Design Debate

It never ceases to amaze me how ingenious people can be. I love the kind of person who sees a problem, and rather than complaining about it or ignoring it sets about finding a solution, and with Anirudh Sharma a creative one at that!  Being from the famously polluted city of Mumbai, Sharma decided to design a piece of technology that can be fitted to a car exhaust and trap the polluted air. Then with MIT Media Lab he creates Air-Ink which then can be used in art.  Sharma's philosophy is "less pollution, more art". Simple. The device is called KAALINK and is even more eco-friendly as it doesn't require water to work. Through Kickstarter Air-Link has even been used to design T-shirts, postcards, shoes and helmets! Brilliant. See more at Inhabit . 

    Now thats the word, undulating. Moscow based architect Oleg Soroko of After Form works with sections of ply to create a flowing piece of furniture. For the Murena Bench he was inspired by the sea, and in particular its' creatures.  Part of the Parametric Furniture collection, Soroko uses 18mm thick sections of plywood bolted together, elegant but secure. From every angle this seat doesn't disappoint. It kind of makes you want to recline on it as well as run all over it! Check out more of Oleg's work on Bēhance .    

  I like it when people take a fresh look at something we have come to take for granted. One hammer looks like the next, however designer Abidur Chowdhury believed  that there was a “lack of consistency between both the hammer head and handle” and set about challenging that. He wanted to create a set of household tools that were approachable, beautiful to behold and a joy to use. Instrumentum gives DIY a new visual language, one that feels more suited for our modern world.  But these aren't just elegant tools, they are smartly designed. The split in the handle absorbs some of the impact making the tools comfortable on the hand. And of course the packaging doesn't disappoint.  See more at Yanko Design . 

    I am mesmerised by Tekla McInerney's monotypes. Moments in time that she has recalled to mind. The nature of this kind of mark-making is so unique. Inks are applied to a non porous surface and then pressed to paper. A second print is never the same making the first truly unique. The colours are suggestive of landscapes, contrasting the dark land masses with silvery water or barely there skies. With titles like 'Uttermost', 'Here', 'Hitherto' and 'Mere' the slippery nature of the subject remains undefined. McInerney says these are moments she recalls, taken from the coast of New England to the Antarctic peninsula.  Beautiful works that captivate, they draw me in and give me a mixture of peace and restlessness. The wonder of art! Full of contradiction and at the same time making perfect sense. 

Nature is just a treasure trove of amazing isn't it. Every time there is a new competition, and there are many, I am always amazed at the beauty and just plain awesomeness these great photographers are able to capture.  The 2017 National Geographic Nature Photographer entires don't disappoint. How on earth would you ever pick! The competition closes on the 17th of November, so there is still time for budding photographers to enter.  Pictures via My Modern Met , see more entries at National Geographic . 

Non-snobby wine sounds good to me. I am not much of a drinker (I shamefully prefer grape juice to wine), but I buy wine to visit friends or family and it can be a daunting task. Honestly, I go for a good price and a good label, being a graphic designer that should be no surprise. But regions, age, grape can be a world of confusion. It seems I am not alone in my thinking, meet Wayward Wines.  Born out of a bombardment of information and a feeling you need a degree to understand which is what. Wayward Wines was inspired by the craft beer and spirit revival that is taking over supermarket shelves. The idea is to produce wines based solely on flavour, to be accessible, expressive and most certainly not stuffy. Not known by name, but by the tasting notes. Abstract patterns bring the contents alive. The mission? "to create a range of beautiful wines with a spectrum of flavours to choose from. No pretentiousness and no convoluted origin stories. Just daring, dis...

In graphic design, my field of choice, you work within limits. Be that timescales, budgets, client briefs or self imposed boundaries. I like limits because I feel that is where creativity comes into its own. You can push against them, stretch them, come at them from a different angle, or fully comply (though that one is a rarity!)  John Bisbee is an artist who has limited his artworks by material - but not by creativity. He only works with nails. It was 30 years ago that he stumbled across a bucket with old nails rusting away into a solid chunk of metal. It sparked a curiosity with the humble nail, and to this day Bisbee creates installations and sculptures that stick to the motto "only nails, always different". Bisbee sees the nail to be as versatile as the line on the page, the limit is his imagination. From neat and tidy snaking piles to twisted writhing sculptures testing the form and shape of his chosen object - Bisbee explores it all...