Way of seeing in Frieze Art Fair 2012

On Friday 12 October 2012, Creative Economy student had a good chance to visit the biggest art fair in the world, which was taking place in Regent’s Park, London. Fortunately, our course provided tickets for every student to access the fair without paid (the price was £30). But it seems not balance with 60,000 sqm. just in 2 hours.  Before the fair kick off, I was wondering about the fair because I never focus on art fair before so I google to find information before hand. After having background information enough, on Friday morning we was briefed about Frieze Art Fair again by Anders Petterson, Managing Director of ArtTactic. He described the detail, the main purpose and all circumstance of the fair in-depth.

To be honest, I am not dilettante, I am not interested in art really so I did not expect too much to see art or spent time to find the meaning of each masterpieces. However, I expected to see something tangible such as facilities provided, out posts or stands, hard copies of advertising or pop up café.

At the first place, before getting in fair I spent a lot of time in Gail’s café in front of the entrance. I like this pop-up café quite lot because its good use of material, good proportion and good location as a result this café could stimulate art’s perception for visitor perhaps. (All of architectural installation in FAF including this Gail’s cafe designed by Carmody Groarke. http://www.carmodygroarke.com/index.html )

  

 

Walking through the entrance, I was stunned by the carpet and wallpaper which were wrapped by loafers pattern along the entrance. I took lots of picture here until I realized that I blocked the traffic. In my opinion, this decoration took part of art in this fair as well. During walked around the fair I found that there is a square space for taking rest and refreshment for visitors and it was decorate with the blue laughing cow pattern so I guessed it might be the same person who created loafer pattern. (Yes he did, both patterns created by Thomas Bayrle)

COLOSSEUM OF THE CONSUMED, Rrizedale Art Project. In the centre of the fair there is one giant structure sat up using plywood which surrounded by food stalls. The structure represents a small coliseum and follows theatre in round (they called it cricket pavilion), they had various projects inside everyday in different curators to perform about food during the fair. This Project created by Grizedale art organization, for this project for Frieze they reflected on the relationship between food, art and art people. Their aim to illustrate a way that art can work across society. I walked around the Colosseum and I found the short brief about this project that is

• The brief was not to offend to anyone at the fair.
• The secondary brief was to comply with health and safety requirement and food hygiene.
• The third component was it should be silent.
• The fourth that there will no smells.

The Colosseum was designed and conceived of by the Yangjiang Group.

I quickened my pace because I had 40 minutes left to look around and gather information. In the meantime, I observed about circulation of the fair, stands, leaflet, sponsors and so on.

 

Finally I had finished the show and walked through the exit, when I was walking I looked on left hand side there is a field in spotlight and there has smoked flow out from the ground. I stepped in closer and it smells like aroma makes me feel relaxed before going back home. In few days later in just knew that smoke is the one of performance from Joanna Rajkowska (http://www.friezefoundation.org/commissions/detail/joanna-rajkowska/)

I hope everyone enjoying it, It dosen’t matter you are art person or not but it’s depend on what do you want to see and what can make you happy. For the next Frieze I think I will come again. There are a lots of things apart from art that I would like to see and learn about public entertainment. See you in the next October at Regent’s Park.

“Shoe” Design Process

On Friday 5 December, In class, We learnt about the process of how to create new shoe which is observation and brainstorm. I surprised that we can create the new show just in two hours and every group in the class enjoying this activity including me.

Observation, we went out the class and interviewed many people around our school. Before interview our group have set a question and classified the target of people who wear a different type of shoes.

I strongly believe that if we would like to have a helpful answer we have to create a question carefully as well. Our group decided to separate in to three groups so we can have more answer in a short time observation. Not surprising, most of interviewees would like to have a shoe that can provide comfort and lightness. Our small group asked about material and the answer was only waterproof that they require. I think that those requirements must be in shoe as basis but in term of creativity we need something difference more than normal criteria. I found one interesting answer from one of interviewees; she told us “I wants the shoe that can walk in the air”. That is the stunning answer for me and challenge me about how to create it to be real. (It’s stuck in my head until now).

Brainstorm, my favorite part, after we gaining enough idea form observed and researched we had enjoyable discussion in group which is share an idea, give an example then we tried to sketch it. Even though, our prototype couldn’t jump out from the other groups. We’ve tried to deal with all of requirement that we got from observation but it’s not create enough, our shoe still base on reality of production process, material and aesthetics as a result our shoe couldn’t branch out as it should be in create new shoe design project.

Even though, our shoe dealing with problem of women who need a shoe that can be formal and casual in the same time. We combined a flat shoe and high heel together by create a high heel and it can screw heel out and become flat shoe. Moreover, we designed spare part that can connect with shoe to become a boot by using hook and loop tape to connect it together. Our group also create many functions that can solve the problem for traveller such as back up money, GPS, flashlight and so on.

From my experience with design (I used to be product designer and once I’ve participated in workshop of Nike to design a running shoe many years ago), I have come to learn that it’s unnecessary to be a designer who can create things, creativity use by anyone for example in our class, we came from different background but we can also use creativity as well as designer do. Significant part of creativity has come along with research which is tell us how can we create things in right direction. However, design thinking needs to practice more and more to use it perfectly.

“No good product was ever created from quantitative market research. Great products spring from the heart and soul….”                   (The Design of Business, 2009)