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Alessandro Mendini's Nod To His Own Design: Proust Chair In Miniature




Based on the Italian designer's own 1978 Proust chair, Alessandro Mendini has created a series of 14 miniature ceramic versions in conjunction with SUPEREGO editions.

The original chair (source):
The Proust Armchair was first designed by Alessandro Mendini in 1978. This unique armchair represents the original meeting between handcraft and design, between classic and modern. It is part of Mendini's series "redesigns furniture". Believing that Modern Design had reached the end of its natural life and that designers could no longer create innovative designs, Mendini "redesigned" acknowledged classics. The Proust chair is inspired from the Louis XV style. Mendini was attempting to create a feel for the work of late XIX Century author Marcel Proust and used a style of chair of the period.


above: The Proust Armchair, now produced by Cappellini, is hand-carved on a hand-painted wooden frame, upholstered with fixed multicolor fabric matching the colours of the structure. This armchair is the re-edition of one of the historic pieces of contemporary Italian design. It is available in two multicolored versions.

Now, the new miniature ceramic versions:

Each miniature ceramic Proust chair measure 40cm high. The solid colors are limited to 55 of each, the three metallic versions are limited to 45 of each and the two pixel patterned versions are limited to 35 editions of each.

Solids:









Metallics:



Patterned:



The piece were shown at the Tingo Design Gallery in Milan, Italy during Salon del mobile. If you are interested in purchasing one, please contact the gallery.




About the artist:

Architect Alessandro Mendini was born in Milan in 1931. He directed the magazines Casabella, Modo and Domus. Monographs on his work and his projects with the Alchimia group have been published in different languages.

His focus is on objects, furniture, concept interiors, paintings, installations and architecture. International collaborations include Alessi, Philips, Cartier, Swatch and Hermès. Alessandro Mendini is a design and image consultant to many different kinds of companies, including ones in the Far East. He is an honorary member of the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem. In 1979 and 1981 he was awarded the Italian Compasso d’Oro of design; in France he carries the title of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres; he is the recipient of an honorary title from the Architectural League of New York and was also awarded an honorary doctorate degree from the Milan Polytechnic. At the Universität für angewandte Kunst in Vienna, Mendini worked as professor of design. His work is featured in many museums and private collections.

With his brother Francesco Mendini he opened Atelier Mendini in 1989, designing the Alessi factory in Omegna; the new Olympic pool in Trieste; a series of subway stops in Naples; the refurbishment of the Naples City Hall, the Byblos Art Hotel in Verona; the new Trend Group headquarters in Vicenza, Italy; a commemorative tower in Hiroshima, Japan; the Groninger Museum in Holland; a district of Lugano, Switzerland; the Madsack office building in Hanover, a commercial building in Lörrach, Germany and other buildings in Europe and the USA.

Now, I have a thing for chairs. If you do too, check out:
Artists Take A Seat: Various Paintings of Chairs By Contemporary Talents

The Silver Fish Floating Home With Interior by Confused Direction







The Schwimmhausboot is a floating barge or houseboat named the Silberfisch (silver fish)in Oldenberg, Germany.

The Interior design and furniture was created by by Flo Florian and Sascha Akkermann of the design firm confused-direction and built by Die Schreinermeisterei

Features:
-Kitchen with refrigerator, dishwasher, gas stove, oven-E

Floor Resofloor in "gray prismatic" by Lars Contzen:

Heater "Bullerjan" 11kW with manual lighting
Bathroom with shower, Bio-Toilet, Grauwassertank-1500L with integr. pump, washing machine


details of furnishings:

Panorama windows in the living room:

Green Roof :

Roof Terrace 17m ²

Sleeping level with panoramic views



Construction:
-ventilated facade Resoplan "Silver Beaver", 6mm
Insulation made of hemp and wood fibers
-Beams construction:
Window frames made of wood / Painted
Window Mounts facade in Larch / untreated
Preparing for Solar / Photovoltaic
All exterior wood in larch / untreated



Length: 14.22 m
Width: 4,22 m
Height: 4.6 m + 0.9 m
Draft: 0.53 m
Weight: 13.6 tons
Size: inside 40 m² + 5.5 m² bedroom level
Total foreign 33m ², of which 17m ² roof terrace





Wanna see more cool 'floating' and Undewater residences?

then check these out:

The Poseidon Underwater Resort and H2Ome.
The Bouroullec Brother's Floating House
Oceanic Creations floating hotels and offices

Vinyl Toys With Heart. And Livers. And Lungs. And More. Organ Donor Dolls.



Artist David Foox of Foox-U has created a toy concept that raises awareness for the need for Organ Donors. His fun little vinyl dolls with organs for heads were inspired by his Uncle Ken's double lung transplant.

Cold Cut Animals, Soft Body Parts & Stained Glass Perfume




Sarah Illenberger is a multi-talented imaginative artist based in Germany whose editorial work is unusual, infused with humor and impressive in its variety. She has such a large body of work that it was hard to choose my favorites, but the following three examples of her editorial artwork do a nice job of showing her range of materials and subject matter.

For Neon magazine, Animals made from luncheon meats:


above: A-Z FLEISCH, Photography by DIRK EISEL

For SZ Magazine, Soft knit human stomach, heart and brain:



above: VÖLLIG WEICHGEKOCHT, Photography by ANDREAS ACHMANN

For TUSH magazine, The Price of Beauty, stained glass window 2D artwork of famous fragrances:




above: PRIX DE BEAUTÉ 2008


above: Sarah Illenberger

About the artist (written by Antje Wewer):
Defining one category for all the work of Sarah Illenberger is no easy task. The forms the visual translations of her themes assume are far too diverse. What initially sounds quite abstract, in reality, is mostly practical in that her creations are not generated on a computer but rather by meticulous handwork, sometimes incorporating the most mundane materials. A story about love-sickness is visualised through an embroidered design. Variously coloured tablets are used to compose portraits for a magazine. And in Sarah’s hands, beauty products are given new life by being transformed into tourist landmarks. Whatever she creates, it is done with a humorous touch and a great love for detail. Each assignment leads to a unique work of art, sometimes visually enhancing the content of a feature, sometimes to be considered a work in its own right. In her Berlin studio, Sarah Illenberger develops concepts for editorial as well as commercial clients. She mostly works alone, but occasionally teams up with a photographer.

contact info:
SARAH ILLENBERGER
C/O SLEEK MAGAZIN
BRUNNENSTRASSE 10
10119 BERLIN
T +49 030 24537782
M +49 0173 9761051

See her entire body of work here.

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