Monday, April 30, 2012

MILAN: Ventura Lambrate - Laikingland


Ventura Lambrate: Laikingland – With Movement exhibition. Laikingland is a creative label whose fundamental theme is movement.  Each year, kinetic objects are developed collaboratively with invited artists and designers.  The exhibition With Movement acknowledges both the objects and the collaborative process developed with each artist and designer.
Above: Just about Now by Maartan Bass. “I’ve always had an interest in ways to indicate time. In spite of the fact that time is very abstract and very relative, in the western world it’s normal to indicate time very precisely. Apart from things like train schedules or the duration of sporting games, the exact time is often irrelevant.  A coffee break, a meditation, a nap, a business meeting, they could take a few minutes longer or shorter than an exact amount of time. This is why I wanted to create a timer that bangs a gong, more or less after the amount of time you indicated.”

 photograph courtesy Laikingland

Laikingland. Cacophany Bell by Tord Boontje. “Through the gap in the shutters, I can see him coming up the path, he is past the gate already. Quick, can I hide? Why, would I? Should I not be glad that he is coming? What if… Too late, I can see his hand reaching out for the buzzer; I know I have only a few seconds left. The finger presses the button, the wireless connection is made, I look up at the ceiling.The hammer on wheels is released, with hesitation it starts to move along the fine metal wire track. It picks up speed and rushes down the first steep slope of the track; it crashes into a steel watering can, BANG. Without slowing down the hammer keeps moving towards a glass bottle, the sound of impact is a glassy PING. Onwards through the steep corners towards the dried leaves, the doll, the tin can CRUSH THUMP TING and finally heading towards the bell, where it ends with a loud CLANG.  Although, it does not quite end there the weight of the hammer now tips the balance of the precariously hung track and the whole thing starts to tilt over. Slowly the hammer on wheels starts to move again, exploring new forces of gravity. Giving in to a new sliding motion as the track changes shape again and the hammer reaches it’s starting point again where it comes to rest.  The noise, the cacophony is still echoing through the house, while I wait for him to press the buzzer again.”


 
Laikingland. ‘Light a moment’ by Joost van Bleiswijk and Kiki van Eijk is an exclusive candle lantern, a collaboration where their two creative worlds are captured into one poetic kinetic object. A soft and romantic ceramic form full of the characteristics of textiles holds a traditional church candle. This candle is reflected a 1000 times through fragmented mirrors built in a constructivist shape.  The protective shell opens its doors with a sophisticated and elegant movement allowing you to appreciate the time and process of lighting the candle for a special moment.