Monthly Archive for August, 2011

From Kimberly Bradley at The New York Times…

The art scene in Berlin can sometimes seem like a big game of musical chairs, as galleries migrate from neighborhood to neighborhood in search of undiscovered spaces, low rents and artist-friendly locals. The latest move, though, is a little different.

The new hub, along Potsdamer Strasse, situated mostly in West Berlin’s Tiergarten district, is actually an old one. Until World War II, around 200 art and antiques dealers were situated in the then-elegant neighborhood, along with a lively night-life scene; after the war, the dealers failed to rematerialize along the street.

In recent years, Berlin’s art world has downshifted. Many small galleries have closed, and the city’s main art fair, Art Forum Berlin, was recently canceled after a 15-year run. The gallery cluster on Potsdamer Strasse, though, takes a new approach; it is almost hidden from the public: the street is lined with cheap clothing shops, Turkish vegetable markets and empty storefronts, while most of the galleries are on upper floors or hidden in back courtyards. More…

From Morgan Meis at The Smart Set…

Not many people know what designers do. Designers themselves often have trouble explaining their work. Designers design, of course. But what does that mean? How is designing different from inventing, or making, or some other sort of doing?

Bruce Archer, the influential Professor of Design Research at Royal College of Art once wrote, “Design is that area of human experience, skill and knowledge which is concerned with man’s ability to mould his environment to suit his material and spiritual needs.” It is a good general definition, but it lacks specificity. Maybe the old Modernist credo “form follows function” is more direct. From that perspective, the purpose of design is to understand the function of an object and then make sure that the form of that object is as perfectly tailored to the function as possible. Think of an Eames molded chair from the 1940s. It is impossible to look at the inviting and simple curves of the chair without wanting to sit down in it. Good design is what works well; great design is when something that works well feels as if it couldn’t possibly be doing anything else. More…

From Dezeenscreen…

Here’s a movie of the almost-invisible installation by Japanese architect Junya Ishigami that’s on show at the Barbican art gallery in London.

Called Architecture as Air, the structure comprises a single curved line of columns that are only 0.9mm thick, seemingly floating unsupported in space. Closer inspection reveals a fine network of near-invisible wires.

The installation is an extension of Ishigami’s installation at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2010, for which he was awarded the Golden Lion for best project. More…