like it or not, the Shard is London’s 21st century symbol.

The building is slated to open to the public in early July. A couple swashbuckling adventurers – the minds behind www.placehacking.com – have already heroically broken in and climbed to the very top. We’re dying for our turn to see the big smoke from so high up.

Torsten and Wanja Söderberg Prize 2012

Sigurd Bronger is a Norwegian jewelry engineer working in Oslo, Norway, and today at 11am he was announced as the winner of 2012 Torsten and Wanja Söderberg Prize at Röhsska Museum in Gothenburg, Sweden. The objective of the prize, which was founded in 1992, is to award, promote and encourage Nordic design, fashion and artistic work, as well as strengthen the Nordic values on the field. The prize and its committee also contribute to the work of further deepening the collaborations between the Nordic countries.

With heaps of solo- and group exhibitions all around the world, several design awards, a long bibliography and by appearances as professor, guest speaker and workshop leader from Stockholm to Tel Aviv, Sigurd Bronger has made name for himself in the jewelry sphere. He is a designer who works with delicate details referencing to the early 20th century’s mechanical industrialism. An era in which the objects revealed their functions -unlike the digital systems of today- and could be stripped down to their bare essentials where every fascinating part of a former machine could be enjoyed. His pieces play with humour and materials, and even though they are an allusion to a ‘boy’s dream’ with gearwheels and precision mechanism, his jewelry is somehow gender crossing.

In Sigurd Bronger’s world, time itself is treated as a material, and he only creates about three or four new pieces a year. The selection of precious metals, brass, diamonds and wood is carefully done, and later genuinely worked over. The designs, which are presented in remarkable hand-made packaging, take the viewer back to an early industrial design language and to the innovations of the Renaissance, without letting go of future visions.

“When I look at and touch Bronger’s jewelry, I feel like a young boy at a funfair or caught up in a wonderful mechanical fairytale world – I forget everything else around me. Sigurd Bronger’s design art changes my perception of what is possible”, says Ted Hesselbom, who is the head of the prize committee.

Sigurd Bronger will, besides an exhibition at the Röhsska Museum, be awarded with SEK 1.000.000 -which at the moment is the highest design prize in the world- decided by a jury consisting of representatives within design and fashion world in the five Nordic countries; Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. Previous winners of the Torsten and Wanja Söderberg Prize are, among others, the noted Finnish designer Harri Koskinen (most famous for his Block Lamp, exhibited in MoMA in New York) and Danish fashion designer Henrik Vibskov, a 2001 Central Saint Martin’s graduate.

Fotografia Europea 2012

The opening weekend of Fotografia Europea 2012 just closed down. As every year the big festival, thanks to its full program of exhibitions, conferences, talks, workshops and performances, turns Reggio Emilia in a centre for professionals and photography lovers worldwide. The core theme of this 7th edition entitled Vita comune: immagini per la cittadinanza (Common life, images for the community of citizens) tackles the issue of living together, wondering which is the meaning of being a citizen in an era when the boundaries of nations are more and more blurred.

With the photography as common language and fill rouge of all the events scattered around the city, Fotografia Europea 2012 tells stories through the analysis of four different perspectives. Four paths summed up in four key topics: “Change”, “Common places”, “Participation” and “Differences”, which aim at charting the idea of new communities, encompassing a new sense of belonging, born from the encounter of natives and migrants who share and generate a certain culture.

At Chiostri di San Pietro, Igor Mukhin (b. Moscow, 1961) in his show La mia Mosca depicts the Russian youth during the historic turning-point of their country through the use of B/W images; while in the same location, Federico Patellani (“E’ nata la Repubblica”) and Massimo Vitali (“All together”) with different approaches show places where usually people join each other – the schools after the Second World War of the former and the crowded beaches of the latter are examples of cohabitation.

Concerning the concept of participation we cannot avoid naming the exhibition Un’idea e un progetto. Luigi Ghirri e l’attività curatoriale, which retraces the curatorial activity of Luigi Ghirri, displayed in Reggio Emilia also at the show A Luigi e Paola Ghirri. Fin dove può arrivare l’infinito?, where visitors can admire the last – and plenty of poetry – shot by the great Italian master.

To underline the importance of defying convention and celebrating the differences, the festival presents a group exhibition, which conveys works by van der Elsken, Strömholm, Carmi and Petersen and relates to a famous song by Lou Reed entitled Take a walk on the wild side.
In occasion of Fotografia Europea, foundations, museums, public and private collections (as the renowned Collezione Maramotti) open their doors to collateral events and shows which will run until the end of June, while concerts and video projections enlivened the three days of inauguration of one of the most enjoyable festival, that is worthwhile living whole hog.

See you there next year!

The Future of Indian Fashion

Forecasts talking about Asia as the emerging fashion area and a booming luxury market have had the industry eyes pointed east for quite a while, and over the past years India has become a burning topic in the discussion. It has been a discussion that’s now starting to cool off; the progress isn’t as fast as expected, cultural differences are putting spanners in the works and influential names coming back west are saying that the Indian fashion scene isn’t happening, yet. In New Delhi – the city where opposites collide with an immense energy, the avenues are lined with chauffeur-driven cars, and local star design costs as much as Parisian couture – the Blogazine met with Creative Marketing and PR Consultant Anubhav Jain to talk about the future of Indian fashion.

Fashion, beauty and splendour have throughout the history been a crucial part of Indian culture, and for long the high-end products were reserved for a selected few. “The ‘maharajas’ [royalties] started the trend of luxury! We have a history of royals and jewels, that is our roots and it’s foremost where our fashion inspiration comes from,” says Jain. “Though, now the country is a part of the globalized world and we find sources of inspiration also from the Western part, especially in terms of detailing and quality,” he continues.

The main focus for the Indian fashion industry is growth and even though the business has witnessed a steady rise of attention from international stakeholders and fashion voices, the numbers are small when compared to the horde of buyers and brands represented during the major fashion weeks in London, Paris, Milan and New York. “As the Indian customer is becoming more brand conscious, it becomes imperative to further recognize the importance of craftsmanship, its value, and the value of its price to the customers,” Jain comments. He talks about the pricing levels as a big factor affecting the luxury market, where the ‘boom’ of attention for high end companies entering India principally relates to the brand names rather than generating in sales and profits. Taxes and import duties have reduced the saleability of luxury, and even though the ‘local socialite’ can afford the high end products, it’s a question of how these couture garments are worn. Jain means that if the brand doesn’t have a well-known and luxurious image, or if it hasn’t been seen on models, actors, politicians or other socially high ranked personalities, the company will have a much harder time getting through to their target clients in India.

Though, after some years along the line, now the luxury brands are really pushing it hard in India. The industry has been experiencing a great transformation through social media, fashion bloggers and e-commerce. “Yes, e-commerce in retail and on the high end will be the next big thing here,” Anubhav Jain confirms. He talks about fashion communication inspired by the Western ‘model’ as an important point to boost versatility and means that in a country like India, where various cultures and languages have to get along with each other, the fashion industry and its ‘language’ through garments, colours and trends is what binds them all together. Even though the country is becoming more liberal culturally, the ‘crazy fashion outfits’ that you would not only see during fashion weeks but on an everyday street in London, Paris, Milan or New York is not what you would come across even at the most fashionable event in Mumbai or New Delhi. “People are still rather reserved even though the market is opening up for new styles.”

When turning the conversation to a talk about the point where Indian fashion is directed towards the industry around, Jain thinks that it might be these various cultures, traditions and the history that the country holds that fascinates the western world. “They get influenced from our bright colours and textiles. The European preferences are often in the range of black, grey, navy and brown, but we feel there is a big demand of colours in the European market, and we could supply the Indian fashion products.” Even though the increasing number of international buyers who attend the Indian fashion events demonstrates that there are expectations on the country, the number of actual business that is carried out over the boarders are lower than one could hope, when talking about the American and European markets. Buyers are intrigued to take in the collections, and Indian top designers are chasing foreign markets. A big part of the Indian design generates trading with nearby markets such as the Middle East, where the aesthetics and the style preferences are more similar to begin with. Though, young artists come with young minds, and while the markets are slowly moving closer and finding inspiration within each other, many designers are still longing for the shot in the west.

The industry eye might have taken a minor break from the close watch on India, but with e-commerce companies making an effort to enter the market- as well as Indian e-commerce doing the same towards the world and with social media and fashion blogging on the rise- the reasons for going back to India might become additional, sooner than expected.

Sunday Breakfast by Love For Breakfast

When the sky is matte, the best choice is to put color on your table. I chose the orange in the hope of getting warmth.

The Dutch Wunderkind

Stand tall, fine sir. Suitsupply’s got your well-groomed back. The Dutch wunderkind of the men’s fashion world has been on a bit of a roll lately. There are fresh new classic colors and cuts for the spring, and with the knowing hands of a master tailor in the mix, on display here in Milan at its Corso Monforte boutique, and you have a recipe for even more smashing success.

A mix of fine haberdashery and the best in modern efficiency, Suitsupply bucks fast fashion for finesse yet offers its finery at prices. And the quality of its virtually bespoke offering is nothing if not superlative: its enough to study the seams and finish of any one of its classic, enduring designs to know that they could pass for Savile Row svelte to even the most discerning of eyes.

The brand’s recent dramatic success on the international arena can be chalked up to both its straightforward philosophy and stellar quality. Alongside its commitment to rigorous craftsmanship, it offers a fresh take on the most enduring silhouettes in modern men’s fashion. Its top-quality materials are sourced from the best Italian mills.

Today, the age old axiom “clothes makes the man” has certainly never rung more true. But just as important as the clothes themselves are the stories and substance behind them. And Suitsupply is the well-rounded, highly-focused erudite – energetic, sophisticated and sensible – and the perfect match for today’s razor-sharp renaissance man.

Remembering Maurice Sendak

“Where the Wild Things Are” taught me how to employ imagination purely as a survival tactic, a refuge from droning schoolwork, nagging parents and brothers and―now that I’m older―droning desk work and eye-rolling social obligations that seem to roll over me on a daily basis. It’s hard to control external forces, but Maurice Sendak helped teach me that it’s your own obligation to control how you deal with what comes your way. Max sails to another world, conquers all, and returns home for a hot supper. No wonder he continues to resonate with the world.

Most of our lives are spent alone in thoughts, wondering where to go next in a world that is largely indifferent. Sendak captured our mind’s spiky cocktail of terror and bewilderment with a fearless intensity, not just in “Where the Wild Things Are” but also “In the Night Kitchen”, “Brundibar”, and dozens of other classics. His work is representative of a group of people who remain too transfixed by their own worries and curiosities to simply run away from them. And it cuts deep: One kid loved his work so much that he decided to eat it.

Born a lower class Jew in 1928 and raised during the Depression and through the Holocaust and World War II, Sendak kept his homosexuality away from his parents out of fear of disappointing them. The Lindbergh baby kidnapping and murder of 1932, Sendak once said, worked as an unintended influence, a real-life nightmare that made him realize the instability and unpredictable nature of life. Likewise, a baby is hauled away by goblins in “Outside Over There.”

Exposed to the realities of life from the get-go, he later single-handedly ripped children’s stories out of the innocent fairytale realm and placed them on a plateau on par with reality, fear be damned. He didn’t do it for shock value (which he sometimes unfairly found himself in hot water for), but out of a profound respect for the courage of young people and their fresh worldviews. Those monsters in Max’s adventure? They were based on his relatives, who would cower over his crib when he fell gravely ill as a child. It’s no small coincidence that Max overpowers and rules them.

It’s scary out there, but his characters never stayed scared―or inside their rooms―for long. Like Max, Mickey from “In the Night Kitchen” was also a fearless explorer of the corners of his own imagination, escaping the noisy confines of his bedroom to embark on an all-night baking adventure throughout New York City. And like Max, Mickey returns home after his surreal travels, glad to be back but all the wiser for exploring his innate curiosity. The same can be said for Sendak, only he left us all the wiser as well. I’d offer my own words here, but it’s hard to imagine a more fitting castoff than the one he once offered to us all as words of encouragement:

And he sailed off through night and day
In and out of weeks
And almost over a year
To where the wild things are

Vidal Sassoon 1928 – 2012

Yesterday the world received the news that the man who revolutionized the way women’s hair was cut, Vidal Sassoon, had passed away. Famous for the classic bob and his five point cut, he has been liberating the women of the 60’s with his ‘wash and wear’ style. He has been called the Chanel of Hair, a rock star, an artist and a craftsman who “changed the world with a pair of scissors.”

The London born hairdresser’s fame started the day he made a cut for Nancy Kwan. The iconic bob, which was captured in a portrait by Terrence Donovan and broadcasted to the world through Vogue, was the starting point that led everyday women, models and film stars to his salon on Bond Street. Like any good ‘couturier’, Sassoon was not afraid of taking risks, experimenting and customizing his cuts to best fit his models’ features. “My idea was to cut shape into the hair, to use it like fabric and take away everything that was superfluous”, he said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 1993.

The industry normally refers to fashion designers as artists who helped define our style history and way of life, but we dare to claim that Vidal Sassoon could be included in that group of names. He helped define the 60’s Britain, and saved the women who were going back to work, from dryers, curlers and hours at the beauty salons.

2010, “Vidal Sassoon: The Movie” was released and was a part of the Offical Selection of Tribeca Film Festival. A film documenting and celebrating the life and the legacy of the man who created the styles of icons like Mary Quant and Mia Farrow, and who according to American Vogue’s creative editor Grace Coddington “revolutionized just not hair, but fashion.”