Hasta La Ideas

Artists Studio Job customised a Land Rover Defender by adding a golden horn, a tongue and a stained glass window in celebration of the iconic vehicle’s sixty-fifth birthday.

Studio Job took the black four-wheel-drive vehicle, painted it glossy white and embellished it with elements made from bronze, wood, ceramics and other materials to create the Automobile sculpture for Land Rover, which the artists compare to “a Popemobile for an African chief”.

“It all got totally out of hand!” said the studio’s founder Job Smeets. “The moment that black lady entered our workshop, inspiration started to flow out of our ears. One idea after another.”

The studio looked to the vehicle’s different uses, from royal transportation to African ambulances, for ideas and starting points for the add-ons.

“Defender is an emotionally charged icon,” said Smeets. “On the one hand it’s the car that is used in Africa as an ambulance, taxi or agriculture machine; on the other hand it’s also the Chelsea Tractor that pampered ladies use to drop their children off at the hockey club. It’s used as a fire truck and it’s the queen of England’s favourite automobile. So, it’s a very diverse vehicle.”

The studio has also layered elements from their previous work, such as bubbles and faceted bronze from the Robber Baron series of furniture the globe used in the scenography for a 2010 Victor & Rolf fashion show.

A giant bronze rhino horn was added to the bonnet and a tongue sticks out from the front grille. Flag poles are mounted on the front bumper and fire engine lights sit on the rail around the roof.

Three of the wheels have had their rims replaced with a model of the Capitol building in Washington DC, a birthday cake and a pulley cog. The fourth has been substituted for a wooden cart wheel.

The interior has been upholstered with African-style prints designed by Studio Job and produced by Dutch textile brand Vlisco, and stained glass windows are patterned with tribal masks and tropical shapes.

Studio Job first released images of the design while it was still in progress earlier this year. Now complete, the piece is on display at the PAN Amsterdam gallery until 1 December. Movie is by Dave Hakkens.

Here’s some more information sent to us by Studio Job:

Hotch-Potch on Wheels

Studio Job and Land Rover – sparks were bound to fly. Job Smeets and Nynke Tynagel were invited to come up with a special version of the car to celebrate its 65th birthday. The result is a masterpiece, a summary of their whole oeuvre in all its layered facets.

Land Rover Defender has turned 65. That means this robust cross-country vehicle long ago passed the minimum age to qualify as an old-timer. In order to enhance the vehicle’s history and aura, Studio Job was asked to take this 4×4 in hand. A great car requires a great vision, which in this case carried a certain risk – after all, with Studio Job one ever knows what to expect. In their own way, they have created an ode to the vehicle that makes many of us dream of adventures in distant Africa. Eventually, it has turned out to be more than simply a revised or pimped vehicle. The result is a sculpture that questions escapism, power relationships and above all Studio Job’s own work.

“Designing a car is the same as when, as a designer, you’re sometimes given the chance to redefine a hotel: it’s a higher goal. You don’t get such important commissions every day,” says Job Smeets, who, together with Nynke Tynagel, forms the duo behind Studio Job. “On top of that, Defender is an emotionally charged icon. On the one hand it’s the car that is used in Africa as an ambulance, taxi or agriculture machine; on the other hand it’s also the Chelsea Tractor that pampered ladies use to drop their children off at the hockey club. It’s used as a fire truck and it’s the queen of England’s favourite automobile. So, it’s a very diverse vehicle. We’ve approached that golden carriage in our own way, maybe not so much from the angle of this one car but rather from the phenomenon of the holy cow in general.”

It has become a pièce de résistance. The Land Rover has been submerged in a Studio Job “bath”, with all that this implies. Like a project that has got out of hand, the Land Rover has been dissected and interpreted, ridiculed and celebrated, laden with stories and adorned with a variety of materials. The motor has remained in place but driving the vehicle is anything but a comfortable experience. One of the four wheels has been replaced by a cartwheel; another wheel has been given a miniature version of the Capitol for its rim. A gigantic rhinoceros stands in all its glory like a golden phallus on the bonnet, and a headlight has been replaced by a candle that hardly gives any light in the dark. The seats have been upholstered in wax prints made by Vlisco, the brand that produces exclusive materials specifically for the African rich. The stained glass windows in turn display magic masks from remote tribes.

“As you would expect from someone who knows nothing about making a car, our approach got completely out of hand,” says Job Smeets. “The numerous elements kept accumulating. The car literally sticks its tongue out. It wants to be something that it actually isn’t. It’s become a great concoction, monumental and cynical. But isn’t that also true for power and class structures? Those are surely also inventions. A fictive status symbol that other people supposedly look up to. It’s also a nudge at designers who are asked to design a concept car and who then invent a stylish-looking apparatus that is launched with all the necessary bells and whistles. So we also take aim at the car industry: I can already imagine the chief sitting in this modern carriage, with the chauffeur in the front and his various wives and children in the back. A Popemobile for an African chief, personalised in a bizarre way.”

It is either an extremely layered or a completely failed project that can be interpreted in different ways: as a pamphlet against outward appearance, as an ode to a holy cow, as a painful joke or as a rather unsubtle protest. But besides this layered approach and the humour, the most captivating storyline is that of Studio Job itself. Even though they keep their cards close to their chest, this sculpture is at the same time a parody of their own work. Apart from the many details that clearly breathe the world of Studio Job, the sculpture has above all become a sampling of the many exclusive materials and monumental techniques that Job Smeets and Nynke Tynagel have used during recent years. It is a narrative hotch-potch on four wheels, from bronze, wood and crystal to textiles, ceramics and stained glass. Studio Job have again shown that they are masters in the use of all these materials, expressed in the most varied shapes. In their unique way, they know the power of the materials and how to combine them in a completely idiosyncratic manner in this single sculpture.

What a perfect way to celebrate Land Rover’s 65 birthday!

Zero40 (white coated Defender)
photo R. Rezvani (black Defender during ‘making of’ in March 2013)
video D. Hakkens
fashion Viktor & Rolf.

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into “hotch-potch on wheels” appeared first on Dezeen.

Studio Job founder Job Smeets looks back over his career to date and explains why sculpture is so important to his studio’s work in this movie Dezeen filmed at Moooi’s Unexpected Welcome exhibition in Milan. 

“When we started [Studio Job], it was very simple: we wanted creative freedom,” Smeets says.

“The only way to reach creative freedom was to design sculptures, because when you do a sculpture, each sculpture can be a unique piece. That’s perfect. Not for economical reasons, but it’s perfect for creation because every time you can start to design a new piece.”

Smeets continues: “We started to sculpt pieces and cast them in bronze. As with plastic, with bronze you can make any shape you like. Plastic is for the industry and bronze is for the art world, but I thought: ‘let’s turn that issue into something beautiful and introduce sculpture into design’.”

Studio Job’s work straddles both the art and design worlds, but Smeets says he does not distinguish between the two.

“I really don’t care,” he says. “When you are trying to separate art from design, you are creating a ghetto, which is always a bad thing. Let’s not have borders in creation.”

Studio Job has designed collections for Moooi since its range of paper furniture launched in 2007.

“The first thing you learn in Kindergarten is to work with paper,” Smeets says of the collection. “So it’s a very authentic approach.”

Subsequent collections include a gothic chair made from plastic and a series of hand-painted furniture inspired by antique German designs, while Studio Job’s latest pieces for Moooi’s Unexpected Welcome collection include lamps shaped like upturned buckets.

“Now we’re sitting here in a total design environment, we have 35 or 40 products we did for Moooi on show here,” Smeets says. “I’m a happy artist and a happy designer.”

However, Smeets believes that the influence of sculpture is still apparent in these industrial pieces.

“In a way, the Moooi pieces are becoming a little bit more sculptural,” he says. “If you look at the bucket lamp series, for instance, it’s a mixture of wood, of paper, of brass. It’s quite interesting.”

He continues. “[Today], we are allowed to do s*** like that. Five years ago, if I came up with a bucket upside down on a wooden pedestal they would say, ‘do it on your own, don’t do it here’.”

“I think that has to do with trust. We are getting old and people tend to trust you when you’re over forty, no?”

All the designs featured in the movie are by Studio Job. Photography by J.B. Mondino, R. Kot, K. Vrancken, A. Meewis, Groninger Museum, Moooi, Z33.

See all our Milan 2013 coverage »
Watch our Dezeen and MINI World Tour video reports from Milan »

The post “When you try to separate art and design
you create a ghetto” – Job Smeets appeared first on Dezeen.

Milan 2013: Dutch brand Moooi has sent us these sketches by designers including Marcel Wanders, Studio Job and Joost van Bleiswijk for the Dutch firm’s new collection launching in Milan next week.

Above: Cloud Sofa by Marcel Wanders

Presented at Via Savona 56, Moooi‘s Unexpected Welcome collection will feature new products by brand co-founder Marcel Wanders, including the Cloud Sofa, the Bell Lamp topped with a ceramic bow and the Farooo Lamp based on a lighthouse.

Above: Bell Lamp by Marcel Wanders

Also included are two helmet-like lamps decorated with Japanese fish and flowers by Milanese designer Lorenza Bozzoli and the crane-like Construction Lamp by Dutch designer Joost van Bleiswijk.

Above: Farooo Lamp by Marcel Wanders

Artists Studio Job will present a set of lamps with metal buckets or tubs for shades and a collection of interlocking furniture called Labirinth.

Above: Labyrinth by Studio Job

Slovenian designer Nika Zupanc will unveil a Golden Chair with a minimal silhouette, while Shanghai studio Neri & Hu will show a group of tables titled Common Comrades and Swiss design duo ZMIK will present a hinged hanging lamp called Kroon.

Above: Bucket lamp by Studio Job

Photography by Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf will surround the works. “Expect to arrive in Milano to experience two parallel universes collide,” Wanders told Dezeen. “In the midst of it you’ll encounter the works of Erwin Olaf, and also my new furniture for Moooi.”

Above: Tub lamp by Studio Job

“The 2013 Moooi presentation is a game changer,” said Moooi founder and CEO Casper Vissers. “You will find the creativity and soul of Moooi as a brand together with the individual, innovative and sparkling products from the designers we collaborate with. We will make your visit to Moooi unexpected and very welcome again!”

Above: Construction Lamp by Joost van Bleiswijk

Unexpected Welcome will be on show at Via Savona 56 in the Tortona district from 9 to 14 April. Our own Dezeen and MINI World Tour movie studio will be located just down the road at the MINI Paceman Garage – more details here.

Above: Kroon lamps by ZMIK

Other Moooi products we’ve featured include a clock inspired by London landmark Big Ben and a glass and spun metal lamp – see all design by Moooi and see all design by Studio Job.

Other products launching in Milan this year include an aluminium sideboard by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec and modular furniture made from Meccano-like perforated steel plates – see all products and news from Milan 2013.

Above: Common Comrades by Neri & Hu

Here’s more information from Moooi:

On occasion of the 52nd edition of the Salone del Mobile, Moooi has prepared an entire collection of refreshing new designs and surprising experiences that will be revealed at an unexpected location: via Savona 56. From the 8th to the 14th of April Moooi is taking up residence in the imposing space of 1.700 m2 and transforming it into a stylish assembly of colourful living quarters, new product displays, lounges, an artistic exhibition, along with the FRAME Moooi award nominees exposition, panel discussion, exclusive ceremony and VIP cocktail evening.

Above: Golden Chair by Nika Zupanc

Moooi’s biggest gift to the public is to reveal how a wide empty space can be magically transformed into several iconic, rich and colourfully dressed living quarters. This assortment of interior environments is decorated with an inspiring variety of patterns and colours to embrace any kind of space and make people of different ages, cultures and personalities fall in love with their homes. Of course Moooi will make sure to dress and accessorise all the interior sets with an irresistible blend of exquisite richness, nurturing warmth and colourful playfulness.

The living quarters will be furnished with items from the current collection & many new, exciting creations by Marcel Wanders, Studio Job, Joost van Bleiswijk, Edward van Vliet, Neri & Hu, Nika Zupanc, Moooi Works/Bart Schilder, Bertjan Pot, Raimond Puts, Lorenza Bozzoli and ZMIK (Mattias Mohr & Rolf Indermuhle). You are welcome to enjoy, amongst others, the artistic temperament and intimate nature of Marcel Wanders’ Canvas, Zliq and Cloud sofas, the retro atmospheres of Nika Zupanc’s Golden Chair and the sophisticated brightness of ZMIK’s Kroon chandeliers. Take some time to walk around and study the high-stream inventiveness of Joost van Bleiswijk’s Construction lamps, the pragmatic playfulness of Studio Job’s Bucket & Tub lamps and the graceful symbolism of Lorenza Bozzoli’s Juuyo lamps.

Above: Juuyo lamp, Koi Carp Tattoo by Lorenza Bozzoli

The new designs can also be admired and observed in detail along an extensive ‘catwalk’ presentation, in which they ‘pose’ individually to share their pristine beauty with the public. This unexpected home vision brings to life a whole world of new ideas and inspiring settings to brighten up daily life with a touch of magic. It represents a place where visions converge and where every traveller can stop to admire the perfect eclectic mix of culture & experiences that make a home environment more beautiful and unique. Celebrating the successful cooperation and friendship between two highly creative souls, Marcel Wanders has asked renowned photographer Erwin Olaf to join the Moooi presentation with a grand selection of photographs from his personal work. Interior design meets artistic photography and they connect, creating the perfect balance between two inspiring, stylish and playful realities.

The photographs unfold their stories and feelings on a large scale, reaching a stunning height of 4,5 meters especially for this exhibition. Admiring them feels like stepping into a world of exceptional sophistication, permeated with the sharp intensity of human emotions and enveloped in a dreamy haze of subtle tension. Although cleverly concealed, their hidden stories instinctively appeal and connect to our deepest sense of being, revealing the strong frailty of the human spirit. Erwin Olaf has chosen to challenge the public with pieces for his series Grief, Fall, Keyhole and Berlin which respectively challenge everyday notions, dwell on sensations of shame & guilt, or show the transcendent relation between people in a different light.

Above: Juuyo lamp, Peach Flowers by Lorenza Bozzoli

Especially for this occasion the Moooi presentation will be inhabited and characterized by a number of colourful mannequins by Hans Boodt. Combining 25 years of experience in visual merchandizing, creativity and know-how, the world-famous, high-quality mannequins of Hans Boodt never fail to make a great impression with their strong charisma. They will make themselves at home at Moooi’s presentation, bringing an extra feeling of intimacy to the living quarters and resembling peoples’ personality, style & taste. Real and surreal at the same time!

This year the exclusive Frame Moooi Award ceremony, VIP cocktail evening and panel discussion will also take place in via Savona 56. On the 10th of April a selected crowd of design professionals is invited to attend a unique cocktail evening dedicated to the celebration of creativity and design. Jana Scholze (Curator of Contemporary Furniture at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum) will crown the winner, who will receive a tempting award of €25,000. Detailed information on the 10 shortlisted designs will be available throughout the entire week of the Salone on artistic, informative panels at via Savona 56.

Above: Unexpected Welcome collection

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sketches by Moooi appeared first on Dezeen.

Design Miami: the Eiffel Tower is reimagined as a bronze table lamp by Belgian artists Studio Job, who also present an upside-down Taj Mahal table at Design Miami this week.

The Tour Eiffel lamp is made from patinated bronze and features a polished bronze lampshade fixed to the bent peak of the tower.

Studio Job‘s Job Smeets explained his inspiration for the piece: “While having a summer lunch with Loic and Julien of Carpenters [Workshop Gallery] on the top of Centre Pompidou I had this amazing view of the Tour Eiffel and dreamt about my bohemian life in Paris back in the Nineties. You know, when the world was young and Tour Eiffel was my best friend and close neighbour. Anyway, somewhere between entrée and main the guys commissioned a lamp. One thing led to another!”

The Taj Mahal table, also made from patinated and polished bronze, flips the Indian landmark on its head so that it rests on its four corner turrets.

Carpenters Workshop Gallery is showing both pieces at Design Miami this week, where Dezeen will be reporting on all the best designs and installations – see all our stories from Design Miami.

We’ve already published a collection of photosensitive vases by design duo Glithero launching in Miami this week.

Other projects by Studio Job on Dezeen include a studded plastic chair for design brand Moooi and the studio’s solo show at the Groninger Museum in the Netherlands last year.

See all our stories about Studio Job »
See all our stories about Design Miami »
See all our stories about lamps »

Photographs of the lamp are by P. Laarhoven and photographs of the table are by Carpenters Workshop Gallery.

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by Studio Job appeared first on Dezeen.

The Groninger Museum in the Netherlands has re-opened following a renovation including areas designed by Studio Job, Maarten Baas and Jaime Hayón.

Above and top: Job Lounge by Studio Job

Studio Job created the entrance hall (above), featuring stained-glass windows and furniture inlaid with skeletal images.

Above: Mendini Restaurant by Maarten Baas

Maarten Baas redesigned the Mendini Restaurant, including handmade furniture from his Clay project (see our earlier story).

Above: Mendini Restaurant by Maarten Baas

Jaime Hayón created an information centre where hoods rise up from the tables to shelter computer monitors.

Above: Info centre by Jaime Hayón

Photographs are by Peter Tahl.

The information below is from the museum:

GRONINGER MUSEUM REOPENS AFTER REVITALIZATION

After a renovation project which took over 8 months, the Groninger Museum will reopen its doors to the public on Sunday 19 December. The entire building has regained its original lustre and and its colours have been fully restored. Several rooms have been thoroughly renovated by the top designers Maarten Baas, Studio Job and Jaime Hayon. They designed, respectively, the Mendini Restaurant, the Job Lounge and the Info Center, the ultramodern digital visitors’ information centre. Total cost of the operation: nearly 6 million Euros.

Above: Info centre by Jaime Hayón

Interior

The Groninger Museum can hold its own with other top museums in the Netherlands and Western Europe. To hold this position requires constant innovation and improvement. As a starting point for their spectacular new design of the reception hall Job Lounge, Studio Job took the typical 19th-century private gentlemen’s clubs, frequented by their characteristic members, all smoking and wearing top hats.

Above: Job Lounge by Studio Job

The Info Center, the new visitors’ information centre, was designed by the young Spanish artist Jaime Hayon, whose work has featured worldwide in the major art and design publications. The Mendini Restaurant on the museum’s premises was refurnished by Maarten Baas, who derived his inspiration from his Clay collection. The furniture objects in this collection have a metal frame and are made of industrial clay. Baas designed a series of new Clay models especially for the Mendini Restaurant. They are entirely handmade.

Above: Job Lounge by Studio Job

Subsidizing institutions: Gemeente Groningen (Local Council), Provincie Groningen (County Council) Samenwerkingsverband Noord Nederland (Cooperation Northern Netherlands)

Main contractor: Bouwgroep Dijkstra Draisma.

See also:

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