ISABEL + HELEN: CONSTRUCTIVIST SWING SET

October 16, 2015

We love this conceptual swing set created for last month's London Design Festival by UK-based duo Isabel + Helen. A free-moving interpretation of the Constructivist movement, this interactive kinetic sculpture uses oppressive and heavy Constructivist elements in new and playful ways, an arch and subtle commentary on the extremism of the bold, graphic movement. The swing set is a continuation of their Constructivist Playground, created for the Victoria & Albert Museum's Friday Late White Nights exhibition celebrating Russian art and culture. Visit Isabel + Helen's website to learn more about both projects.

SHANTELL MARTIN

November 13, 2014

Shantell Martin’s bold black and white drawings have been inspiring us all year. Martin’s graphic line drawings explore identity, both her own and that of the world around her, while she records her personal experiences as a small part of a larger whole. Her combination of high art and design with the commercial quotidian creates a fanciful dreamscape for play and exploration. Some of our favorite projects include her collaboration with Kelly Wearstler at Wearstler’s flagship boutique in Los Angeles, California, and her work with the MIT Media Lab, which sprung from her series of Printed Circuit Boards, a collaboration with engineer Jonathan Bobrow examining the intersection of technology and art. As a visiting scholar, Martin documented her first week at MIT in an incredible mural entitled “I Am Here” in the Media Lab. Check out a video detailing the process, as well as all of her incredible work, on her website.

FURNITURE BY KIDS

March 28, 2014

London-based artists and designers Jack Beveridge’s and Joshua Lake’s children’s furniture project turns childhood imagination and fantasy into reality. Working with a class of 7-8 year olds, Beveridge and Lake asked each child to draw a chair, with little direction other than colored pencils and enthusiasm. The team then used these drawings to faithfully recreate the little artists' ideas as actual chairs. Each piece, according to Beveridge and Lake, is a unique exploration into “the untainted imagination of a child.” Check out the full project on Beveridge’s and Lake’s websites.

MORE KUSAMA!

November 22, 2013

Yayoi Kusama is one of our all-time favorite artists. We blogged about her amazing obliteration room installation here. If you are in NYC and looking for a fun place to go with children of all ages, check out her newest exhibit, I Who Have Arrived In Heaven, at the David Zwirner gallery. This awesome exhibit includes two infinity rooms--one filled with fantastical polka-dotted tentacles ("Love is Calling"), and a second, more reflective space, both literally and figuratively, containing thousands of twinkling lights ("Infinity Mirrored Room--The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away.") The gallery also features twenty-seven of Kusama's bold and joyful new paintings and the video installation Manhattan Suicide Addict. We can't wait to experience it for ourselves!

David Zwirner is located at 519, 525, and 533 West 19th St. in Chelsea and is open Tuesday-Saturdays 10am-6pm. The exhibit runs until December 21, 2013.

Have you visited Kusama's infinity rooms? Tell us about your experience in the comments below or tweet us @kindermodern

A Doll's House

October 25, 2013

One of the most striking projects from this year's London Design Festival, held in September, was a collection of twenty dollhouses made by the UK's top architects. "A Dolls' House" was inspired by the 1922 British Empire Exhibition and iconic architect Edwin Lutyens' decision to use dollhouses as showpieces for his unique combination of traditional and modern design. These twenty-first century interpretations of the traditional toy range from simple and sleek to wild and whimsical, but they all feature at least one design element that would help a disabled child navigate daily life.

Although it was hard to chose, some of our favorites include Zaha Hadid Architects' minimalist, organic structure; AMODEL's take on transportation and the treehouse; Mae's cozy geometric design; and Guy Holloway Architect's playful, imagination-igniting box.

All the dollhouses will be auctioned during a gala event at Bonhams on November 11, 2013. Bids may also be placed online. All proceeds benefit KIDS, which provides vital services to disabled children and their families in the UK.

The Koloro Wagon: Torafu Architects

October 12, 2013

Kids love to take all their special toys with them on their daily adventures and this convertible cart by Torafu Architects lets them do so in style. Part wagon, part basket, part shelving unit, this piece allows for endless combinations and drives imaginative play, as the child's mind elevates the cart beyond functionality. Its geometric shapes and simple primary colors are inspired components of this unique piece. See all of the Koloro Wagon's possibilities here.