Posted by
Misc | 14 Jul 06 | Comments (7) | Stumble
Guess who. Symbolik is Karim Rashid’s bowl, vase, and totem collection for Italian ceramics maker Bitossi. They commissioned fifteen new pieces in a limited edition using Rashid’s trademark graphic style and signature colors. Says Karim; “My real desire is to see people live in the modus of our time, to participate in the contemporary world, and to release themselves from nostalgia, antiquated traditions and the meaningless. We should be conscious and attune with this world in this moment. If human nature is to live in the past - to change the world is to change human nature.”.
Bowl.
Vase.
Totem.
"to release themselves ... from the meaningless? "
Allright then, what ARE these if not complete memphis wannabe revival nonsense ?
It's so unfortunate when someone with such a presence in the design world (many would argue completely unwarranted) uses that visiblity to produce such formally lazy unadulterated crap.
There's never an in-between with Karim. Opinions are always polarized, you either like, or really don't like. Personally, I like his work, maybe not all of it, but I like Symbolik aesthetically and symbolikally. If it is Memphis II, it's a statement about colorless designs and you don't have to like it to appreciate it. If it's functional art, which I believe it is, you have an art object that will make you think about color and hold your flowers ...and provoke.
Well it does provoke some reaction, and I can see why some people might like that kind of work.
It's just that almost every new object of his gives me that feeling of "déjà vu", as though he has copy-pasted his previous work in the next (coasters for umbra -> kit 24 house -> and now this, and i'm sure i'm missing some in-betweens...)
anyway.
I have to agree Harry. I wouldn't say Karim has "changed the world" with this piece, but I do enjoy his reference to the past (memphis era) with a KR twist. In fact, didn't Karim work as a young designer with Ettore Sottsass? Perhaps he's justified here.
Its the age old phenomenon of making the "old" - "new". It comes at a good time, and I kind of like it as well.
Plus he's Canadian, eh.
I'm just kidding.
Memphis was about getting a sense of humor after a particularly sober period in design. I understand why people don't like KR, the same way I understand why they do.
Are they eatable? Maybe its like a new way of recycling....that would be MOCO