Toshiyuki Kita 喜多俊之展

Today I got the chance to visit the exhibition in MOT design gallery which is about a Japanese master of industrial design - Toshiyuki Kita. Quickly I was attracted by his lighting design - Tako.

Cause I saw something beautiful without showing off. It simply represents the connection between light and the paper. Suddernly I realize that he has the ability to improve the traditional art craft to modern form. Of course this is also a good sample why I believe that Taiwanese designers should keep finding the relationship between those falling industrial factories and new designs. We need more people to follow the tradition then innovate it.

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Rock the City - Karim Rashid

One of great contemporary product designers!
Ok, Karim Rashid ... I don't even need to introduce him. Although few close designers don't like his works, I enjoy his modern and aggressive design sense very much.

The exhibition locates in my dear friend Young's new retail shop - Design Comb
There are also few more events. Check it out.
Let's shape a beautiful world! by KR

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Art For The Masses - In MOT _ Taipei

Caution! Designer Toy is not for kids!
I went to this exhibition which is a quite interesting exhibition about Chinese artists' creations between Art and Toy design. Although I believe the designer toy culture is not mature in Taiwan, this is still a good start to make cross-the-line effort on art and design. Wish this type of business go on in Taiwan.

Exhibition Host - MOT

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Franch Fashion Designer - Christian Lacroix

Conflict between fashion and pragmatism
Pretty interesting exhibition from fashion designer Christian Lacroix in MOCA Taipei.

He tries to turn the image of fashion into ordinary and local culture.

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Monster Bag Exhibition - 5/15 to 18

A New Product design release!!!

「A bag that brings a new mobile experience for the urban life style！Monster Bag also brings the relationship between the owner and the pet-bag alive. It will keep you company and protect your personal belongings with a smile.」

「Monster　Bag要帶給都市人不同的移動生活體驗，將都市人與包包的關係變成主人與寵物般的生動，它像是陪伴在你身邊的好幫手，用微笑幫你保護著重要的隨身物品。」

Event:2008 新一代設計展 YODEX
Place:台北世界貿易中心展覽大樓一樓 廠商區　無印良品旁　Taipei World Trade Center 1F　by MUJI
Schedule:
5/15.16 9am-5pm 生意洽談 for business visits
5/17.18 9am-5pm 生意與一般參觀 for business and friends
Contact: yungchun.chang@gmail.com / 0918080518

more info
產品資訊(合作廠商 形塑品牌公司)

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<人間機關術> 黃心健 2007互動裝置創作個展

「一個關於人，關於自己，關於我，此時，此地，一個藝術品在觀看
與思考你的展覽」　　　　 ～　黃心健，2007

EDM
http://www.storynest.com/TRANSFER/2007SoloShow.html

新聞稿
http://tw.mydpi.com/mag/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=225&Itemid=35

故事巢網站
http://art.storynest.com/_ch_main.htm


<人間機關術>
黃心健 2007互動裝置創作個展
開幕茶會：11/16(Fri) 19:00 .2007
時間：11/17~12/07 . 2007
地點：新苑藝術
台北市10559八德路3段12巷51弄17號1樓
網址：http://www.changsgallery.com.tw/
電話：02-25785630
開放時間：週二-週日 13:00-18:00(每週一休)

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Shida Kuo Solo Exhibition

Made in New York
I went to this exhibition locates in Eslite Gallery in Taipei.
Surprisingly, the artist's creation gave me a strong impact of visualization. Very simple and clear graphics are used to form a iconic drawing. So catching my eyes, I couldn't stop thinking. I started to ask some questions. Such as why he used this material, this colour, this shape and what he wanted to show. However, after checking out the introduction of this exhibit and chatting with the host I found out Shida did not want to show anything during the period of creating. This is what I couldn't image before. Probably, it is because the nature of designer. I tend to think logically. Then, I pushed myself to see his works again. Those works start to become alive to me. It is like I talk to a new friend fearlessly and just try to be myself. This is a huge change to me and a new perspective to enjoy arts.

exhibition info

brief introduction of Shida Kuo
郭旭達
生於台灣，現工作生活在紐約

1982 師範大學美術系,學士 台灣
1992 紐約大學藝術系,碩士 紐約
1993 迄今 紐約大學藝術系兼任教授

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Exhibition - A Century of Chairs

英國的Design Museum目前展出a century of chairs。

Chairs 椅子，是人類科技與文化演進的附載體。

靠著設計者的創意，歐洲椅子在百年多的時間裡從傳統工藝的椅子，到西元1859年法國匠級藝術家Michael Thonet巧思創造出適合大量製造的Side Chair NO.14，這椅子到現在至少生產了七千萬張(物生物,1991)，而包浩斯社會主義影響下的鋼管椅(Tubular Steer)將新的工業技術與設計帶來新意，至此透過大量生產給大眾使用有美感的椅子，是創意家背後的推手，代表了歐洲對生活文化的要求；二次世界大戰，希特勒的獨裁不但沒有熄滅包浩斯的精神，反將它與資本主義作了更有殺傷力的結合，椅子與新的技術、材質不斷一起突破，1968年Verner Panton的Panton Chair是最迷人的典範，(個展之前才於2006年台中市舊酒場展出)，利用Injection-Moulded Prolyproplyene成為第一個Cantilevered Chair塑膠椅，Sexy變成了它給人第一眼的印象，也帶給人們對家居生活更多的情趣。

Contemporary Chairs至今，在歐洲始終不斷產生新的生活家具點子，反應的是他們對生活品質的熱忱，實驗性的設計也不斷的出現。不過在台灣，椅子始終還是高生活水準的代表，設計學生的作品不容易切入大眾生活，更別說被重視，當然比起幾十年前，現在能夠在家具上發揮創意的機會已經多很多了，台中的Strauss，老闆以外銷歐洲的品質已經建立起品牌的口碑；林口的懷德居木工實驗學校也提供專業匠級的木工技巧，我非常期待對台灣家居生活有強烈熱忱的創作者能多切入台灣產業，提升本土的競爭力。

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都市叢林中的檳榔之花 - the photographer "Tobie Openshaw"

(me and Tobie in front of one piece of his photograph)

今天與謝老大一家人及Rhoda had a good look of the exhibition.
跟Tobie有了很不錯的談話,他基本上是一位業餘的攝影師,充滿對台灣檳榔西施文化的好奇心,促使他從偷拍西施們到主動與他們表示友好認識,甚至找一位台灣女性來做溝通的媒介,也因此他才能夠巧妙的捕捉到一些貼近西施們工作的角度.

台灣的檳榔攤從開始到現在有著滿大的轉變,單純的攤位轉變到充滿霓虹燈管的醒目招牌以及如放在展示箱中的doll般的半裸辣妹,轉述謝老大的詮釋"勞工階級買檳榔的行為,其實價值上是一種滿足男性自尊的想像. "I am the man!"" 也因此,檳榔西施的服務沒有像早期甘仔店被7-11取代,因為她們在社會上的價值目前無法被取代,而Tobie也補充說明現在桃園檳榔相關行業也開始積極的推動合法化與正式營業化,頒給商家執照就是一種尊重. 然而始終弔詭的是,這些女子如何從工作中被尊重?因此社會中還是會出現一些對他們行業的一種歧視或是刻版印象.

Tobie說其實他發現大部分所認識的西施們,都是很不錯的女生,當然都是背負著經濟上的壓力,才選擇賺這種 easy money,然而我相信更多背後的故事將與台灣整體經濟及政治環境有所連接.

不過很值得自己繼續觀察的是,

- 檳榔西施的服務會隨著合法化而被社會接納嗎?

- 檳榔西施隱藏的男女性別問題,其實反映社會的期待...西雅圖也開始有以比基尼辣妹為服務員賣咖啡的方式來推銷.以男女平權的觀點來看,可以想像會有牛郎咖啡廳或大雕檳榔攤這種商家出現,是嗎?

- 經濟全球化對於性別的影響(此問題有待著墨...)

無論如何,都很感謝Tobie的works.

Here is his contact: topenshaw@hotmail.com

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