March, 2014
Walk The Line
If you are planning on visiting the Milan furniture fair next month, please make an effort to come see our exhibition “Walk The Line” with Luca Nichetto and Lera Moiseeva at iconic gallery and shop Spazio Rossana Orlandi.
Milan Design Week 8th-13th April 2014
Spazio
Rossana Orlandi
via Matteo Bandello,
14-16 Milan
Italy
Opening hours 9.00 – 20.00
Walk the line, the exhibition designed by Luca Nichetto and Lera Moiseeva, illustrates how the Sucabaruca coffee set and Cheburashka table set were born. The two collections, which are produced by different companies in different parts of the world, geographically and culturally very far from each other, share the same craftsmanship characterizing the production processes of porcelain and of ceramics, respectively.
The skills needed to produce these items become evident in the geometric patterns of the decoration, which are obtained by manually tracing a series of lines on each of the pieces. That is just where the title of the exhibition comes from.
Since 2009, John Baker and Juli Daoust have been collecting and distributing Japanese and Scandinavian objects with unique aesthetic and emotional meanings in their shop/gallery Mjo?lk, in Toronto, Canada. They also produce collections signed by major international designers.
In the Russian town of Suzdal, Vadim Dymov and Evgenia Zelenskaya, founders of Dymov Ceramics, produce, among other items, a particular kind of black ceramic pottery, for which an ancient process of cooking dating back to the third century AD is used.
These people were brought together by the collaboration of the Venetian designer Luca Nichetto and the Russian designer Lera Moiseeva, who worked together on the design of the Sucabaruca coffee set and the Cheburashka table set, which aim at enhancing two rituals of conviviality: filtered coffee and food sharing.
These products have in common the high quality of the craftsmanship emerging from the lines engraved by hand on their surfaces, which appear to intersect like the lives of those involved in these projects.
The Cheburashka set marks the beginning of a broader project that will be developed during the coming years and that aims to connect different cultures through an accurate selection of products realized by different designers and produced by Dymov Ceramics.
We hope to carry the Cheburashka table set as soon as we can, we’ll keep you updated on the progress.
Mold All
Despite the cold weather. and the March break holiday we were happy to see so many familiar faces join us for our reception with Nagano-based glass artists Studio Prepa. Our latest exhibition “Mold All” Presented by Play Mountain and Studio Prepa is a collection of glass art made using wooden molds that leave the impression of wood bark and end-grain on each vase. The wood is burned away, so a new mold has to be made for every piece resulting in a collection of unique works in many different sizes and shapes.
If you haven’t seen the video we last posted, you have to check it out. It is incredible to see the process.
Above: Mr. Hira’s tools and what is left of the wood mold after it is used.
The process itself is inspired by Scandinavian “Ice glass” which was popularized by artists like Tapio Wirkkala and Timo Sarpaneva. Even the iconic “Savoy” vase designed by Alvar Aalto in the 1930s was originally made using a wood mold and then later made with a metal one to accommodate mass-production. The Hira’s took this original process, and enhanced it even more by lining bark to the interior of the mold to further romanticize the texture of wood grain. Now these vases look almost like they are the form of the log itself, instead of just the interior.
Very beautiful grey / blue glasses.
The complimentary amber vases look especially nice with bright green leaves.
Along with the Moldall collection, we also showed Studio Prepa’s art glass which they are famous for.
Maple lids carved to perfectly fit the asymmetrical forms of each vase.
Very Scandinavian looking glass-cast candle holders.
Bud vases.
One of our favorites in the collection: the glass planters.
A glass paper weight used as a futaoki (lid rest).
Mr. and Mr.s Hira on the far right.
How to make MOLD ALL – Studio Prepa
Studio Prepa is with us all weekend here in the shop! Check out this amazing video of how they make their MOLD ALL pieces then swing on by to say hello between 5pm and 7pm tonight!
Playmountain & Studio Prepa Presents: MOLD ALL
Just a few snapshots of some of the incredible work that will be on display starting this weekend. Meet Studio Prepa (or say hi if you met them a few years ago) between 5-7pm Saturday, March 15.
There is quite a variety of shapes and sizes. Prices vary from $50-$200+.
Paperweight.
Coloured glass vessel.
Single stem vase.
Glass jar with wooden lid.
Lid from above.
Also on display will be some pieces from Studio Prepa’s studio line.
Mold All exhibition
We’re really excited to announce our 2nd exhibition of 2014. We were lucky to host Mr. and Mrs. Hira of Studio Prepa during a group show with Oji Masanori two years ago. Our follow up to that exhibition is a solo exhibition entitled “Mold All”. This series is the result of an experimentation with wooden molds, the same technique used by mid-century Finnish glass artists to create “Ice Glass”.
A log is hollowed out and glass in blown into the mold. The end grain, knots, and grain are left imprinted on the clear glass. Since the molds are made of wood they can only be used a few times before they are destroyed so as a result the works are very limited and each piece has a unique size and shape.
We will also be offering a collection of Studio Prepa’s studio line, which includes bowls, dishes and glasses.
We hope to see you this weekend! We will be hosting an evening reception with the artists Saturday evening from 5:00 – 7:00pm.
