A spark of poetry

Probably strange to hear from a professional designer but lately I feel a little blasé by the constant offer of design events. Sometimes I find myself secretly longing for the days that only the Milan event was on the design radar. Nevertheless I decide to cross the canal to see what the London Design Festival is about this year. 

The festival guide shows an overwhelming amount of activities. They are spread like a virus all over the map of London. Very intimidating! I wonder how to set my priorities. Can I skip one of the many design districts without having to deal with the disappointment of a missed highlight? It feels like a mission impossible! 

I decide to focus on the bigger events and the more clustered design presentations. To broaden my horizon outside the festival I plan to pay some visit to the world of retail. And I promise myself to attend at least one Art exhibition.

The kick-off is at the Saatchi Gallery and it turns out the be a lucky shot in the dark. The current exhibition is called Paper and showcases a diverse and convincing collection of installations, paintings, paper cuttings and collages. 

Floating City by Han Fen

One of my favourite works is ‘The floating city’ by Han Feng. A composition of laser printed buildings that seem to disappear in a mist of frosted tracing paper An ethereal city silently floating a couple of inches above the gallery flooring. An interesting detail is how the raw identity of the wood grain flooring is emphasized by and becoming part of this fragile three dimensional collage.

The theme ‘collage’ is obviously a popular subject when paper as a medium is involved. In this wonderful exhibition various collage techniques are used from traditional to refreshingly different like the work of Han Feng. But all have their own particular ‘spark of poetry’. The spark that according to the artist Max Ernst can be created when two or more unrelated realities meet on an apparently inappropriate plane 

Ceasar 17 by Odires Mlászho

This mix of realities will be a leitmotiv during the rest of my London design tour. I see collages everywhere and in all its aspects. Collages as compositions, compilations, assemblages, montages or even as a still life. It all radiates a strong desire for informal accidental rich and layered designs, designs as balanced constructions in which the separate elements are still traceable. An approach that clearly needs a strong vision!

Returning home I conclude that I am happy that I resisted my blasé attitude. The trip was definitely worthwhile making. The blend of different cultural realities that I experienced brought me this special spark of inspiration that I needed so much.

Window of Acne Fashion shop. 

An elegant knee boot
inspired on a 20^th century modernistic photo collage

Dover Street Market Fashion shop

A four storeys high spacious ‘assemblage"

Poster Shanghai exhibition. Compilation of objects into a Samourai mask

‘Separate elements that are clearly traceable in a balanced construction’

The Jigsaw’ by Make Architects. 

Various miniature houses which all stack together to form the overall larger dolls’ house

‘Shrines’ by Dean and Callum Brown and Namyoung An. 

A balanced compositions of miniature furniture into an altar for worshipping everyday objects.

‘Collectionism’ by Songyi Lee. New design solutions for de-functional technological components. 

Assemblages of colourful technological waste.

‘Triptych Stacks’ by Curiosa&Curiosa. 

A stack of hand blown glass elements in an playful composition of geometric coloured shapes. 

19 Greek Street Gallery, 

A presentation of the work of young and upcoming designers. 

The composition of objects suggest a three dimensional Still Life. 

The overall white surroundings and the directional day light creates a lively and dramatic touch.

Ground control to major Tom

'Are you interested in a little adventure?' with this promising question my shoe-designer friend M. invites me to join her for a, what l only realize afterwards,  exceptional journey. Although it is a rather last minute request I text her that I am in!

The next day early morning M. picks me up in her black (it's the color that counts she explains me in the car) second hand Audi and off we go to the south of Holland all the way to Oosterhout. We have an appointment with mr Habraken the owner of the largest collection of tribal and ethnic footwear in the world.

My friends M&M are co-curating a shoe exhibition called 'Elevation' that will be shown during this year Arnhem Fashion Biennale. Already for months M&M are approaching promising young shoe designers, museums and private collectors from all over the world trying to persuade them to donate their precious shoes for this unique occasion.

Mr Habraken is one of them and today he will hand over M. a cardboard box that contains several exclusive species. But our car-boot to car-boot transaction turns out to be just a starter for something bigger to happen.

As we park our car alongside the curbs of some 70ties looking villas we feel a little out of place in our faded Audi. Just as we start to suspect that we are being watched from behind the home made crocheted window decorations Mr Habraken pops up from behind the bushes and warmly welcomes us into his house. The deal is that he drives us in his car to the Shoes Or No Shoes museum where his collection is exhibited and where he will treat us with a private tour.

mr Habraken

During our trip to Kruishoutem we sit back and silently absorb the fantastic stories narrated by Mr Habraken. We quickly discover that this man has no fear for the world. (maneuvering backwards to reach a missed petrol station, does one need any more explanation?)

A self made man, born during the second world war in a cold cellar between leather scraps, remnants of his father's shoe business, is how the story takes a flight. In our mind we travel from continent to continent, from the past to the future and than just before I doze off we leave the planet shifting our focus toward extra terrestrial civilizations.

As we hit our destination I wake up. In the middle of nowhere surrounded by vast green meadows stands a charming compact modernistic building, it looks quite alien in this deserted Belgian country side. Once inside the building we are impressed, the collection turns out to be huge and beautifully presented in custom made minimalistic glass boxes.

mr Habraken drilling M. about the ethnic collection pieces  

mr Habraken explaining M. about the modern collection pieces

For hours we wander around admiring the trophies and listening to the intriguing details that mr Habraken confides to us. Instantly I feel the desire to change profession and to become a shoe designer. I am convinced that whenever one wants to become a shoe designer a visit to this place is obligatory!

Here are some images to feed the appetite...

eastern europe Poland middle 20th century 

slippers for Dottie

slippers for Dottie, detail 

Iran late 19th century, the fish as symbol for fertility 

Iran middle 20th century 

Latin America Mexico early 20th century 

Latin America Mexico early 20th century 

Latin America Mexico middle 20th century

West European Ireland late 20th century

western europe Belgium middle 20th century, wedding shoes 

western europe France middle 20th century

China AD 13th century

Western Europe Netherlands middle 20th century
' Venus' made during the second World war

Western Europe Netherlands middle 20th century
' Venus' made during the second World war

Diving boots

eastern europe Poland middle 20th century 

North American & Caribbean middle 19th century 

western europe France early 20th century, shoes used to press juice out of grapes
the fist shoes mr Habraken collected

Surplus plus

detail of Still life with Skull by Dirk Nijland, 1932

Under the title Bourgeois Leftovers the Appel arts centre presents thirty-two Dutch genre paintings leftover from the current Van Abbe museum collection display, together with commissions and contributions from contemporary artists.  

Some beautiful old paintings can be seen in this exhibition. One of my favorites is an old oil painting by Wout Schram called 'Still Life with bottle' . The serene yet sultry atmosphere in this painting is intriguing. With its soft nuances and deep warm colors it becomes an evocative and sensual tableau. I am surprised when I notice the signature of Schram hidden in the right hand corner. Its boldness somehow doesn't seem to connect to the refined style of the painting.

'Leftover'
 Still life with bottle by Wout Schram

'Leftover'
 Signature Wout Schram

Barbara Visser is one of the contemporary artists . Especially for this event she made a new work based on the  central theme 'Leftovers'. In this conceptual aesthetically pleasing work Barbara connects old Farrow & Ball archive colors with the paintings that are the leftovers from the leftovers. In her project she takes care of the paintings that in the second selection round, done by the Appel curators, were again ignored.

Barbara Visser

Barbara Visser

The measurements of these unwelcome paintings are translated into a bar chart painted on the wall in Farrow & Ball archive colors. For some of the colors F&B leftovers are collected from the local paint shop. It is interesting to notice how balanced this range of coincidental colors is and how well the chart merges with the painting that is positioned on top of it. The two stories seem to connect in a natural self evident way, as if they were made for each other.

Barbara Visser
backsides of the 'leftover' paintings

A collage of photographed backsides of the paintings are hanging opposite the bar chart revealing practical information about the neglected works. Although the spectator is not able to admire the poetry of these paintings she is reminded of their existence in a factual way. And the good news about this giant bar chart is that it can be appreciated even without being informed about the concept. 

For more information see also: http://bourgeoisleftovers.com/

The double shadow of Vermeer

Nine o'clock sharp I arrive at the former bicycle passage underneath the Rijks museum where its entrance is situated already there are two long rows of tourists patiently waiting for the door starting to revolve. Owning a museum card clearly has its advantages, within two minutes I am inside the building. I decide to start at the attic trying to avoid the crowd anticipating that most people will start downstairs.

It turns out to be my lucky day. 

Just in time before the door closes I jump into the elevator, which is already occupied by three other early birds. One of them asks me where I am heading to when I explain my strategy he urges me to revise my plan and to start my journey at the Hall of Fame, promoting it as an unique opportunity to experience this part of the building while it is still empty. 

As we leave the elevator my advisor starts to lecture and point out some details to the other two persons. It turns out that the two American tourists have hired him for a private tour and although I realize it is probably rather impolite I decide to stick and to join the club. 

We enter the Hall of Fame a huge space loaded with 17th century paintings in the back I see a deserted Night Watch patiently waiting for the crowd to come.No soul has arrived yet and there is an unreal silence only our professor is talking, talking like crazy about Johannes Vermeer, feeding us with exciting stories revealing the inside secrets of the three Vermeer paintings that are hanging in a row next to each other. 

Our guide makes us aware of details I never noticed before such as the double shadow in 'The woman in blue' or the strange shape of the table in the painting of 'The Milkmaid' that seems an invented form rather than a copy from reality. And are we aware that in 'The love letter' the tiles are made of marble, not a common floor for a 17th century family house, the marble is probably edited into the space to give it an upgrade. And what about the peculiar way the objects on the floor are arranged creating a barrier that looks like it protects in a symbolic way the two women. 

Endless details draw us deeper and deeper into the world of Vermeer.

For almost twenty minutes I listen to these revelations, mesmerized, when I become aware of my environment again I see and hear that it is transformed into an overly crowded space, there are people discussing, tour operators explaining, film cameras panning, microphones interviewing, this introvert sanctuary has in no time opened up into a busy microcosms.

It is interesting to witness all these dynamics and the general atmosphere is quite lively and positive, everybody seems to enjoy himself, it doesn't feel at all like a dull museum with 'old' art.

What I learned after this visit is you either start early and run for the Hall of Fame or when you can't avoid the crowd you better surrender, forget about making a plan go with the flow and join whatever guide sounds interesting to you.

Charm Marketing

accidental uniqueness

my first china

This is one of my favorite plates; I bought it eleven years ago together with three other outcasts. Each item carries its own small deformation and all are all made of high quality hotel china. 

Expecting a lot of visitors for lunch coming Sunday I decide it is time to extend my curious little china family with some new unique species. Luckily the shop still exists and even the balloons that mark the entrance look like they have never been away.   

Old stone steps lead me down into a semi dark hallway, probably not really inviting for the ignorant but I know better, I remember the small treasure that I found years ago in this poorly lit and cold canal house cellar.

the owner

Inside resides the owner, a lady in black with a dark husky voice that seems in contradiction with her fragile appearance.

The place is packed with china and there is barely space to walk. Together with another visitor I silently move around in deep concentration, for an outsider it must look like a performance. I balance myself toward the back of hallway where the derelicts are hidden. There seems to be no particular order and many items are out of reach, waiting for the moment to be revealed when their neighbors are sold. While I carefully maneuver through the space, overly conscious of my shopping bag that can destroy a heap of plates any moment, the queen of the china jumps around as if it concerns stacked melamine plates instead of porcelain. While expressing my adoration about the shop to her I hear the sound of something collapsing in the adjacent room, it doesn’t seem to bother her, her face stays stoical, her emporium is invincible.

stacks of porcelain

I find what I am looking for and while settling the bill we have some small talk. The owner explains me that she buys the china straight from the factory in the USA already for 18 years now. It still is a hobby next to her full time job at the university. The mishaps are the heritage of her first five years in action, as a beginner she hadn't yet developed her critical eye.

Will all these irregularities that I love so much slowly disappear and be replaced by the perfect china? I fear this will be inevitable but I am also quite sure that the uniqueness of the shop and its owner will still be worthwhile a visit.

irregular and unique