Hasta La Ideas

Oakland art gallery Johansson Projects presents Article X, “where functional objects are removed from their usual vocabularies and placed in zones of ambiguity, absurdity, and anxiety.” The show will feature work by two artists, David Trautrimas and Kristina Lewis.

Trautrimas imagines Cold War military installations through the digital re-imaging of discarded parts from household appliances like coffee pots, electric razors, oil cans and waffle irons. According to Johannson Projects, these “structures are the hypothesized origins of appliances that eventually trickled down to the public as common household goods that came to define the zeitgeist of the era.” We’re wondering what the flip side might be—something optimistic, utopic, Ant Farm-esque made from biodegradable packaging and strange gourds?

Lewis works directly (and less polemically) with objects to “free them of their allegiance to the human agenda and give [them] a space to play.” For example, below, a building rebels through its light switch:

ARTICLE X
Johansson Projects, Oakland, CA
Reception: February 5th, 5-8pm
January 30th – March 20th 2010

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Last week’s first international town hall at Ecoteque in Stockholm was a success! Thanks to Pernilla Ankh for her photographs and Johan Ranstam for the recap.

“We aim to give visitors the energy, inspiration and knowledge to live modern, climate-smart lives.” (Birgitta Sandström Lagercrantz, The Ecoteque)

Everything on The Ecoteque menu was eco-labeled and Hermans Ekohandel-sponsored with organically farmed, roasted almonds.

“I have gone from feeling like I am playing in the band on the Titanic to more desperately trying to stop the captain claiming the benefits of a melted polar iceberg.” (Martin Willers, PEOPLE PEOPLE)

Do you want to roll in the green? Yes? And you do what? Design for a sustainable society? Allow me to smile… Hold it! Sustainable design doesn’t have to be all about eating plain noodles for the rest of your pitiful life. The recent Designer’s Accord Town Hall meeting in Stockholm just happened to be the first one ever outside of the US. Hosted by the Swedish Association of Designers Dec. 10th at Ecoteque, the topic of the evening was The Profitability of Sustainability. The leader of the gang was Martin Willers, Design Strategist at People People. Mr. Willers has been working in design and sustainability, and has often felt a conflict between the two. However, there is no conflict. There is a gap, and the solution is knowledge. For designers: to understand the impact of their products. For companies: to understand that there is money to make.

People are bad. Really bad. Designers in particular. Some say 80% of the environmental impact of a product or service is decided at the idea stage. Thus, says Mattias Ohlson from Cradle to cradle, people should strive to act like ants. The ant society leaves no residues which nature can’t handle. Your waste is my food. Design like you were living in a huge anthill. For example, if there was a plastic that maintained its properties although melted and remolded, a vacuum cleaner made from such a material could be recollected and fully recycled. Now, here’s the good news: This material already exists and could even be less expensive than regular plastics. Less cost means better profitability. So, what are you waiting for?

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It’s no secret that the 2010 Olympics are striving to be the greenest to date. And with the recent unveiling of the Leaf, Nissan’s new mass-produced electric car, Vancouver finds itself positioned as the first Canadian city to see this verdant ride take the road.

But that’s not the only green on Vancouver’s mind.

Design Week Vancouver 2010 wants to focus on currency and the value of design. From April 26-30, the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada will host one of Icograda’s signature events in Vancouver. Central themes of culture, commerce and communications will be backed by a global lineup of speakers who will engage in cross-disciplinary dialogue. By combining various design disciplines with government and business leaders, an environment for a collective conversation can emerge. And leaves us curious to see what might happen when you get Cameron Sinclair, Debbie Millman and Nathan Shedroff in the same room.

Early bird registration is open.

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If you happen to be anywhere near Cologne, Germany between the 18th and the 24th of January, be sure to visit Designer’s Fair 2010, an exciting event coinciding with the city’s interior design week. According to their press release, the exhibit “consciously seeks to bring together its most exciting new discoveries” instead of “showing the most famous names in the business.” We can empathize with that.

After a successful first run in 2009, the event is expanding into a roomier venue for its second year, adding projects from international participants and other design disciplines (for example, fashion). Presentations and panel discussions also dot the schedule, addressing topics that seem particularly appropriate for young designers, including “plagiarism, recycling design, and the fine art of making money.”

For more information, check out highlights from the 2009 gallery and the full press release here.

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Faro Measuring System’s Laser ScanArm might bring back bad memories of the dentist, but in fact it’s another 3D scanning solution–this one mounted to an articulated arm that not only helps you hold it steady, but records the scanner’s position in space. Faro’s Orlando Perez shoots and captures a mini Lady Liberty:

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