Industrial Revolution 2.0: Murray Moss London Design Festival at V&A

Wowza! The future is here... And it is going viral... 3D printing have you heard about it? To emphasize the 'viral' nature of this Revolution, New York gallerist and curator Murray Moss has commissioned eight designs from the worlds of fashion and furnishings all sponsored and produced by Materialise. Murray gave me a private tour around the London's V&A museum yesterday showing off his eye-opening, cutting edge exhibition Industrial Revolution 2.0: How the Material World Will Newly Materialise. We started in the Hintze Sculpture Galleries in front of "Bust of Lady Belhaven, 1827', re-imagined with a hat by Stephen Jones. Stephen Jones worked from a 3D scan of the 1827 carved marble bust of a demure Lady Belhaven located on the plinth next to this new sculpture. Stephen manipulated the scanned data of the original bust and 're-designed' the sculpture by adorning her with a remarkable hat. The new bust was then printed by Belgium company Materialise. "I want to start a discussion now while it is peaceful about this technology which is quickly becoming ubiquitous and is permeating, simultaneously, all areas of the contemporary material world, including fashion and domestic furnishings, as well as transportation, medicine and architecture," says Murray. 

Murray explained he had every right to be in this historic building with a very controversial process such as 3D printing  next to works that have been laboured over for months and years by artists, craftsman and designers whose work sits within the museums walls. Why? Hidden in the depths of the corridors of the V&A rests a plaque titled, 'The Arts of Industry As Applied To War' reads,  "The central intention of the Museum's collections was to improve the quality of the "industrial arts" - designed and manufactured objects - in Britain, by placing the finest historical and contemporary examples before the public".  Well you couldn't get more contemporary examples. 

This amazing dress designed by Iris van Herpen, from the Netherlands was 3D printed nylon built through Additive manufacturing, which allowed for this 'sculpted' ensemble to be produced without an seams - no sewing machine or handwork was employed. "I wanted to go back to the meaning of couture 'custom built for the torso'.  Soon our bodies will be scanned and a suit or dress will print out'", explains Murray.  

"There will be no shipping overheads because designers will simply send their new designs by USB to shops where they will print out the latest collections".  Murray discussed how printing is a green process and will lower carbon emissions. Will it? To be honest I find it a little unsettling. I question if we are able to print what ever we want when ever we want will we not end up with a lot more waste in our landfills? At the moment we can print concrete, glass nylon and resin.  

'We are at a tipping point in history where profound and radical changes in how we make things will revolutionise our lives,’ Murray says.  'These are not “futuristic” objects but everyday items – lamps, chairs, tables, shoes, hats – produced today but signalling tomorrow’s processes.’ It is the first time any of these works has been exhibited in Britain and, in most cases, anywhere in the world". The fact is SnOOper's we are on the brink of a new Industrial Revolution and now is the time to get our heads around it. "When I had my 62nd birthday I decided I didn't need to understand the process of a design to exhibit it. This new attitude has been the most liberating in my life", says Moss. 

Ron Arad - London Studio

SnOOper's I feel like I have let you down today. I had the amazing invitation to have a private tour with some London Design Festival VIP's today.... BUT I arrived 20mins late. This meant I couldn't introduce myself to Ron and the people who were there were in a rush so rushed him.

Last night designer Ron Arad was awarded the London Design Medal 2011 at a ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral as part of the London Design festival. The medal is awarded annually for a lifetime’s contribution to design and the city. The studio is on Chalk Farm Road in North West London. You enter it by way of a flaky blue gate that opens onto a cobbled lane called Old Dairy Mews. You then climb a steel stair and find yourself, with a dislocating sci-fi effect, inside abendy, asymmetrical space where, at first glance, the principal occupants are chairs. Then you note that there are assistants sinking into their computer screens, like Alice just before she slips through the looking glass, but they are outnumbered by chairs and models for other projects. 

When I did arrive and sneaked in Ron was showing some amazing video's of his work including the Design Museum, Holon and his Vortex in Seoul, Korea.

When I asked him questions I felt like this stencil found at the entrance of his studio located in a gated muse in Camden. Ron is one of my design hero's and his jumper which had holes all over it showed off the stripes from his top underneath. His hat made from straw was worn at the end and captures what I love about design and fashion at the moment. Imperfection can be so beautiful, creative and oozes a confident attitude of "I don't care".

One of my favourite quotes from Ron is "Some people have hair and some people have hats I wish I belonged to the first group, but I belong to the second". I asked Ron if he would give me a quote for my book and he said send me an email. Damn my heart sunk... It really was a visit that I wanted to be Amazing (AND IT WAS... AND I WAS VERY LUCKY)...but SnOOper's I wasn't my normal chatty self and didn't feel like I connected to my hero. 

Perspectives by John Pawson at St Pauls

British architect John Pawson has installed the largest lens ever made by crystal brand Swarovski in the southwest tower of St Paul’s Cathedral for the London Design Festival, which starts on Saturday. I was lucky enough to have a little SnOOp yesterday so you guys could get an exclusive preview

                        Perspectives by John Pawson for Swarovski Crystal Palace, ©Gilbert McCarragher.                                                          Pawson’s installation marks the 300th anniversary of the cathedral’s completion and remains open to the public until January 2012.

 

 

The morning started with a champagne breakfast at Madison Restaurant in One New Change opposite St Paul's. We had a brief presentation by John Pawson, Nadja Swarvoski and Ben Evans. Then we were led to the normally closed to the public spiralling Geometric Staircase that connects to the Dean door on the upper levels of the cathedral. The installation comprises a spherical mirror suspended at the top of the 23-metre tower, mirrored in a hemisphere below the lens at the foot of the staircase to create a composite image of the whole tower for visitors gathered at ground level. To be honest I thought when I was coming to the exhibition it was going to be a hanging piece. However, the more I think about this piece more genius I believe John Pawson is. It has a fabulous 3D quality to the reflection which is breathtaking. John told me "the best view of the lens is from the ground floor looking down". Nadja stated "Perspectives is the most important location we have ever had the opportunity to showcase our crystals. It's a very proud moment." I highly recommend the visit.