I blame my parents for my perpetual identity crisis. I know of other Filipinos who have the same dilemma.

Which name should I pick out of my hat?
Which form of me will exist to you?
 What a [sometimes cultural] mess.

A pro version of myself has emerged this 2011.  From a spiky cocoon, out comes a refined and smoother version of me, and her name is Kristen.  I am reborn, and self-Christened.   Yes, let’s embrace Kristen for now.  I am going to take myself seriously: in art, in music, in design.  This is a mockup of the future me.

(Yes, you may still call me Binky. <3 )

A Twilight Breaking Dawn cake!

I am currently STILL working on getting good analogue shots from my Diana and my Yashica, so please be patient! See you soon!

Gaetano Pesce is an architect/designer, well known for his Organic Building in Osaka. He is thought to be responsible for post modernism in Italy. Karim Rashid is an industrial designer whose designs can be found everywhere, including your local drugstore!

This lecture began with an introduction by curator Daniella Ohad Smith and Martin Filler, former editor of House and Garden. Pesce spoke for 10 minutes along with a slideshow of some of his works. His works are very thoughtful, some of them made clear politcal statements. For instance, his UP chair (“emergency chair”) is formed with feminine curves, but is attached to a ball and chain. He likened this to the oppression of women in some cultures, namely women who must wear burkas. Pesce seemed to really care about human rights, and he tries to make those statements in his works. Karim Rashid spoke next, and dedicated the night to his late father. He started with a wonderful story about his father, a set designer. His father would draw a dress for his mother, cut material, sew the dress, and she would wear it that same night for a party. What an inspiration!

After both had a chance to speak, it was time for Filler to moderate a discussion with the two legends. It seems although these designers are from two different generations, they seem to have the same forward-thinking views on design. Both are responsible for innovations in design at different ends of this design era. Both agreed that technology should be embraced, not fought against. They seemed to agree that technology could be used to make truly unique, and one of a kind designs. They foretold of an era of technological customization.

Pesce proposed that instead of a machine being used to make the same product over and over, perhaps it could be used and randomized so that each design was slightly different at each process, making something one-of-a kind. Rashid, during the final audience Q&A portion of the night, made it clear that he embraced technology and adamantly proposed to an anti-establishment audience member, that perhaps there is something more behind these giant brand names. He proposed that if large companies are making life better with design, these companies should prosper. They have developed technologies over time which benefit us, so why shouldn’t they prosper?

Pesce and Rashid are innovative designers, progressive thinkers, and true artists. I recommend a visit to their respective websites and design galleries. At this lecture, I was inspired by Pesce’s bold statements, Rashid’s flexible attitude, and of course, their both of their innovative contributions in design. Another truly inspiring night at the 92Y!

I love Illustrator, but there’s still so much to learn! A great site for illustration is illustrationclass.com from the infamous Von Glitschka. My goal is to do one lesson every two weeks. Juggling work, the band, and cake “work” makes it tough to find time. Wish me luck!

Our new super-tufted, claw-footed couch!

Thanks to my good friend Mike H. we got this really neat couch last night!  This couch was being tossed on the street in front of his apartment.  I am in love with anything tufted, and of course, anything vintage, so this was a real find!  According to legend (ha), this couch has been in Mike’s building since the 1930s, making it about 80 years old!  They don’t make stuff like this anymore.  The details in the sewing alone are really amazing.

When we picked it up, it was covered in tailor-made zippered plastic.  The couch looked really yellow, but we found out it was the jaundiced plastic when we took it off. (Yuck.)  The couch is a nice patterned gold, with wooden claw footing and framing.  Gosh, I feel so happy that we have it!  Unfortunately, I bought paint a little while ago to paint our furniture and stencil our wall.  Now I fear I’ll have to change the color palette of our living room.  Our couches have really dictated the feel of our apartment.

I’m considering gold, teal, coral, and some red accents as a color palette.  This is kind of shameless, but it’s similar to the colors used on the back of Brit’s Circus album.  Yes, I do have the album.  Shameless!  i just hope this isn’t too much on the shabby-chic side.

I’m still confused about what I’m going to do with our wall.  Oh, and I have no clue what I’ll do with the blue and orange paint I had for our former color palette.

Beautiful, ain't she?

The sad, sad part is that we have to get rid of our old couch, which I acquired a couple of years ago from Craigslist entrepreneurs in a garage not too far away. It is a STELLAR couch and quite photogenic. Still, what was once a tiny tear, is now a huge gaping gash almost right in the middle of the couch!  I was so tempted to use duct tape just to make it functional.

This couch is from the 1960s, and it jack-knifes into some kind of bench/bed, but we never ended up using it that way. It has been the star of many of my designs. I absolutely love this couch. The thing is, it desperately needs to be reupholstered, which we just can’t afford. It was also taking up a lot of room in our tiny apartment. So, we will sell it to someone who can take good care of it. I hope someone will want it. It’s awesome!

In the end, I’m sad about about the old green couch, but I’m so excited to have such a cool [even older] couch, with such a rich history.  It’s a Jersey City relic! :-)

Here are some cool books on how to buy and use vintage furniture to decorate your home:

• Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s
• Vintage Furniture: Collecting & Living With Modern Design Classics
• The Vintage Home: Clever Finds and Faded Treasures for Today’s Chic Living

He discussed pieces which are on exhibit currently at the MoMa, and also pieces which are not on exhibit.  He told fascinating tales of each metallic, yet organic piece.  For instance, the Gomli, which looks like a large metallic boat-shaped fainting chair, was a piece he shaped and named after his friend, Gomli! He even had pictures of Gomli laying in the metal fainting chair.

One of my husband’s favorite pieces, the Rover Chair, is actually crafted with a seat from an old Range Rover.  It was one of the first pieces of furniture he made in 1981.  He made them for his home, and he eventually needed to sell some pieces.  Someone came along and bought 6 Rover Chairs from him.  Later on, he learned that the buyer was none other than Jean Paul Gaultier!  He said at the time he had no idea who he was, “even Jean Paul Gaultier didn’t know who he was!”.  From there, Ron Arad’s fame began.

The interview portion was no less interesting.  It is true; he has no discipline!  He answered questions and seemed unable to sit still.  His mind seemed forever-racing, and he would go off on tangents which the audience gladly indulged.  He really knows how to capture the hearts of an eager crowd.

The only time he seemed really still (and a little testy) when the host asked the seemingly innocuous question: is design art?  Is his work art or design?  He did not seem to want to entertain the question at all, but did feel very strongly that this question was silly.  Some of his works are chairs, and so they are furniture, not art.  On the other hand, he makes chairs that are not meant to be sit on, but just appreciated, because they are interesting.  He compared it to photography:  no one questions if photography is an art anymore.  “It used be said that it was from a machine; it is not art!  But now no one questions it”.  He also mentioned that sometimes a picture in a news article is most likely not art.  He shrugged off the debate, basically saying, something is either interesting, or it isn’t!

In the end, Ron Arad is endlessly inspiring.  He is truly an artist,  a designer, and a brilliant creator.  He encourages everyone to make something interesting.  He challenges us to think of new solutions!  I am definitely a big fan, and I am so glad I was able to see him.  I was completely inspired at the way he sketched his ideas, especially with mini sculptures.  He said “A sketch does not always have to be a drawing”.  Good advice for artists and designers everywhere!  Follow him on www.ronarad.com.

Please view the gallery.  I apologize, I was only able to take mobile photos, as to not interrupt the lecture. Anyway, who doesn’t love a mobile photo?

Ron Arad is an Israeli designer/architect/artist who has a penchant for whipping up steel, other metals, plastics, rubber, and a world of unconventional materials into objects that are organic, fluid, and most notably functional. My breath was taken away at the beauty of his craftsmanship, as well as his sense of humor; he gives instructions to cut an object in half to create seating for two, and has named a flat and ribbon shaped chair “Pappardelle”. My husband and I, being techies, loved his forward thinking approach reflected in the innovation of his designs: a Swarovski chandelier inside the exhibition displays text messages. This exhibition is truly inspiring. The dimly lit atmosphere is both other-worldly, and familiarly warm.

I am thrilled that I will have the pleasure of seeing Ron Arad at the 92Y Dialogues with Design Legends Series on Thursday, September 17th. Click here for info and tickets

Ron Arad will also be holding a lecture at the MoMa on Saturday, September 12, 2009, 1:30 p.m. at The Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron Atrium, 2nd floor.

No Discipline is on exhibition at the MoMA until October 19th. In the meantime, have a sneak peek in the gallery below.

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