Nika Zupanc's Exhibit At Salon del Mobile Milan 2009

above: from the exhibition invitation to Nika's work in Milan

EXHIBITION AT SUPERSTUDIO PIU, MILAN
I WILL BUY FLOWERS MYSELF
OBJECT GONE INDESCRETE BY NIKA ZUPANC

I have blogged about self proclaimed "communicative product designer" Slovenian Nika Zupanc's work before. Her Ordinary Life, Disturbed series still holds up as some of the most unusual and irreverent furnishings out there and her latest pieces, collaborations and installments are no less interesting.


above: I Will Buy Flowers Myself, exhibition and the artist Nika Zupanc. Portrait of Nika Zupanc by Boštjan Martinjak

from the press release:
Precisely measured eclecticism and the intentional search for feminine archetypal elements are the parameters Nika Zupanc uses in her work, although in a notably reserved and occasionally slightly painful manner. Within the exhibition I will buy flowers myself, Zupanc tackles the established attributes which are this time especially inspired by the stories of some of the most famous female literary heroines. Her display space thus opens up through a sequence of spicy comments cast in shamelessly beautiful forms.

These include sofas, a table, a toy car, a crib, a feather duster, and the Mrs. Dalloway mini hot plate designed for Gorenje (which are all pictured in this post).

The Doll House (shown below) was developed together with the company Trimo and Nika Zupanc designed this installation using the architectural and design options provided by the new and innovative modular facade system, Qbiss by trimo.

The pavilion’s interior is suffused with a passionate intertwining of rational and irrational features in a family of six objects that can be read between the covers of The Doll House as the resistance of women chained in Romanticism that prefer to buy the flowers themselves.

The Doll House Installation:




The designer announces the basic feature of her exhibition even at the entrance to her pavilion at Superstudio Piu, where visitors are confronted with a black, dotted architectural installation. With its chimney and pearlescent smoke, it works as a monolith that separates the world of objects from the world of forms, thus representing a passage into another dimension.

The Mrs. Dalloway mini Hot Plate for Gorenje:



above: Nika Zupanc designed this mini hot plate exclusively for Gorenje, an internationally recognized, ambitious, and design-oriented creator of home appliances.

Tapisserie & Phonique sofas:




The Scarlet table and tray:



Acrylic Cradles:


above: Exhibition prototypes of the cradles were produced by Acrytech Pečenko

The Unfaithful Feather Duster:


available for purchase here.






However, this year Nika Zupanc will not be shown only at her own pavilion. The global super-brands Moooi and Moroso will present products with her signature as well: Moooi will present its series of her Lolita lamps (shown below), and Moroso will present her Tailored Chair (also shown below).

The Lolita Lamp for Moooi:


The Tailored Chair for Moroso:


Be sure to read about her Ordinary Life, Disturbed here.



The exhibition was supported by The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia
Curated by: Jurij Krpan, Art direction: Nika Zupanc, Graphic design: Kabinet 01, Words by: Igor Medjugorac, Photo: Dragan Arrigler, ©Nika Zupanc 2009
www.nikazupanc.com

Best Domestic Appliance Nominees For Wallpaper's Design Awards

It's that wonderful time of year again when Wallpaper Magazine is getting ready to announce their design winners for the year.

Wallpaper* Design Awards 08 in association with Jaguar, does this yearly and they post the shortlist for the International Judges' Awards for each category.

The winners will be announced january 10 -at which time I will share them with you, of course.

In the meantime, enjoy the nominees for Best Domestic Appliance along with images and info not found on the Wallpaper site.

They are as follows:

1.

Alpha TV by Brionvega:
The elegant, 1930s-influenced curves of the ‘Alpha’ testify to the television’s elevation beyond technology to furniture status. The base, which holds a DVD player, is incorporated into the set’s sleek, chromed steel frame (no unwieldy stand required), while the fuss-free, die-cast aluminium remote control lies unobtrusively on the table when not in use.

More images and information (not available on wallpaper.com):
ALPHA CONCEPT

The icon, the past, the dream, the Italianness, the design and the future. Definitely too many meanings for a TV set. The bare necessary for ALPHA, the new generation of Brionvega TV sets.

An LCD TV set with built-in DVD player, characterized by a design which reminds of the immortal decorative masterpieces of the Thirties: Le Corbusier, Breuer, Mies, Eileen Gray.


Alpha is composed of two slender elements joint by a frame in chrome tube within which the special wirings are pulsing. A choice which comes from the rejection of the assumed bidimensionality of common LCD screens, always supported by a cumbersome pedestal, and which focuses on a new layout with the capability of containing the space required by electronics and DVD player.

Even the remote control has attracted a lot of attentions: you perceive the quality of the entire product from the moment you hold it in your hand. Indeed, the material used is die-cast aluminum, not metallized plastic, you just have to place it upside down on the table to find once again all the Brionvega design.

2.


Heater by Plus Minus Zero:
Plus Minus Zero, a company devised by Naoto Fukasawa, released its fourth collection of everyday objects in July 2007. The pieces, which include a coffee maker, old-school digital calculators and this heater, have a distinct 1980s feel yet retain the brand’s iconic minimalism, thoughtfulness and quiet beauty. The small heater sits discreetly under a desk to warm feet.

more info and images:




Available in red, blue or black.
Buy it here.

3.


Katamari 01 speaker by Gyanze:
This is more than just a sleek, modernist design. Enclosed in a forged aluminium block, the built-in digital amp and speaker set offers a room-shaking 15 watts per channel. It switches itself on when it detects an input, can handle a Bluetooth signal and is built like a truck, weighing in at 5.6 kg. If you’re still prepared to travel with it, a wax coating keeps it scratch-free.

more info and images:



AC100V（50・60Hz）30W(待機時２W）
W375×H116×D162mm
Buy it here.

4.


L10 washbasin by Norbert Wangen for Boffi:
The illustrious partnership between Swiss design perfectionist Norbert Wangen and Italian manufacturer Boffi continues to create dazzling results. The ‘L10’ washbasin, with it’s hidden brackets to support it on the wall and covered plug, is perhaps the most seamless sink to date. Made from a solid block of Carrara marble, it is also one of the most luxurious.

more info :
Name: L10 washbasin
Design: Norbert Wangen

Description: Washbasin in white marble with a linear aesthetic. Created from a sold block of Carrera marble, the basin is partially excavated and there is a rear space, with a single hole for the installation of a mono mixer tap. The water outlet is in the middle of the washbasin with a plug covered in the same marble.

The basin can be used both supported on a cabinet and free standing, fixed to the wall with brackets in steel that are integrated into the thickness of the block, and are, therefore, invisible.

Technical features:
Material: white marble.
Dimensions: h. 10 cm, l. 120 cm, d. 50 cm.
Outlet positioned always central with plug covered with marble solid as the washbasin. Wall version load bearing brackets in satinized stainless steel. Equipped with syphon in chromium-plated brass.

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5.


Ora-Ïto Collection for Gorenje:
A French designer with a Japanese name, a dropout genius and a provocative young creative whose work speaks of maturity, Ora-Ïto is full of surprises. His kitchen appliances for Gorenje, including fridge-freezers, ovens and ceramic hobs, blend high technology and simple functionality (what he dubs ‘Simplexity’) behind minimal façades in black glass and brushed aluminium.
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more info and images:









Behind the Ora-Ïto brand is a creative young French designer whose provocative ideas ensured his rapid assent to the very top of the design world. At the beginning of his career he presented his designs and ideas for the virtual products, undersigned by known brands on his own website. People began ordering products which did not exist. Large companies like Louis Vuitton, Swatch, Apple and Levi’s, could have sued the young pretender but were so impressed by his designs, that they hired him instead.

Ora-Ïto characterizes his recognizable style as simplexity; combining simplicity and complexity. His concepts are futuristic and provocative. Today, he designs for the world’s biggest brands, such as Heineken, Adidas, Ogo, Artemide, B&B, Cappellini, L'Oréal, Toyota, LaCie, Danone, Christofle, Ballantine's, Sagem and many more. He has received many awards, among which are ‘Oscar for Best Packaging Design’, for the aluminium bottle for Heineken beer, a ‘Janus award’ for the best architectural image of a Toyota building, and ‘Red Dot Design Award’ for Artemide lights.

Go here to see more.

Funky Find of The Week: Swarovski Studded Refrigerator

Bling for your fridge? I can't believe it. But it's true.
Gorenje makes three versions of this real Swarovski® crystal studded refrigerator availabl for purchase.
It comes in black with white crystals or Aluminum with black crystals or in the extra special Limited edition which has a wider band of white crystals on a black fridge.

Below are some more images of these outrageous refrigerators:




Pictured above: The Limited Edition

From Gorenje. In addition to viewing these cool products, there a neat flash movie that introduces you to the Swarovski® studded appliances along with all the actual specs. Click here to go see it.