Cooper Hewitt: Beauty

Extravagant:

1. Photograph, 2014, Pat McGrath (mask) and Ben Hassett (photograph). Jeweled mask studded with beads, sequins, and fabric for Givenchy runway.
2. The masks are pure over-the-top luxury, painted metallic and studded with sequins that shimmer under the light. I was drawn to the photograph’s harsh lighting and the way it reflected the mask’s colors.
3. Inspired by a Parisian bead, the mask pulls from outside cultures and incorporates them into contemporary fashion. Masks are used for a variety of purposes and traditions in other cultures, and Pat McGrath adds to the long line of beauty in the history of the mask.

 

Intricate:

1. Poster, Good News From Iran, designed by Homa Delvaray and Emerging Iranian Artists, 2013, digital print
   31.5″ x 22″
2. I’m intrigued by the fantastical theme that this poster visualizes. Its vivid colors and shapes give way to a happy image that also tries to make a political point. It’s tone must match its message.
3. In the culture of Iran that has seen the ruin of war, this rendition personifies “good news” in military style parachutes, providing a positive message in a twist.

 

Ethereal:

1. Souk Mirage/Particles of Light, commercial building complex in the Middle East, Rendering in digital print, 2013, Sou Fujimoto Architects
   26.5″ x 26.7″
2. The sheer scale of this structure using only the same repeated shapes is impressive. It shows how far you can go with simplicity and delicacy, and the building is unique in that it remains almost completely uncovered.
3. The design is geared toward the hot and sunny climate of the Middle East. It’s a reinterpretation of Islamic architecture, pulling from the traditional Middle Eastern styles with light-allowing open arches.

 

Transgressive:

1. Gravity Stool, 2015, Jolan van der Wiel, resin and iron filings
   11.4″ x 13″ x 13″
2. I was drawn to the uncommon tool that van der Wiel used to build the stool. He built his own gravity machine to use gravitational and magnetic force to form organic shapes from iron.
3. The base of the stool is inspired that the organic forms of stalactites. Much like in a cave, building the stool was an exploration in itself for van der Wiel.

 

Emergent:

1. Channel Vessel IN.01, GLASS series, 2015, Guido Palau & Neri Oxman & MIT Media Lab Mediated Matter Group, 3d-printed glass
   8.5″ x 8.5″ x 2.25″
2. This piece also uses a new method of manufacturing: 3d-printing glass. MIT Media Lab developed the GLASS series as tests for their new method to find which printing patterns were the strongest and the fastest.
3. GLASS challenges the culture surrounding traditional manufacturing, specifically the glass blowing industry. The series provides an early look at how the future of making may look, and it allows for new possibilities of construction.

 

Elemental:

1. Veiled, 2014, rendering in a digital print, concept for Greek Pavilion
   Designed by Jing Liu, Florian Idenburg, SO-IL Ilias Papgeorgiou, Ted Baab, Andre Herrero, Seunghyun Kang, Kevin Lamyuktseung
   A mesh veil draped over a valley
   21.75″ x 30″
2. The veil is an eye-catching piece that uses glass to refract light into separated colors. It serves the purpose of “transform[ing] wind into a soundscape” and redirecting heat.
3. Veiled is a new take on traditional Greek structures. It pairs the familiar pillars with technology in a modern way. Much like the Aegean culture, it is inspired by nature, and it has a sustainable focus.

 

Transformative:

1. High Shelf, 2013, by Brynjar Siguroarson for Galerie Kreo
   Ash wood, metal, prion, ropes, nylon strings, feathers, fur, leather, printed fabrics, chains and hooks
2. I’m fascinated that this piece is not only a final design, but it also served the purpose of being the artist’s personal training practice. He developed a new set of skills throughout the process, so it’s as educational of a piece as it is functional.
3. The designer immersed himself in the culture of a fishing village in Iceland. He incorporated the skills he learned on his trip into his design of the shelves, and he “explores the dialogue between culture and the environment.” His experience is shown by clashing his visiting culture and a need for practical design.