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D& L N ews
Oct / 2007 issue 08
We provide the news that you don't want to miss. This is your basic protein.
LaCie is a IT brand with passion to collaborate with designers and develop great products. They have worked with FA Porsche, Ora-to, Karim Rashid, and now, they are working with Sam Hecht (Industrial Facility) from UK. The project is called Little Disk Program which includes DVD writer, 2.5 inch hard drive, and also 1.8 inch hard drive. Simple square shape, smart hidden USB or Firewire cable, with sexy, modern dark brown color, this series will definitely be the sexiest products on your desktop. www.lacie.com www.industrialfacility.co.uk
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Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization(JIDPO) has announced 1,043 items including the "best 15" that were accredited by the 51st Good Design Award (the "G-Mark"). The best 15 include Eneloop universe products by SANYO, Media Skin by KDDI+Kyocera, HondaJet, Wii, and more; One of them will be chosen by the judges and win the Grand Prize on October 25th this year. Other than the Grand Prize, 14 other items will be the Good Design Gold Prize 2007.
www.g-mark.org
De sign e r s C ircle
Oct / 2007 issue 08
MAC premo
issue 08
First, we have to congrats on Mac's new born baby daughter! It is our pleasure to interview him during his happiest moment. He is a collagist, nimator, director, commercial director, illustrator, a painter & a stuffmaker. Let's take a look of what he is doing! www.macpremo.com
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Hello MAC! Please introduce yourself! Oh, hello. I am Mac Premo. You are reading this. You have so many titles: Collagist, Animator, Director, Illustrator, Painter... etc., which title do you like the most? Stuffmaker. There are a lot of mixed-media artworks you've done. Most of them are retrospective, collage style, no matter it's 2D or 3D. How was this style developed? Collage seems the most appropriate way to organize the world around me. Ive never been in a situation where you start with nothing and end up with something. Theres always preexisting circumstance, a context, an intended meaning, an interpreted meaning. Its all kind of messy. I like to take elements of that mess and categorize them, box them, organize them. As for how my style developed, I went to Mexico as a student. Parts of that country are a living, breathing collage. That had a big influence. Then, after I kind of became disillusioned with commercial directing in my mid-twenties, I became a carpenter. Probably the dumbest financial decision ever, but when I looked back on things and realized that I had been making art the whole time and that was what I really wanted to do, the carpentry skills really came into play. Also, a burning desire to never have an actual job has been a constant motivation for me.
There seems to be a lot of stories behind your arts. And the color and combination of your works make us associate them with old movies. Does movie has a great effect on your works? Does movie has a great effect on your works? Ive never heard that one before. Maybe movies do influence my work. If so, its not a conscious decision, and I wouldnt say that I watch a lot of movies. But the story aspect is pretty important to my stuff, as is the idea that viewing art should be temporal, not static. I am making stuff these days that you are supposed to hold, so that theres a process to viewing. Im also making animations, which are movies. Just short ones, in my case. What's the differences between making a video & a piece of artwork? The only difference is process. My artwork is made of collage stuffs and wood. My videos are made of lots and lots of pictures of collage stuffs and wood, that when put together, look like they are moving. If I am making the video as a commercial or for a client, the main difference is motivation. I would never call a commercial a piece of art. Its a commercial.
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Some of your mixed-media artworks seem to be functional, almost like accessories. Have you ever thought to make a collection of accessories, even to have a brand of it? Id love to. I make lots of stuff for my home, and Ive worked as a designer / carpenter, so I have experience making functional things from dust bin holders to walls. The issue is finding places to carry the stuff or someone to distribute it. You have to choose your battles, I guess. Between making art and trying to eke out a living, one can only take on so many venture projects. Having said that, I am currently making a line of t-shirts with this store called the Brooklyn Circus. I built the interior of their current storefront. They are a clothing store down the street from my studio, but Im pretty certain that they are going to take over the world. Or at least America and Japan. What is the most interesting project you've done? Wow, thats a tough one. I would have to say a project called BUILDING. For 40 years, this small brick building located in central Belfast, Northern Ireland housed the switch room that powered the entire city. When a team of architects purchased the building in 2004, five artists (myself included) intercepted its renovation and salvaged the original equipment.
Using these remnants, we made an onsite multimedia installation honoring the unique role played by a building people hardly knew existed, but effected their lives in such an enormous way. It was exhibited on the ground floor of the actual building. We worked with some really fantastic people in Belfast to raise funds for the project, the City Council there, this organization called Arts and Business. For my part, I lived in Belfast for 5 weeks and made an animated overview of Belfast. I made three-dimensional, time-based graphs that examine Belfast and Northern Ireland census data collected during the years BUIILDING was operational. These graphs were presented as a series of stop-frame animations on monitors in a room made entirely of found objects from BUILDING. My wife was there as the project manager. It was pretty perfect. Where do you live? Any place in the city you recommend if friends are visiting? We live in Boerum Hill in Brooklyn. There are a million places to visit here and all over the city, so I made you a list: 1. The Brooklyn Inn: wonderful bar, good pints, lots of wooden. 2. Yankee Stadium: Its like church, but with baseball instead of oppressive monotheistic doctrine. Well, less of an oppressive monotheistic doctrine, at least. 3. The Staten Island Ferry: its a free ride, beautiful views of the skyline and the Statue of Liberty, and its serves cheap hot dogs and 16 ounce Bud kingers at the most reasonable price in the city. 4. Grimaldis Pizza: the best pie in town. 5. The Brooklyn Bridge: after youre done with lunch at Grimaldis, walk the bridge. It kicks ass. 6. Chinatown: Where else can you find frogs in a bucket and fish the size of your leg? 7. My studio: I just built a mini halfpipe in it.
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If you have 1 month vacation, where are you going to spend? Who would you spend with?
I love to cook. Im the household cook. There isnt anything I dont like to make, and there isnt anything Ive really made the same way twice. Hands down, comfort food is steak. I know youre supposed to like ribeye, but I like filet. What do you do in your leisure time? Worry about why I have leisure time. Could you choose one interesting object from your everyday life and tell us why you like it? My hat. I have like thirty-seven of them,
from LA right now called Fleetwood Fernandez on a project that we are calling Animachine. The idea is a portable studio in which I make a daily animation based on input from the public. People passing by would be able to record 20 to 30 second sound bites. Each day I would choose my favorite audio clip, create an animation depicting it, and add it to a loop of animations that is projected on the side of our studio. The idea is that I want to animate an aggregate of anecdotes that culminate in a collective common sense. I have to figure out how to pose appropriate questions so that people feel compelled to share short, quality life lessons. This is my current dream project. Also, I want it to start out in the middle of Grand Central Station.
There isnt a whole lot of music I dont like. Recently I have been listening to The Argument by Fugazi, which came out almost 10 years ago, Built To Spills latest album You In Reverse, and some Iranian music. I have no idea who the Iranian artist is. He has dark hair. As for favorites, thats a lock: a tie between Cash and The Clash. Id go away with my wife and new daughter. Wed start by returning to Croatia, where we spent our honeymoon. Then wed meet each one of our parents in the country that their families herald from (or where they culturally herald from, in the case of my father-in-law). Wed meet my mom in the Czech Republic, then wed meet my wifes mom in Germany. After that, wed go to China with my wifes dad. Then wed head to Belfast, where wed meet my dad. When all is said and done, Id be in the John Hewitt Pub, wife and daughter on one side, Pop on the other, scoop of stout in front of me. Also, Id take two months.
but I wear one every day. I like hats for the same reason people like shoes, except the exact opposite, physically speaking.
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If you have to choose one person to have an exhibition with you, but in different fields: like a chef, a musician, or a MLB player. Who will you choose? Why? I never thought of mounting an exhibition with a professional baseball player. I really like that idea. Actually, I would really loved to have worked with Stephen Jay Gould. He was a scientist, a paleontologist who loved baseball. Science and baseball would go great with art. But he died a couple years ago. This is a pretty bad answer. Let me start over: If could choose one person to have an exhibition with I would choose Pervez Musharraf, because I bet he knows someone who would hook us up with some totally radical catering for the event.
What does Design & Life mean to you? Pretty much the same thing. Any word for your friend Oliver? This interview is over. Thanks for the interview! we hope you can introduce one of your friends who will be interviewed in the next issue! Who is in your mind? I would like to introduce you to the architects I will be working with on the Animachine project: Fleetwood Fernandez, meet the Design and life readership. Readership, Fleetwood Fernandez.
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Also, I think Pakistan is going to give him the boot pretty soon.
Th e M om en t
There are a lot of moments in one's life. We treasure each precious moment.
2+1=
when you realize there is one more person you need to take care in your life when you realize wake up in 3 A.M. is the happiest moment although tired when you realize time is never enough when you realize money is never enough & when you realize LOVE is never enough when 2+1=
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Apple of his eye, Apple of her eye / CDs for your babies by Videoarts Music Famous Japanese singers re-interpret Beatles. Very soft, very peaceful. www.videoartsmusic.com
MUJI / Soap holder + Matsuyama / Soap The simplest design; the most natural material. Gentle to your skin; great to the earth. www.muji.net www.matsuyama.co.jp
D& L L ifestyle
Oct / 2007 issue 08
We are surrounding by brands. D&L tells you the stories behind your lifestyle.
Kate Spade, a New York based handbag company, was founded in 1993 by Andy Spade and Katherine Noel Brosnahan. Katherine was working for Mademoiselle Magazine for six years as a senior fashion editor of accessories. While working at the magazine, Kate realized that there is a need of handbags with stylish and functional and innocently started to design handbags. She knew what women wants and the accessories market well so that she created a line of classically shaped bags with colors, patterns, and sophisticated fabric. When she launched her first collection, there are only six simple shaped handbags. The six origin designs continue to be the companys signature styles.
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In 1996, Kate got the award of Americas new fashion talent in accessories from the Council of fashion Designers of America (CFDA), and opened her first shop in New York Citys SOHO. In 1998, Kate Spade opened in Boston and then spread its territory to domestic and international wide. Started as a handbag company, the company grew continuously to paper, social stationery, personal organizers, journals, shoes, and
home accessories. Now, the home collection includes bedding, bath items, vases, wallpaper, textiles, frames, and other vibrant accessories for home. They even have a mini blog called "behind the curtain", providing the hottest news about Kate Spade, the projects the are working, things they love or the events they hold.
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Design philosophy The first Kate Spade collection was boxy and nylon tote bags with neutral colors. Simple design, but well constructed shape bags have become a fashion classic of accessories. The handbag collection has grown to a wide selection of leather handbags, evening bags, and luggage collection. In addition, Kate innovates new fabric and patters to incorporate into her classic design. The vision for the company is to create product that combined great style with timeless utility, modern shape, and an element of surprise and remains elegance, and good quality.
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Andy Spade Andy Spade, Kates husband and partner, was president and creative director in this business. In 1999, he After opening up this company for 14 years, Husband-and-wife team Andy and Kate Spade said goodbye to the company they founded in July 2007. They sold it to Liz Claibome Inc for 4.99 billion, because they want to spend more time with her daughter. It is pity that these two talented designers to leave fashion industry. But who knows? I am looking forward to seeing they bring us another surprising brand in the near future.
launched Jake Spade, mens accessory line. Andy was working in advertising industry, and won numerous awards. His great experience has helped to shape his vision for this company in both the domestic and global marketplace.
1/ 2 Recipe
Cooking is Art. There are no rules. 1/2 recipe shows you the smartest way to cook.
Mushrooms are the kind of vegetable you can enjoy all year around. However, autumn is the best season to enjoy them. Italian likes to cook anchovies, salted fish, with garlic oil to make nice sauce and it go well with pasta, vegetable, and seafood. But not to worry! You wont taste any fishing favor if I dont say anchovies were in it. Anchovies are usually be packed in the canned with oil or salt. I recommend you buy anchovies in oil that works better for me.
1 anchovies
you need...
3 kinds of mushrooms 1/5 Red and yellow pepper, sliced 3 garlic, minced 1T extra virgin olive oil Red pepper 2t salt
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steps...
1. Oil 2and garlic in the pan of low heat cook for minutes
I love to cook and collect recipes, but I never exactly follow the steps. For me, cooking should be playful. Remember, always put your imagination to someones recipe and bring it to your vision. 1/2 recipe rules are easy and healthy. Modern people are always in a hurry, and I believe, with 1/2
2. 3.
Put mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes Add peppers and salt cook for 2 minutes
effort, 1/2 steps, 1/2 fat, 1/2 time of cooking, will also bring you to a lovely cooking experience and healthier dish. Thats why I called this chapter 1/2 Recipe. Cooking is art. Lets play.
D& L See!
Oct / 2007 issue 08
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STYIM @ TOKYO STYIM is a 55-unit complex of leased condominiums which just won the Good Design award 2007. The building
was designed for variety of choices for residents. 18 different floor plans are available. The developers focused closely not only on architectural design but also functional issues such as storages or daily movement of residents. It is an invitation to a new environment where young urbanites can thrive. www.ascotcorp.co.jp/styim