Yesterday we had inside of the permanent exhibition of the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design, the opening of the exhibition: WAKE-UP! the world has changed. There are interactive textiles made by the 25 textile design students of the Estonian Academy of Arts, all supervised by Kärt Ojavee(the beautiful girl on the second picture, counting down from above). She is doctoral student both in EAA and in the Technical University and is working with the same subject. Absolutely worth of seeing, try to follow black lines on the floor in order to find the works among the Estonian history of applied art and design. The show will remain open until 19.09.2010.

We almost have a festival of textile in the museum, as today there was a little conference dedicated to the textile artist Ellen Hansen, who is celebrating her 100(!!!) birthday tomorrow.

And last Friday we had the opening of museums this years “Classic” exhibition- textile artist Mall Tomberg. Amazing works and beautiful design for the exhibition by Jaana Jüris.

Lately I have been drowned under loads of work, not really unusual situation…

On Tuesday I was in Helsinki, setting up the exhibition of Estonian fresh designers. Here are some pictures from the exhibition VÄRSKED VÕTTED, I designed in the Estonian Embassy, Helsinki Finland. I had really great day with warm and lovely people, it felt like a week.

Amazing interior design of new concept jewelry store in Kuweit by Jaime Hayon! More images in Designws.

Photo from Designws

Patricia Dekkers and Leon Bloemendaal are powerful and talented couple of Dutch designers. Both graduated from Utrecht School of the Arts(HKU).

We met with Patricia in Tallinn during the first international contemporary jewellery event Millenium 1 at 1994. She and two other Dutch students stayed for couple extra weeks in Estonia and we showed them around. At the same year, late Autumn we(also 3 girls) had a chance for the return visit to Utrecht. We stayed for one month at Patricias place and got to know Leon then. It was first trip for us to Western Europe. Most of the time we did wow, and were looking at the things eyes wide open all days long! We were shocked that people tried to kiss us three times every single time they saw us. Mostly we were eating Milky Way straight from the jar and drinking very cheap Martini Bianco or wine, because in Estonia it was not affordable then. We were amazed to see that churches were turned to shopping or culture centeres and people did not use curtains. Biggest entertainment was to cycle around on our bikes and look what Dutch people were busy with at their houses.

Leon gave us quick overview of contemporary music. Both alternative and classic. As I remember he was financing his studies partly by working some days a week in the music store. Even now when I hear Portishead I think of him.

Utrecht as the city was cute and cosy with all its canals and wonderful cafeterias and lots of students around. At the very same trip I got the feeling that I have to return to this country.

It happened on 1997 I was accepted to Rietveld Academie. Dear Patricia offered me kindly again her roof. It was wonderful time, I must of been hassle, as I stayed too long before finding and moving to my own apartment. She is one of the sweetest and definitely most helpful person I know.

Later on we have met several times while I have been in Holland. They both haven´t been around here for ages. I hope they will come soon! And Happy Birthday to you Patricia!

On the picture Patricias work Wink 585. The same collection was selected for the Dutch Design Awards some years ago.

Photo: Anna Tiedink

“Minä perhonen is a Japanese fashion brand producing beautiful timeless clothing.

I bealive it was at the summer of 2003 or 2004 when I was asked to make an excursion in our museum’s permanent collection for the Japanese textile designer. Textile is not my speciality, but my colleagues were on the vacation. I met two very hip Japanese girls, wearing  bright, colorful and unique clothes. They appeared to be the assistants of the designer. They took lots of photos and seemed to enjoy the collection. In the end of our tour they gave me little presents(one of them on the picture) with tiny labels “minä perhonen”. When I asked why does Japanese designer have a brand name in Finnish(if you translate it, it means -I butterfly).  They told me that the designer finds Finnish culture very inspiring. I didn’t know about the brand then. I have kept the little thing hanging in front of my desk in the studio. I just love this combination. When I discovered their website I can say that I would love to wear several of their clothes.

After Marije Vogelzang lecture, as part of the 5th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial I ordered some extra copies of her book “Eat Love”, as all the copies we had were sold out in the end of the lecture. I just received the packages from the publishing house and I actually saw the book first time now. Well, it is truly wonderful, inspiring, sparkling, fun and serious at the same time, talking about so many important issues, about and around food we face daily, but most often just do not pay any attention. Reading it made me feel even more sorry for missing her lecture because of the virus I had but at least the book gave some comfort to find out independently about Marijes projects. And she really inspires!

Couple of copies will be available in the shop of the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design for 520EEK.

Kärt Ojavee graduated from textile department of the Estonian Academy of Arts. She is designer and researcher of interactive textiles and patterns at the EAA and at the Center for biorobotics. Currently doing her Ph.D. Find out more about Kärt Ojavee’s works from her blog.

Soosoo also have a blog.

5th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial have a pleasure to host Dutch designer Marije Vogelzang next week, on 2nd of November, at 14.00 in the hall of the Estonian Academy of Arts(Tartu Road 1).

Lecture will be in English, you all are welcome!

She is a designer who after graduating the Eindhoven Design Academy in 2000 has been since working on and designing eating concepts. Her interest is mainly in the verb „eat” not in food and designing it thus she develops her vision to design out of the verb of eating. It has been emphasized that she is not giving for to food or things neither decorating it. What is important for her is how we experience food. What is important, is what constitutes eating – the atmosphere, people involved, stories related to the ingredients, taste, texture, sound, scent, colour of the food, how it has been prepared and served.
She is exploring the intimacy of the design that really goes inside people and uses food as means to rely her ideas. Thinking of it, working and experimenting in her studio and restaurant, creating eating experiences for her clients, she has created also her unique way of treating the subject from the point of psychology, culture and design. In 2009 a book by her was published on the same subject. Studio Marije Vogelzang, founded 2004 in Rotterdam and expanded in 2006 to Amsterdam, is a small enterprise with big ideas working with restaurant conceptions, long term medical projects for hospitals, social events with an objective to educate and inspire. Working also with the food industry installations and new food rituals are created.
www.proefamsterdam.nl

Marije at Twitter

It seems that Eindhoven Design Academy has influenced other designers to deal with food as well.

Find out more how to save food from the fridge.

Photo from Brussels flee market.

Todays link Kärt Ojavee