Wieki Somers

A few Sundays ago I found myself standing in front of Weiki Somers’ very red “Chinese Stools—Made in China, Copied by Dutch” (2007) at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. I had seen them published in various publications (American Craft, New York Times’ T magazine, etc) but the impact of seeing them twinkling in lineup at full scale stopped me in my tracks. They are casted aluminum from stools that Somers acquired while taking residency in Beijing the summer of 2007. She became curious about the customized street stools and the daily life in the fast growing Beijing metropolis.

Somers explains on her site, “These ancient chairs were often barely recognizable, having undergone so many improvised repairs and modifications. I was struck by their many charming details, which connect the diverse materials and parts, and link them to their respective makers. The stools testify to a long history in which both the maker and the user have left their traces. When I started to purchase some of these stools, the neighbors noticed by admiration, and they all invited me to their homes, where I became acquainted with the many stories attached to them.

Finally I decided to cast a few stools in aluminum. The original stools vanished in the process, but in this way I could preserve their memory from the ravages of time and pay homage to their makers. The colours of the stools refer to the other side of Beijing (some would call it the modern side): the public display of prosperity and pride by putting sparkling extra layers on cars and products.”

A few rooms later I came across Somers’ “High Tea Pot” in “On the table” exhibit showcasing a collection of utensils and dishware from various designers expanding nearly 100 years. As stated on Somers’ website, “A porcelain pig’s scull is a teapot, the tea-cozy is made of rat’s fur.” She explains the piece is about were the ‘tasty and unsavory, harm and delight’ are inseparable and it is her intentions to make “you get curious how the tea actually tastes.” The object isn’t for looking only—the vessel can pour tea!

Somers graduated from Design Academy in Eindhoven in 2000. Her objects are produced mostly as limited productions and collaborates frequently with specialized artisans, ceramicists, etc. You can learn more about her work by clicking here.

The Hourglass by Marc Newson

The Hourglass from Ikepod on Vimeo.

My friend Scott Newlin sent me this video showing the making of one of Marc Newson’s latest projects for Ikepod. The Australian designer revisits the design of the most memorable timepiece—the hourglass. The video is directed by Philip Andleman with music by Philip Glass. It’s stunning. The video documents the creation of the Newson’s hourglass inside the Glaskeller factory in Basel, Switzerland.

Chris Antemann

Chris Antemann’s figural porcelain tableaux are naughty, resembling 18th-century French courtiers and housemaids cavorting with naked suitors. I start thinking of Marie Antoinette and her entourage prancing about Versailles. An homage to traditional European and Asian figurines (think Meissen, Staffordshire, Royal Delft) Antemann’s milieus are marked by flawlessly delicate craftsmanship and are about relationships between women and androgynous men giving the settings an erotic and emotional charge. This summer Antemann is setting up shop at Meissen, the three-hundred-year old venerable German porcelain factory to embark on making oversize mise-en-scènes. I can’t hardly wait.

Marloes ten Bhömer

Marloes ten Bhömer innovative footwear combines clean lines, materials and construction techniques that are influenced by

design and architecture.

“Her works question our perception of functionality, fusing

art and technology to create an origami like production, working with materials ranging from wood to polyurethane resin,

tarpaulin, steel and fiberglass”, quoted from the Virtual Shoe

Museum.

Synesthesia / Directed by Terri Timely

Synesthesia is a neurologically-based condition when one sensory stimulus triggers a different kind of sensation like seeing colors and shapes when you hear music or like smelling one thing when tasting another. What does a blueberry sound like?

This short film titled Synesthesia is directed by Bay Area Ian Kibbey and Corey Creasey whose moniker is Terri Timely. The two met whilst studying at Berkeley and have made over 25 videos to date. Synesthesia is a personal project. The short depicts an asian family during which each member of the family experience a different aspect of the condition.

The set design and wardrobe was influenced by the architecture and interior design of Ho Chi Minh City’s Reunification Palace (Vietnam).

Neues Museum / Photographs by Frederike Von Rauch

A few months ago Mike and I were visiting Berlin to celebrate our dear friend, Susana’s birthday. One afternoon after the festivities had died down, we wandered over to the Neues Museum. Situated in the center of the Museum Island it is one impressive piece of architecture. The museum is one of the last big buildings in Berlin to be brought back to life. After World War II, the building had been a ruin; and it has reopened to contain the very same art, Berlin’s famous Egyptian collection, before it got bombed out. 

Architect David Chipperfield can be credited for the conservation of the building. The process took ten years. In June 15, 2010 David Chipperfield Architects’ Neues Museum received the Grand Prix of the European Heritage Awards. The award highlights Europe’s best achievements preserving Europe’s rich architectural, landscape, archaeological and artistic heritage. The incorporation of modern architecture is so sensitive and considered that I can see why it took so many years. Each room reveals historical breaches while harmonizing them with the needs of a contemporary functioning museum. He preserved the Neoclassical lines while at the same time creating working modern spaces. 

Included here are the photographs of  Friedrike Von Rauch and her visual documentation of the building in the final stages. She captured moments of unbelievable beauty in the building. Through the photographs you can’t help imagine the building’s past and future which reveals the genius of Chipperfield’s plan. 

Check out the book published by Hatje Cantz. It’s beautifully printed.

Bonnie Cashin

Have you ever studied a person in a photograph and imagined that they must have had an exciting and marvelous life? When I look at pictures of Bonnie Cashin (1915-2000), Californian-born designer, that’s what comes to my mind. She looks like she is having fun even when she was working. I love her whimsical childhood drawings of the La La Girls. Legend has it helped her secure her first job as a costume designer.

In her day Cashin shunned Parisian couturiers that was widely accepted as the arbiters of global fashion. She created practical but stylish lightweight separates that could be layered and adapted to the modern woman’s lifestyle. Her clothes transitioned from season to season, city to country and day to night. Her pragmatic but stylish design popularized the notion that woman could be chic without sacrificing comfort. She is indeed a pioneer designer in creating ready-to-wear fashion. She is also known for turning Coach from a men’s wallet company to an innovative handbag company during the 60’s.

Her design approach and fresh aesthetics made her alluring for many companies. She freelanced for companies like American Airlines, Samsonite, Bergdorf Gooman, White Stag to Hermes.

Constantly globetrotting around the world she found inspiration in her travels. You see it in her designs and her home. This quote from Cashin sums it up nicely for me. “My interests are people and how they look. I remember the way a fisherman wore his shirt in Portofino—the odd chic of the beige and white starched habit of a little nun in Spain—the straw hat of a man riding a donkey in Rhodes—a man’s wedding scarf in India—the elegant drape of a panung in Bangkok.”