Alberto Giacometti - Lighting Inspiration.

Alberto Giacometti, Pencil on Paper

I am very fond of two lighting designs from Sirmos Lighting.

I think they are Most Excellent and truly "Blog Worthy". The collection called "Masque" and "Colette" were produced with direct inspiration from the Surrealist Sculptor, Alberto Giacometti. The lamps are available in many different finishes from White Gold, to Bronze to Silver Leaf, etcetera. I love the elegant sculptural detail one of these lamps may add to a room. Simple and sophisticated, either the floor lamp or table lamp is a work of art, inspired by the work of a brilliant sculptor.

Alberto Giacometti lived from 1901 to 1966 and is best known for his elongated, stretched out sculptures of the human form. Giacometti was obsessed with creating his sculptures exactly as he envisioned through his unique view of reality, he often carved until they were as thin as nails and reduced to the size of a pack of cigarettes, much to his consternation. A friend of his once said that if Giacometti decided to sculpt you, "he would make your head look like the blade of a knife." After his marriage his tiny sculptures became larger, but the larger they grew, the thinner they became. Giacometti said that the final result represented the sensation he felt when he looked at a woman.

Giacometti was a key player in the Surrealist Movement, but his work resists easy categorization. Some describe it as formalist, others argue it is expressionist. Also a skilled draftsman, painter and printmaker, examples of Alberto Giacometti's work may be seen above and below.

Pricing on the Sirmos Lamps range from $1,500.00 to $4,000.00 each

Sirmos' "Masque" table lamp in White Gold with a White Lacquer Matte Shade

Sirmos' Giacometti-inspired "Colette" Floor Lamp in a Gold Leaf Antique finish with a Black Lacquer Matte Shade

"Colette" table lamp in Bronze Brown finish with Black Lacquer Matte Shade






Elongated Female Figure. Sculpture by Alberto Giacometti. Painted Bronze

"Masque" Floor Lamp in White Gold Finish with Egg Cloud Parchment Shade

Male Head Sculpture. Alberto Giacometti. Bronze

Stretched out limbs are a typical characteristic of a Giacometti sculpture. Female nude in Bronze.

I, Robot.

While jogging around Georgetown this past week I ran into the coolest Robot Sculptures. I think they are Most Excellent and am already trying to find a select place in my home for one or two of them. The work of "Robot Sculptors", Terry Collier, Gordon Bennett and Mike Rivamonte is detailed below. The lineup of robots shown at the top of this blog entry was created by Gordon Bennett of Bennett Robot Works.

"Thrasher" and "Taylor". My find in Georgetown, (above and below)

THE WORK OF TERRY COLLIER


Vancouver resident Terry Collier has taken his fascination with the toy robots of the 50's and 60's and created an amazing array of Robot sculptures. Terry strives to add personalities to each robot and includes as many generations of technology as possible - vacuum tubes to micro chips. Most of the components come from flea markets, thrift stores, and cast-off technology he finds around town. "As I pulled apart countless old clocks, radios and TV’s looking for interesting parts, I started to notice how similar the fractal like complexity and patterns I see in nature, so closely resemble many of the patterns I see in circuit boards and other electronics..."

THE WORK OF GORDON BENNETT

Bennett Robot Works

"BREEZE"

"BOEING"

"VW"

Pricing on the Robot Sculptures from Bennett Robot Works range from approximately $750.00 to $4,000.00 each




THE WORK OF MIKE RIVAMONTE


Robot Sculptures by Mike Rivamonte range in price from $6,000.00 to $10,000.00. All have the option to light up with LED's throughout.



"Jones"



"Joe 1"







"Eureka"



"Joe 2"

Light Emitting Wallpaper by Jonas Sampson.

This is Most Excellent. Although the technology remains a bit unknown, Jonas Sampson has created Light Emitting Wallpaper. With this high-tech light-emitting wallpaper it's possible to use a two-dimentional flat surface as light source instead of a 3D object. As long as the wallpaper is turned ‘off’, it is indistinguishable as a source of light. Instead, it is just what it appears to be: wallpaper.

With alternative lighting solutions becoming a typical consideration in sustainable interior design, Jonas Samson’s illuminated wallpaper is a clever mix of the graphic, textile-inspired papers of the recent-past and organic technologies of the future, his light-emitting wallpaper happily straddles the fence between kiddie night-light and inventive design feature. It’s eco-credentials: turning a two-dimensional surface into a light source versus the traditional bulb/lamp construct.

This Light-Emitting Wallpaper harkens back to recent products exploring digital paper by Miquel Mora, part of the Flat Futures project– developed by the Royal College of Art Design Interactions Department– showcased at the MoMA’s ‘Design and the Elastic Mind’ exhibition. By using developments like e-ink and OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes) that enable electronic components to be printed and transferred onto flat and rollable surfaces Mora believes, “Objects will wear technology instead of carrying it inside…The technology will become their skin.”

Splash of Color.

A neutral room gets a lift from a blue crystal chandelier and abstract nude painting

I love a neutral colored room that has just a splash of color here and there added for interest. Accessories are the easiest way to "transform" a room without spending huge amounts of money to purchase new furniture, re-upholster or re-paint. A simple accent piece, colorful pillow, throw or even fun crystal candlestick may be an easy way to inject some color into a space. A small detail that will go a long way.

With what I hope to be a colorful summer just around the corner, here is a tiny sampling of some pillows, chairs and a whimsical candelabra that I ran into while breezing around Georgetown this afternoon.

Detail. Cut glass Candelabra in Multi-colors from Urban Outfitters. Set with Ivory Candles

Louis XV Style White wood finished arm chairs with multi-colored embroidered upholstery.

Hand-embroidered "Helsinki" floral pillow.

Red Lacquer tray table with Antelope Feet.

Multi-colored Glass Candelabra from Urban Outfitters

Multi-colored Grosgrain ribbon rectangular pillow.

Obviously I like this glass candlestick. Set appropriately in the right room, it could look rather elegant. Urban Outfitters

Very fun. I love this color. Acid Green Ostrich Feather Pillow.

The "Helsinki Zig-Zag" pillow.

The Garden of Eden? ... In Silver Spring, Maryland?

A New Home... in Eden?

I have not yet decided if this advertisement is Most Excellent, tacky or just plain scary. It is, perhaps, a terrific marketing strategy. As we all know... sex sells. So, let's go with sexy. This ad, for new condominiums in Silver Spring, Maryland, is sexy. Well, the individuals in the picture are not really that sexy... so, the ad is not sexy. The jury is out. You decide.

My assistant Megan has been looking through the real estate advertisements recently and came across this treasure. If anyone has been to Silver Spring, Maryland, they might agree that it is a very nice suburban community, but it is no Garden of Eden. To some, "large units" and "full-bodied amenities" is the way to go.

The advertisement is creative, fun and whimsical. It is amusing and it just might be a successful way of attracting new home buyers in this rather slow economy. It made it to my blog, so I give "Westwood Gardens" an "A" for effort.



"Adam and Eve" by Flemish Baroque Era Painter, Peter Paul Rubens

ICFF - 17-20 May 2008

Fernando and Humberto Campana - Brazil

During the Fair's four days, 145,000 net square feet (14,500 net square meters) of the Javits Center will bustle with more than 25,000 interior designers, architects, retailers, designers, manufacturers, representatives, distributors, and developers. Members of the general public are welcome on Tuesday, May 20 when the ICFF is open to all comers.

More than 600 exhibitors will display contemporary furniture, seating, carpet and flooring, lighting, outdoor furniture, materials, wall coverings, accessories, textiles, and kitchen and bath for residential and commercial interiors. This assemblage of national and international exhibitors affords the chance to experience the most selective scope of the globe's finest, most creative, individual, and original avant-garde home and contract products – handily and temptingly showcased in one venue.

The ICFF welcomes representatives from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, and U.S.

Contingents will also make the annual quest to this celebrated design hub: Austrian Trade Commission, BEDG (British European Design Group), Designed in Brussels (Belgium), FNY (Furniture New York), The Furniture Society (U.S.), i Saloni WorldWide (Italy), ICEX (Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade), IDSA (Industrial Designers Society of America), Innovation Norway, New Design Canada, Royal Danish Consulate General (Denmark), Thai Trade Center (Thailand).

Dsquared2 in Milan. They're Back...

Photo: Steven Meisel

The Milan International Furniture Show closed yesterday. The event marked another appearance of none other than the dear mythical creature...

The Garden Gnome, (and his friends).

That little guy sure gets around... and fast!

Canadian-born Fashion Designers, Dean and Dan Caten, of Dsquared2, collaborated with Kartell, the manufacturer of Philippe Stark's Gnome table/stools, (see blog entry), to create a special display entitled "KARTELL AND THE SEVEN D2WARFS SQUARED", using the famous Gnomes designed by French designer, Philippe Stark.

Gnomes, "Attila", "Napoleon" and "Saint Espirit", inhabited the magical Canadian forest, symbolizing love for their land, recreated by the Caten twins inside their flagship store in Milan.

These three crazy table/stools, that are strikingly original and anti-conformist, peeped out from among the huge trunks, maple leaves and typical, earthy colors of the great Canadian woods, winking at the people passing by.

From the fusion of fashion and design between two major names that have contributed to the success of Italian products around the world, comes the desire to experiment and create joint initiatives that was extended during the exhibition.

The project between Dsquared2 and Kartell was celebrated with a cocktail party at the Mumm Champagnerie Bar, located inside the flagship store at Via Verri 4 - Milan at 6pm on 18 April 2008.

Above and below are advertisement campaign photographs from Dsquared2. Photos by Steven Meisel, Mikael Jansson, and Steven Klein.

The Dsquared2 and Kartell Gnome Table display in the designer's Milan Flagship Store

Photo: Mikael Jansson




Photo: Mikael Jansson

Photo: Mikael Jansson

Photo: Steven Klein

Photo: Steven Meisel

Photo: Steven Meisel