I tried to do some modern architecture photography. A dramatic angle for the converted banana warehouse that serves as museum since 1989. Back than I was 7 years old, just moved from Poland to Germany and had no idea that something like ‘design’ exists. Sometimes I like my naivety back. A fresh start to define design.
A model of the future Design Museum that will move to the ‘early-60s architectural splendour’ of the Commonwealth Institute in 2014
My visit to the Design Museum was end of last month for the preview of ‘Extraordinary Stories about Ordinary Things’. I enjoyed the short speech by Deyan Sudjic about what makes design a subject that is relevant in a museum. Not in a gallery. And that design needs a why, how and a who. I guess he means a appropriate explanation board, a story. He said that curator Gemma Curtain put a selection of 150 objects together that try to tell a stories about extraordinary everyday objects, all organised in 6 main areas like taste, plastics and fashion. The collection is very British, too much Anglepoise and very Modernism. It simply hasn’t convinced me yet. It struck me with excitement when I saw Jasper Morrison’s piece. When I left the building I saw that the table is printed on most of folders. Good choice.
A classic in the entry area of the museum. A Swiss railway clock. Did the British design got a classic clock? Big Ben?
Lady Ritblat, Design Musem Trustee and Donator of a collection of fashion items together with Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic, who gave a short introduction during the press preview
Earlier this year I started reading Deyan Sudjic’s book ‘The Language of Things’. Indeed, I found some of the objects Deyan is mentioning in the book also in the exhibition. One of them is the Anglepoise lamp
Illustration of the Anglepoise Lamp
I enjoy drawings & illustrations that accompany objects by telling a story
Calculator Divisumma 26 by Ettore Sottsass
Massive, isn’t it?
Courier batter shaver by Kenneth Grange Read Justin McGuirk’s article here
Ekca Ac 65 Radio by Wells Coates
Radiotime by Wells Coates
Handlebar table by Jasper Morrison
A lovely surprise and soemething I have never seen before. Can we have more of that?
British Motorway signs
WOW, big things do impress. They also have a telephone box and a traffic light. See below:
National traffic light by David Mellor
Nesting table by Marcel Breuer
Pierrot by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, 1990
It comes unassembled and needs to be clipped together
Plastic Relicts II, 2008 by Committee
A mysterious object consisting of a plastic component from A Dyson vacuum cleaner and an extrusion made from black plastic
Exhibition view of Extraordinary Stories about Ordinary Things
I bumped into our friend Alasdair Thompson from Minimumblog
