Experiential Design and its Poetry
At the heart of any wonderous creation is emotion. And whether the creation is an object, a place, or music, its power lies in the ability to connect and to stir. Such power can foster well-being, provoke thought or bring tears. I’ve felt it all, looking deep into the thick and multi-hued oil swirls that seem forever animated within my favourite art piece. Memories and experience are brushed into each leaf and cloud. The artist and I shared the same vista and perhaps even the same day. It must be so because the way the sun turned the leaves golden on that late summer day created a special and ‘once’ time.
Art by Pierre AJ Sabourin : En Plein Air Landscape Artist
Experience is what life is made of, and the artist can continue to document its richness for all to take part. I feel that today the art world is continuously honing its communication skills by engaging its audience through the crafting of experience. We find installations that are expressly designed to interact with the human component or ones that completely immerse the spectator in its poetry. There may be a larger message, a new idea or simply the desire to evoke happiness within the art. Whatever the motive, the effect can be powerful and memorable.
The mantra, ‘design telling a story’ is one that’s been resonating with artists for some time now. It’s one that has steadily seeped into the mindset and expectations of the general public. People are seeking more from design. They’re interested in the story that lurks within. It’s human nature, is it not? Creators at this year’s design exhibitions each seemed to have a story to share. But they didn’t stop there. The overarching message was not just about the story. No, it was also very much about the experience of design.
All’ombre della luce (In the shadow of light), by maker, Ritsue Mishima paid homage to the artistic heritage of the iconic champagne house, Maison Perrier- Jouet. It made its debut at Design Miami and amid all the colourful and fantastical works, it seemed to me a pure and elegant haven. I wanted to spend some time there to quietly absorb the ambience and creative narrative, preferably whilst sipping on some bubbly. Mishima’s creation is an experiential one that invites contemplation and reflection. The delicate choreography of glass spheres and their exaggerated reflections on surrounding surfaces is an ode to the rays of the sun dancing on enchanting vineyards. Here, the fine art of glassblowing parallels the art of blending. The two protagonists of the story are indeed light and shadow. The beauty of creativity and nature couldn’t be more coherent than through the streams of rising bubbles in golden champagne.
The Anemone pendant by Veronese came to life through human touch at New York’s 2016 ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair). The delicate live-glass creation is an experiential luminaire. Inspired by the sea anemone and its poetic movement with the ocean currents, the pendant can change its flow and vary lighting effects. A multitude of hand-shaped Murano glass flags can be lulled back and forth with gentle hand caresses. It’s fascinating that the lamp continues to shift and take on a life of its own long after the final touch of the creator’s hand.
Meystyle transformed some walls of the ICFF into works of visual experience with its remarkable LED wallpaper. Connecting the touch of the hand with technology is the magic in today’s craftsmanship. LED lights are fully integrated into the handmade rolls of art and each design is a tantalizing display of light and form that seems ready to burst out into three-dimensional reality. The latest ‘Poems’ collection is one lovely and tangible sentiment. Capturing a moment of beauty as inspired by an element of nature, each design, and its experience are defined by a short poem.
And a spectacle of interactive couture was exhibited at the ManusxMachina show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The “Kaikoku” Floating Dress by Hussein Chalayan is a fascinating piece of fashion technology and poetic gesture. The cast fibreglass garment of gold metallic pigment is embroidered with Swarovski crystal and pearled paper “pollens”. ‘The dress is operated via remote control and is made to be entered from a rear-access panel. The experiential ensemble symbolizes new beginnings. During a peak moment, all the pollens are released into the air and swirl around the wearer.
The ‘experiencing’ of design can connect us and stir thoughtful emotion. It can speak volumes. Here, no words are required to translate the idea, the message or the simple evocations of happiness.