Friday, 30 July 2010

Bi-King

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When we visited the world famous Central/St Martins art college degree show a few weeks back there was no that much that caught our curious eyes. The project however clearly stood out for its clever aesthetic and beautiful craftmanship.


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The designer Sung Kug Kim describes the project as a 'more enjoyable and artistic way of transformation of everyday product into an art' with which we couldn't agree more. Well done Sung, you brought a smile to our faces.
www.designkug.com

Saturday, 24 July 2010

Barbara Hepworth Sudio

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In our opinion any trip to Cornwall will be incomplete without a dip in the sea, it was pretty chilly, but thoroughly invigorating. The second must is a visit to Barbera Hepworths' studio in St Ives. This is a magical spot left almost as if Barbara has just popped out for a cream tea. Time has been suspended in an appealingly mid-century modern period with bits and pieces of desirable 50's furniture, and the luscious garden is carefully tended and enshrines many of her favorite sculptures.

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Don't bother with the Tate but make a beeline to Barbaras' Studio, before or after the required Pasty on the beach (beware killer seagulls)

Friday, 16 July 2010

Chez Johnstone-Clarke - Creative Chaos in Cornwall

Minimalists look away now!

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As you probably have gathered, we at The Curious Eye like strange and interesting objects. We enjoy scouring our local flea markets and car boot sales for quirky finds and once we have amassed such treasures, we like to display them in exciting and unusual ways. We like to think that we're pretty good at it, too.

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However, next to Sue Clarke and Mat Johnstone, we are rank amateurs.

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Mat designs gardens and Sue is a highly regarded illustrator, and although they work in different fields, they both share a similar approach. Both use multiple layers of colour and texture in highly complex ways. Modern and traditional elements are fused together and strange juxtapositions are created, with the best possible results.

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Which is exactly the same approach they have taken to decorating their home in Cornwall.

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What's amazing about this place is that although it is absolutely crammed with stuff, it never feels cluttered or messy. Everything works together to make a harmonious whole, and there's no feeling of sensory overload.

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I'm sure they decorated it keeping Nietzche's philosophy in mind and remembering that 'Out of Chaos comes order'.

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Or they just moved everything around until it looked good.

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Whatever they did, the incredible eclectic mix works, and just goes to prove - sometimes, more IS more.

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Magic!


Friday, 2 July 2010

The Zuider Zee Museum

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Last Monday on my way back from a beautiful wedding in the North of Holland, I visited this charming museum, a whole fishing village has been rebuilt on the banks of Europes' largest lake the Ijsselmeer. The lake was created in 1932 when an inland sea, the Zuiderzee, was closed by a 32 km dam, and the museum was conceived to preserve the culture and traditions of the local inhabitants.

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Over the past few years the museum has started to commission contemporary dutch designers and their work is exhibited in selected houses in the village. Making a wonderful surprise when entering some of the houses and discovering a Studio Job stained glass or the retro/modern delft blue and white stencils of Hugo Kaagman (above and below)

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Dotted around the village are traditionally dressed 'locals' going about their daily lives, making lunch, repairing fishing nets washing laundry, all adding to the feeling of stepping back in time .


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I took these photos on my iphone hipstamatic app, which creates this delightful aged effect.