Bas de Wit: Duck and Cover

Figge von Rosen Galerie, Cologne

Humour me for a minute. If you’re not familiar with the 1950’s American Civil Defense film character “Bert the Turtle” and his song Duck and Cover, used to teach children how to behave in the event of nuclear attack, take a second and pull that up on YouTube. It’s there. I’m going to go out on a limb and assume everyone remembers Right Said Fred’s 1991 hit song I’m Too Sexy (but in the case I’m wrong, and despite seemingly every record company’s attempt to remove every music video from YouTube, that’s there too, for now…). So now that those are both fresh in mind, imagine Bert the Turtle singing, “I’m too sexy for this bomb, too sexy for this bomb, so sexy it’s wro-ong.” Have you got some image in mind? Good, now we can talk about Bas de Wit’s exhibition Duck and Cover. Read the rest of this entry »

Escape the Agony of your Office

As I’m writing this, I’m looking at my surroundings.  The room is filled with light, the windows are open for a bit a fresh air, I’ve got some of my favourite books lined up in front of me for inspiration, and my eyes fall to the desk.  Ugh, it’s terrible.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s solid, spacious, and clean, but it was an E-Bay purchase because the hunt for my dream desk was taking too long. My pens are stuck in an old piece of ill-formed and oddly coloured pottery, and I won’t even go into the shoebox that holds the extra cords and memory sticks or the unsightly lamp clamped to the table. And yes, I love my Marcel Breuer chair, but it is not appropriate office furniture.

Why is it that I’ve taken so much care to make sure the room is inspiring, and yet the pieces I really need are abysmal.  Well, mostly because I just don’t have the time to go place-to-place hunting for the bits and pieces of my ideal office.  I deserve something better.  We all do.  Think about it, we spend a large portion of our time at our workspaces, they should inspire us, not make us want to run.

If you’re in Cologne next week, and this might just be worth the trip, drop by Orgatec at the Cologne Exhibition Centre. A fair for modern office furniture may sound terribly boring, but think about how much more exciting it would be to work in an environment you actually like being in.  It may be that all you need is a new lamp, or perhaps you’re in for a bigger purchase, like a chair or desk.  They’ve certainly got you covered. From classical furniture to modern lighting, it’s bound to be interesting to anyone with an eye for design.

If you need additional inspiration, on the 29th of October visitors can participate in Insight Cologne.  The evening will be filled with presentations, performances, and readings, all supporting the idea of visionary office design.  New trends from office layout to the facilitation of communication will be discussed, and tours through some of Colognes newest office spaces will take place.

White Line collaborator, Architonic, has created what is, in our humble opinion, undoubtedly the best guide to the fair.  It’ll usher you from carpets to chairs in no time, and has plenty of inspiring images and event listings to help you discover your own style. Be sure to drop by their booth in Hall 9.1, and give them a big “hello” from us.  You can download the guide on the Architonic website (so worth poking around on) here: www.architonic.com.

www.orgatec.com

Within a stroll of the exhibition hall you’ll find The New Yorker Hotel.  The minimalistic touch of architect and owner Johannes Adams can be seen throughout the space. Simple, gorgeous, and efficient rooms will have you thinking about how to redecorate your bedroom when you’re done with your office.

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Categories: Cologne, Design, Events, Exhibitions

Contributing writer: Alicia Reuter

Cologne: plan10

Now in it’s 10th year the “Plan” programme was developed as a means of creating a new mode of communication and interaction for architecture and development for industry insiders and the general public. Previous “Plan” programmes have had themes of Living and Urbanism, and the 2009 plan10 will be a candid examination of international architecture, the city, and the arts.

The Forum for Contemporary Architecture seeks to join urban architectural developers directly with the general public.  The concept is to give the public direct access to the development process, so that together developers, architects and the people can engage in creating a community and a culture.

Urban planning has take huge leaps in the past 15 years, with new trends in permanent projects and temporary events.  This year’s plan will include visual arts, film, theatre, performances, literature, bicycle tours, and a DIYDA series (Do It Yourself Design and Architecture). Additionally there’s a full citywide programme of informal lectures, seminars, meetings, and DJ sets. A full listing of events can be found on the website, but Saturday’s party and buffet titled “The Taste of Ehrenfeld” sounds particularly yummy for those interested in regional tastes and the range of workshops are sure to be insightful.  Kay von Keitz and Sabine Voggenreiter are the project organizers of plan 10, which runs from the 24th of September to the 1st of October.

Immerse yourself in design and architecture while attending plan10 by booking a few nights at The New Yorker in Cologne.  Minimalist design meets cosmopolitan chic, the hotel is an oasis in the centre of it all.

www.plan-project.com

Images courtesy of Plan 10

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Categories: Cologne, Architecture, Events

Contributing writer: Alicia Reuter

All-over Mondrian

When Piet Mondrian wrote that “logic demands that art be the plastic expression of our whole being” in his definitive 1920 essay Neo-Plasticism: the General Principle of Plastic Equivalence, he probably didn’t foresee how literally that statement would be able to be translated onto design of the later half of the 20^th Century, especially regarding the sometimes materially literal “plastic expression” of his own work’s whole being. Mondrian certainly isn’t the only artist whose work has been quoted on consumer goods. What may be unique to Mondrian, however, is the longevity of these quotations and breadth of design fields that have utilized them.

From fashion and hair products, to stationary and cigarette lighters, to a bathroom completely outfitted in Mondrian-inspired products not just limited to the hand towels and floor mat, but even including the shower and toilet, all-over Mondrian displays these items alongside a recently acquired original Mondrian, the 1927 painting Composition in black and red. When surrounded with so many objects using his visual language as a marketing tool, will Mondrian’s painting blend in as just another consumer good, or will it stand out as something genuine amongst a pile of the kitsch, and, as perhaps in the case of the Mondrian inspired condom wrapper, the sometimes just bizarre?

Until 08 August 2010 at Museum für Angewandte Kunst, An der Rechtschule, COLOGNE 50667.  The museum is an enjoyable walk from our own New Yorker Hotel in Cologne, so if you need a place to hang out, take a look over here.

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Categories: Cologne, Art

Contributing writer: Melissa Frost

Cologne. The Bridge Project. Not Sold Out, Yet…

If you’re planning on being in Cologne later this month, you should think about getting tickets for Sam Mendes’ production of The Tempest now.  If you don’t already have plans to be in Cologne, maybe now’s the time to plan a trip to see this renowned touring performance taking place from the 26th through the 30th of May at Cologne’s celebrated Ruhrfestspiele. Read the rest of this entry »