This issue of Projector has a distinct Finnish accent. Even the cover reads «Varo, kuuma», which means «Caution, hot!» The hot summer Finnish issue has dedicated more than half of its publications to the projects by the designers from Finland — our good neighbours. It would be a predictable step to start with Alvar Aalto, the founder of all Finnish design. But, first, we wrote about him a year ago in issue 2(3) in 2008, and secondly, his works are well-known at our place. That’s why we start with Eero Aarnio, and continue with Harri Koskinen — both masters of Finnish design have been interviewed by Projector.
Harri Koskinen one of the most popular and in-demand designers. He has stepped far beyond the the compact Scandinavia, implementing his projects from Japan to America. He seems to be designing anything at a time — furniture, lamps, dishes, textiles, watches and even dumbbells! He is already a young celebrity, who will undoubtedly remain in the design history of late XX — early XXI century.
«Russian design» — the project of Olga and Alexander Florensky isn’t subject to any geographical or thematic trends in the editorial policy and is, as usual, still here. This time we will focus on the Mobile bestiary.
«Lettering» sections opens with the article on Mitya Kharshak’s project Graphic Archaeology, implemented in cooperation with the students of the Graphic department at St.Petersburg Print University. Mitya Kharshak: «One of the fundamental principles of graphic archaeology is borrowing ready-made objects and transferring their utilitarian-information function into the discourse of design. Walking around the city, adjusting your eyes to its details, may often provide you with a fresh and unconventional design solution».
The relationship between Projector and types through the story about an amazing Kunststück — a type generator based on Rubik’s Cube.
This issue’s «Object» is surprisingly abundant. The editorial board have spotted four objects, simply impossible not to be discussed. Among them: the chair Organic by Eero Saarinen, created in collaboration with Charles Eames; a freaky engagement wire, designed by Ilkka Suppanen; a crisis-resistant design of a thermos that can be constructed with your own hands, and the futuristic Medusa by Mikko Paakkanen.
The «lightweight» imitation of an engagement ring could be perceived as a designer’s joke or fun for young and frivolous couples, if not for one thing: the author himself treats his invention with great trepidation and uses it with all seriousness to prove his feelings.
The source of inspiration for the author was jellyfish, the mysterious creature of the seas. The lamp successfully combines modern technology and design. The built-in mini-electric motor allows to change the shape of the lamp even every day, from vertical to spherical, or even loop the object into a continuous smooth movement.
Section «Environment» shares two projects: Kirnu, «a giant pot», which represented Finland at the World Expo in Shanghai; and Flat apartment — a witty artistic project by a trio of young designers from St.Petersburg. «Finnish nature served as a source of inspiration for architects. The reconsidered interpretations of natural phenomena are implemented in the design of the pavilion: granite reliefs, reflections of fish going down a river, the sky above the lake district and the smell of fresh resin on a tree bark. The Finnish pavilion is a quiet refuge from the follies of city life — as is nature, which opens up to anyone who wants to get in».
«The black silhouettes of every object imaginable in the apartment hinted at the voluminous nature of the furniture only by switching to the snow-white face of a pillar or wall. Sometimes, color burst out in clear geometric outlines. As if strictly refined compositions by Amede Ozanfan were inlaid by the fragments of Mondrian’s works».
The photography project also features a Finnish master — Ole Kolemainen. Unfortunately, the editors weren’t efficient at twisting Mr. Kolemainenu and his press service’s hands, and we didn’t get a portrait of of the photographer’s main working tool — his camera. That’s a drag, but, instead, we’ve been able to publish two photos more! «He focuses on the most unexpected and surprising details, as if taking the skin off the modern architecture. In his works, reflections flutter and the texture of the surface is emphasized. Kolemainen explores and rediscovers the graphic and pictorial components of the architectural plane — color, light, shape, rhythm, relief», — Mitya Kharshak writes.
Mikhail Karasik continues to delight us with his studies of books of the 1920—1930s: read his article «Jump». «The twenties and thirties were the time of flying and jumping not only literally, but also metaphorically — into the future, from feudalism to socialism, in economics, science and technology. The antithesis of the thirties were the seventies, when a person could soar only with his eyes closed, as in the works of Moscow conceptualists Ilya Kabakov and Viktor Pivovarov, or in the texts of their predecessor, the absurdist Daniil Kharms, with his „flights to heaven“ and old women falling (read: flying) out of the windows».
Next, our permanent columnist Dmitry Nikiforov looks with great pleasure through «The most beautiful book in Finland, 2008» (this is an official award), entitled Sketchbook. «A thick folio without the usual binding cover. Instead of the spine, the mottled ends of twenty-seven notebooks are immediately visible. The flyleaf of the book looks like its cover, but here the designers have observed all the traditions and subtly hinted at the texture and disheveled ends of the intertwined cords, always hidden from the eyes. And on top of all this, there is a belt dust jacket — on the substrate, printed with metallized pantone, some covers of sketchbooks of the project participants are depicted».
