FOOD: Bigger than the Plate | 16 October 2019
Victoria & Albert Museum, London
There were a lot of products that were interesting, but treat symptoms... not systems. Which I think is not so good. Many projects propose to move back to 'all natural' prehistoric systems, which had downsides and reasonable we moved away from it. I think technical progression should not be in the way of doing things sustainable, and actually aid it to improve to a whole different level. The MiT computer was the only one I saw how proposed a progressive system...yet it was not so (visually) appealing compared to the other projects. MiT also stood out in Open Cell's Biodesign with a project that proposed having a lab on your face...their thinking is way ahead of everyone else.
Another project of Nienke Hoogvliet about the difference in bone china comparing industrial chicken and organic chicken: 'bare bones'.
London Design Week | 21 September 2019
Coal Drop Yard, London
Lots of nice design, most of it ready to sell, which is impressive. I didn't see much completely new ideas.
The only project I saw that sparked my interest (for being innovative and beautidful) was a table block create your own salt. This sleek design stayed visually true to ancient salt collecting traditions tying old and new together.
Biodesign Here and Now | 19 September 2019
Old Yaundry Yard, London
Didn't see much new, two recent MAMF gratuates, one MiT project and a product designer who wants to be a biodesigner, showing an unfinished product (the biopart is not working at all yet).
The only project that was really new to me is on the left, a coating of photosyntesis on the clothing. I have no clue how you would be able to keep the micro organisms alive?
Stanly Kubric Exhibition | 18 Augustus 2019
The London Design Museum, London
Great to not only see an overview of his work but also how he got there; papers with doodles and different tries for logos and film titles. It becomes visible that these works didn’t appear out of the blue. He really thought through many different options, tried them and picked the best one.
“Great will come out of the many tries, rather than trying to create one masterpiece.”
RCA Graduation Show | 6 Juli 2019
RCA, London
Some really good work.
The project that caught my attention most was a 3D-printing technique of bioplastics and definitely the most interesting one (pictured) uses pinching the skin as 'touchpad' input for electronic devices.
Product and Design Show | 6 Juli 2019
Business Centre, London
Nice work, mainly a lot of student work was on display.
Fashion Show Yumio Nakazato | 31-1 Juli 2019
Universite de decarte, Paris
Met Koicho from Spiber and went backstage to see and feel the materials. This was my first time to see an official fashion show, my previous experience has been graduation shows, and it was...extremely short and gorgeous. The location, the set-up, the designs, an all-round amazing experience!
Met Yumio and his assistant (graduate from CSM!) the next day. The prototype one of his designs, a modular approach to fashion, is a direction I fully support.
F | 15 March 2019
Japan House, London
Very very interesting desiger, I especially admire his designs for the extensive use of mathametics and physics.
Surface Design Show | 5-7 February 2019
Business Design Centre, London
Happy to see and feel Lexus Award winner, I'd seen this material online and was amazed by the simplicity of material (paper) used to create such a complex and gorgeous end-result.
I didn't see any real new innovations. The whole conference was very business orientated.
Uniqlo Tate late night | 25 January 2019
Tate Modern Museum, London
Fun evening, not much art besides the existing exhibits.
Home Futures | 1 December 2018
The Design Museum, London
One of the commissioned films made me laugh. In this movie an old man outsmarts technology made by well meaning designers. The underlying message is that too much change at once can not be forced, it should be implemented slowly one by one.
It was also the first time I was able to touch a modular wall divider. They are as beautiful as on pictures online.
Archives of Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity | 13 November 2018
Natural History Museum, London
Such a great opportunity to get to view the archives for my wax project.
Being amongst rows and rows of pinned animals/insects makes me wonder. If 80% of the insect species is already gone, then imagine how many of these pinned insects collected around 1850 to 1950 can become imperative DNA samples for a future generation to reintroduce if we manage to combat global warming too slow.
Deconstructing Patterns - Art and Science in Conversation | 10 November 2018
Francis Crick Institute, London
Smaller then expected, interesting but very science based. Not necasseraly about patterns as in motifs or or formations, but more about DNA patterns and how a certain sequence expresses itself. On the picture an interesting research about the deformations of the fly wing based on activating and deactivating certain sequences. Made me realise how much of it is still research and how little yet quite much we know: we figured out how. Now money and time needs to be spend to creat an enormous database on what which gen does. The pain is that is not isolated in just one part of the DNA, so when implementing something new people don’t know how it will react.
The Future Starts Here | 20 October 2018
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
One of the designs that caught my eye is a silk protein leaf by Julian Melchiorri, this leaf would be helpful against Co2 in the air. Ironically we could also...plant trees...for free? I do see the use for this synthetic tree when it comes to space travel.
One of the banners was reading “If Mars is the answer then what is the question?”. I think it remains interesting to question the optimists that think we can conquer planets, when we have so much trouble keeping Earth liveable.
Another design that caught my eye was a 'democracy without state' building design, where different local/national groups could come together to discuss global, democratic decisions.
Fashioned From Nature | 20 October 2018
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
The first floor was not so interesting, although I found out about vegetable ivory (never heard of before). The second floor was more interesting. There were some innovative projects on display; BoltTread's spider silk, a bag made of seaweed, Colourific's bacteria dyes, Pulp-It's paper shirt, some zero waste patterns, root-grown clothing and trousers made of mycelium. All projects had good infographics on how things work.
Biology of Metal: Metal Craftsmanship in Tsubame-Sanjo | 22 September 2018
Japan House, London
I'd never seen such a beautiful de-colouration before. Later when walking into the jewellery department I saw that they used this knowledge to laser-cut and engrave images into steel (?) to get this colour gradation. Super smart and incredible beautiful..
London Design Festival | 15-23 September 2018
OXO Tower Wharf, London
My first big event in London since we came to live here. Next to seeing some nice design like; a Japanese wood-turning master in action, activated charcoal water filters, a worm hotel design and a design award show.
One of the designs (nameless unfortunately), that stood out to me is the picture in on the left. A rooftop made of tossed away flip-flops. I always found it a pity and annoying when you see ownerless slippers wasted away at the beach. And beach stores full of these cheap plastic, almost one-time use, let’s call it ‘holiday-use’ wearables. Reusing them in this way is colourful, fun and I guess actually useful for poorer parts of the world.