Shortly before the IMM opened the German Furniture Association announced that the production of furniture in Germany fell by 10% last year. And if what is on show in Cologne is the very best the German furniture consumer can look forward to in the coming 12 months - expect a further reduction. And by a lot more than 10% Truly, truly ugly. Imagine hell decorated by the devil with a really, really bad hangover - and your getting near to what we endured in some halls this afternoon. Indeed
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We're indebted to Dave Report for drawing our attention to the forthcoming Jasper Morrison exhibition in Stockholm. Organised by the Hallwyl Museum in conjunction with Forum, (the magazine for Scandinavian Architecture, Interiors and Design), the exhibition features jugs, jars and pitchers selected by Morrison. Which might not sound like the most fascinating of exhibitions; but just as with "Take a seat!" exhibition at Museum Les Arts décoratifs in Paris the exhibition offers visitors a
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On 03.11.1989 the Vitra Design Museum opened. On 09.11.1989 the Berlin Wall "fell". Coincidence? Almost certainly. But while the Vitra Design Museum may not be able to claim responsibility for the end of the DDR, it can look back on a remarkable 20 year history and proudly profess to have helped popularise designer furniture and furniture designers. Initially established as a location where Vitra chairman Rolf Fehlbaum could display his extensive collection of contemporary designer
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In these pages we have often described the dangers and problems associated with non-licensed copies of design classics. And now thanks to Core 77 a particularly appalling case from the USA has been brought to our attention...as the images below show. OK it is art, and specifically an installation by conceptual sculptor Mark Wentzel for the Global Health Odyssey Museum in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Entitled XLounge x 3 the show is, according to the PR blurb " ... a series of cleverly-adapted
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We're just a touch late with this one, but since July 22nd the Martin Gropius Bau in Berlin has been showing the exhibition "Bauhaus. A Conceptual Model". For the first time, the three German Bauhaus institutions - Bauhaus-Archiv Berlin, Museum für Gestaltung, Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau and Klassik Stiftung Weimar - are uniting to present a comprehensive Bauhaus retrospective. “Bauhaus. A Conceptual Model” recounts the story of the Bauhaus in a comprehensive presentation of the works of its
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Since Saturday the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) in New York has been showing their new exhibition Ron Arad: No Discipline. Until October 19th visitors have the opportunity to view a varied selection of Arad's work. Or in the organisers words: "...celebrate the designer’s interdisciplinary and “no-disciplinary” spirit. Physical concepts are traced through works in different materials and scales, and objects are grouped in families based on a shared form, material, technique, or structural
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The so called "Barcelona Chair" by German architect and designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is without question one of the true classics of 20th century furniture design. And one of the most copied. On the 80th anniversary of its first public appearance during the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929, materials scientist Prof. Friederike Deuerler and Art Historian Prof. Gerda Breuer have curated an exhibition for the Galerie im Kolkmannhaus at the University of Wuppertal. "From prototype to cult
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After our turbulent week in MIlan the (smow)blog team is looking forward to the ever faster approaching May bank holiday weekend here in Germany. On Friday we will be at the traditional May Day Horse Racing Meeting at Leipzig Scheibenholz Racetrack, Saturday the Leipzig Spinnerei "Spring Gallery-Tour" with among others Damien Hirst at Gallery Hilario Galguera and then Sunday the exhibition "EAST_for the record" at the Leipzig Museum of Contemporary Art. And there are people out there who
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As our old snowboard buddy used to say "Beaten tracks are for beaten men". And as everyone who deliberately strays from the conventional path knows sometimes you push it too far, take too many risks, lose control, break several limbs, are out of action for months and must begin all over again. Or if you know what you are doing, the conditions are right, you have the talent and just that pinch of luck you might just have the ride of your life - a ride that leaves you longing for the same,
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"Most people spend their lives living in dreary, beige conformity, mortally afraid of using colours. The main purpose of my work is to provoke people into using their imagination and make their surroundings more exciting." Verner Panton No one who knows the work of Verner Panton could or would argue that his work successfully achieved it's purpose. But for all his interior design projects, such as the canteen at the Spiegel headquarters in Hamburg emphasis exactly what Panton always hoped to
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Only a week to go and then Europe's most prestigious furniture trade fair opens it doors. The Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan is the meeting point for designers, producers and those who aspire to such. And for the first time (smow) will also be in the Lombardy capital. While the (smow)bosses peruse the fair and negotiate with suppliers the (smow)blog team will be scouring the city for the best, the worst, the most curious and the most entertaining stories and photos. In addition
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Over Easter we had hoped to hoped to get to Karlsruhe to have a look at the exhibition: Interface Desk, or against Thinking in Categories. Billed - quite rightly - as possibly the first exhibition in history solely devoted to desks, the exhibition examines the role and function of the "desk" and in doing so possess the question "what is a desk?" But we didn't. Instead we were in Bad Muskau- which was also fantastic. And now we are back at our desks.... and still thinking "what is a desk?"
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A cult figure among designers, relatively unknown amongst the general public Joe Colombo is without doubt one of the most important designers of the 20th century. The Vitra Design Museum exhibition “Joe Colombo – Design and the invention of the future” is the first international retrospective of the man, his work and his influence. From April 3rd until the end of June the exhibition is on display at the Grassi Museum here in Leipzig and, as one would expect from an official Vitra partner,
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Passenger Terminal Expo is Europe’s largest airport terminal exhibition. And while such is always good to know, why are we at (smow)blog telling you. Because it is a opportune moment once again demonstrate that designer furniture and furniture by top designers can be found everywhere. Even in an airport – an environment that is normally considered as a design desert. Among the exhibitors at Passenger terminal expo is smow partner Vitra. For over 40 years Vitra have been developing and
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March in Leipzig means Book Fair. One of the oldest and most important in Europe the 2009 Leipzig Book Fair ran between March 12 and 15. And attracted over 147,000 vistors. The Leipzig Book Fair prides itself on being more than just an industry meeting point, and during the Fair over 500 public readings took place as part of the “Leipzig liest” festival. And we at smow joined the fun. On the evening 14.03.09 our Leipzig (smow)room once again hosted a reading with subsequent discussion. Guest
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The (smow) blog has more than once suggested that designer furniture is more than just a comfortable place to sit of an evening or a convenient ledge on which to place your coffee while reading the paper; and that a well constructed piece of quality designer furniture can be a real investment. Proof of this theory, if it were needed, can currently be found at the TEFAF Maastricht - one of the world largest and most important art and antique fairs. For the first time in its 34 year history the
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At smow we have a particular soft spot for Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec and so it is especially pleasing that we can recommend an exhibition of their work currently on display at Grand Hornu in the Belgian region of Hainaut, close to the border with France. Grand Hornu is 19th century mining complex which has been creatively restored and today serves as a centre for culture, tourism and technology - and so it is particularly appropriate that it is playing host to "Etapes" and exhibition
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Last week the (smow)team made their annual pilgrimage to the CeBIT communications and IT trade fair in Hannover – not as exhibitor but as curious visitors and passionate techies. And while we looked for ways to improve our on-line service and to offer even more features, we found our attention being continually attracted – and occasionally astounded – by the furniture behind and around the stands. And over the course of the visit we had plenty of time and opportunity to draw up a list of our
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The evenings are getting longer and the rain is a little warmer: Spring is unquestionably approaching. And with the rising sap many an idle thought will undoubtedly turn to romance and the city of all hopeless romantics, Paris. And for those of you planning making a short trip to the French capital this spring we at the (smow)blog would like to recommend a couple of exhibitions that could appeal. Until March 16th the Centre Pompidou is showing an exhibition from the British/Israeli designer
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During the 2009 consumer goods trade fair Ambiente in Frankfurt the 33rd “Plagiarius” Awards were presented. Organized by the society “Aktion Plagiarius” the award is a negative prize for to those producers and retailers who trade in copies and imitations of designer products and specialist machinery. A gnome with a golden nose – the award symbolizes the exorbitant profits made by the counterfeiters and trade mark pirates at the expense of the rights owners. With the action the organizers
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At the Tokyo Design Week the German furniture producer Thonet presented their classic cantilever chair in a new light. In co-operation with the Japanese retailer Muji, Thonet - the self-styled “world’s oldest furniture brand” - presented a new interpretation of the classic Bugholzstühle (chairs created from wood formed through the application of steam to aid the bending and shaping. The process was developed by Michael Thonet. The official Thonet translation of Bugholz is "bentwood",
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For the first time in over 20 years London is hosting a retrospective of the work of Swiss architect and designer Le Corbusier. Without question Le Corbusier was one of the most important figures of 20th century architecture and through his five point plan for modern architecture he influenced more than one generation of architects; including Geoffry Chamberlin, Joe Powell and Christoph Bon designers of the Barbican Centre in London. Without question the most important expression of
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For those of you either living near or planning being in the vicinity of Weil am Rhein, the George Nelson exhibition in the Vitra Design Museum runs until 01.03.2009. The exhibition presents not only his famous, humorous designs but also explains Nelson's theoretical approach and presents a selection of his furniture designs, architectural models, clock and graphic designs. The retrospective is part of Vitra’s celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of George Nelson's birth. After studying
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It may be a few months old, but as relevant as ever: The International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film. During the festival in November 2008 smow sponsored, in conjunction with Vitra, the Industry Lounge. Within the festival hub – the Museum der Bildenden Künste Leipzig – industry visitors, VIps and the media were offered a quiet and relaxed atmosphere in which to hold business meetings, hold – or overhear discussions – or simply to relax and unwind. The Industry Lounge
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