Hasta La Ideas

Time’s a wastin’ to catch the stellar Donald Judd exhibition at New York’s David Zwirner gallery, but procrastinators will be rewarded with a special film program on the show’s final day, this Saturday, June 25. First up is The Artist’s Studio: Donald Judd, Michael Blackwood‘s 2010 compilation of unused footage from two previous films (American Art in the 1960s and Masters of Modern Sculpture: Part III The New World). The 30-minute film, which will be shown four consecutive times beginning at 10:30 a.m., follows Judd from his SoHo home and studio to his early adventures in Marfa, Texas. The remote west Texas town is the focus of the day’s second film: Marfa Voices, a gorgeous documentary short by Rainer Judd, the artist’s daughter. Co-directed by Karen Bernstein, the film features excerpts from interviews conducted for the Judd Foundation‘s ongoing Oral History Project. Among the Marfa residents and Judd intimates who share their anecdotes are artist Boyd Elder, studio manager Dudley Del Balso, art dealer Paula Cooper, and lawyer Carl Ryan, who steals the show with his astute observations and brilliant comic timing. Rainer Judd will be on hand to introduce the film (screening at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m.) and answer questions afterwards. Until then, enjoy the trailer:

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Alex and Jerome, the duo behind London-based Design Marketo, behind their lemon bar.

London-based Design Marketo orchestrated a great project for Sofia Design Week. This time their temporary hangout place and pop-up shop was all related to lemons, in particular lemonade.

A variety of really nice design objects was on show, commissioned specifically for this event. My favorite object is Lemon Toys by Loris & Livia, a new interpretation of the classical wooden lemon squeezer, made from upcycled vintage and new wooden staircase parts.

The Lemonatus mixing straw, designed by Julian Bond, allows you to enjoy a glass of “fresh-squeezed” lemonade instantaneously: One straw goes into the lemon, the other into a glass of water. Suck, and both liquids mix in the upper mixing chamber, et voila, you get your lemonade. It really works!

One of the workshops that Design Marketo offered was about creating lemon bread.

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Design Miami/Basel 2011: here are some images of installations at Design Miami/Basel by this year’s W Hotels Designers of the Future award winners Studio Juju, Asif Khan and mischer’traxler.

Above: In the Clouds by Asif Khan

London designer Asif Khan created floating clouds of foaming bubbles by filling soap suds with helium and forcing them through fishing nets.

Above: Dyadic Conversations by mischer’traxler

Thomas Traxler and Katharina Mischer of mischer’traxler present mirrors that only work when more than one person is standing in front of them, alongside their Relumine lights (see our earlier story).

Above and top: Juju Has Us Talking by Studio Juju

Singapore designers Timo Wong and Priscilla Lui of Studio Juju have created a meeting place with flexible metal strips that frame little blue chairs.

Above: In the Clouds by Asif Khan

Design Miami/Basel continues until 18 June.

Above: Dyadic Conversations by mischer’traxler

See last year’s W Hotels Designers of the Future installations here.

Here are details from Design Miami/Basel:

W HOTELS 2011 DESIGNERS OF THE FUTURE REVEAL INNOVATIVE WORKS AT DESIGN MIAMI/ BASEL

Winners of the Coveted Award Display Their “Conversation Pieces” at the Global Forum for Design

Continuing its dedication and passion for innovation in design, W Hotels Worldwide today unveiled the works of the 2011 W Hotels Designers of the Future award winners during Design Miami/ Basel.  Now in its second year, the successful alliance between W Hotels and Design Miami/ seeks to expand the benefits that the award brings to the winners, giving the emerging designers a global platform on which to showcase their work.

“W Hotels DNA stems from innovative design and we are always looking toward the future at what is new and next,” says Eva Ziegler, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide. “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Design Miami/ and celebrate these three forward-thinking design studios as they present their work to the world.”

The 2011 W Hotels Designers of the Future Award looks beyond traditional product and furniture design, seeking work that is truly groundbreaking and innovative.  This year, the recognized designers were commissioned to draw inspiration from “Conversation Pieces,” a theme provided to the design candidates by Design Miami/ Basel and W Hotels.

The 2011 W Hotels Designers of the Future Awards winners were announced during Salone del Mobile in Milan and include:

• Asif Khan
• Mischer’Traxler – Thomas Traxler & Katharina Mischer
• Studio Juju – Timo Wong & Priscilla Lui

These three winners were chosen by a selection committee comprising of Wava Carpenter, Associate Director, Design Miami/; Aric Chen, Beijing Design Week; Li Edelkoort, Edelkoort Inc.; Marcus Fairs, Editor-in-Chief, Dezeen.com; Alexis Georgacopoulos, Director of the Ecole cantonale d’art de Lausanne; Constance Rubini, School of Decorative Arts, Paris; Kenya Hara, Creative Director, Muji; Konstantin Grcic, KGID; Zoe Ryan, Art Institute of Chicago; and Mike Tiedy, Senior Vice President, Global Brand Design & Innovation, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.,  the parent company of W Hotels Worldwide.

“Being at the forefront of design is an ongoing goal for W Hotels,” says Mike Tiedy, Senior Vice President, Global Brand Design & Innovation, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “To identify and connect with these emerging designers will continue to drive design forward at W Hotels across the globe.”

The “Conversation Pieces” created by the 2011 award winners are three distinct designs that showcase each studio’s range of talent.  Asif Khan turns foaming bubbles into an architectural yet whimsical element of design, while Studio Juju constructs a social space where people can convene.  Mischer’Traxler creates conversation by using mirrors that work only when two or more people stand in front of them.  All of the pieces trigger an immediate response in the viewer, from serious to fanciful, creating conversation that is sure to last beyond the Design Miami/ Basel exhibition halls.

The winners of last year’s W Hotels Designer of the Future Awards – Beta Tank, Graham Hudson, rAndom International, and Zigelbaum + Coelho – are continuing to celebrate their successes.  W Hotels created a global platform for these designers, helping them take their work from a conceptual stage to a level where they can expose their work to consumers and design enthusiasts alike.  The winners traveled to W locations across the globe during key design weeks, setting up on-site installations at W Barcelona, W Doha and showcasing their work during Istanbul Design week.  Zigelbaum + Coelho and rAndom International were also integrated at the W Taipei premiere event in March 2011, where rAndom International had also created a permanent installation for the hotel. Zigelbaum + Coelho was commissioned to create installations for the W St. Petersburg premiere event, which took place earlier this month.

See also:

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W Hotels Designers of the Future 2010	Tetra light by Peter Liversidge and Asif Khan	Relumine by Mischer’Traxler

The members of Cherga Design Group, a group of young Bulgarian designers, are currently showcasing their latest products in the Lozenets Water Tower for Sofia Design Week. The water tower is an amazing place with a long winding staircase and various levels, presenting an interesting mix of great projects.

Featured above is Velichko Velikov “Lastika” chair that he created for the Italian furniture company Lago.

Looking down from the first level of the water tower.

Topographic lampshade by Volen Valentinov

Felt toy characters by Nevena Todorova.

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Anish Kapoor, one of the first artists involved in speaking out against Ai Weiwei‘s ongoing detainment by Chinese authorities, has put his money where his mouth is this week, as The Art Newspaper reports that he’s “canceled plans to present his sculptures at the National Museum of China in Beijing.” Kapoor had been invited by the British Council, an organization that develops “high-quality events and link thousands of artists, cultural leaders and arts institutions in more than 100 countries, drawing them into a closer relationship with the UK” for a planned exhibition next year in China’s capital city called “UK Now.” While Kapoor dropping out in protest likely won’t put an end to the event, it surely isn’t the sort of initial press neither the Chinese government, nor the Council, would prefer. Here’s a bit more:

Kapoor has been outspoken in his criticism of the Chinese government’s treatment of Ai Weiwei, since his detention on 3 April. On 10 May, when he opened his Leviathan installation at the Grand Palais in Paris, he dedicated it to the Chinese artist, describing his detention as “barbaric”. Once Kapoor had spoken out, it was realised that his participation in the “UK Now” festival would be difficult. A British Council spokeswoman stressed that the exhibition proposal had been at “a very early stage, and until he had seen the space we could not have proceeded”.

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