japan c @ felissimo design house, ny (aug 26)
Big In Japan, Cool In New York - Japan C is a three-month exhibit of all things Japanese design and culture: food, fashion, design, home, and much more. The event will introduce the most interesting and authentic aspects of Japanese style through a selection of innovative design and everyday products. Over 70 diverse Japanese designers and firms will come together to present the products that are currently captivating the Japanese audience. "The collection features an exciting mix of the traditional and eclectic: robots are alongside fine stationery, kawaii animé characters next to high-tech rice cookers promising the perfect bowl of rice." CLICK THRU for full press release.DESIGN AT PLAY @ Felissimo Design House (10 W. 56th Street) starts Tuesday, August 26th 6:30pm-8:30pm (Sake and Japanese treats to be served) - The exhibit is free and open to the public with weekly events through November 1st.
(cheers for the headsup, Jennifer)
Felissimo Design House Showcases the Best of Japanese Design in 11-week Exhibition
August 16-November 1, 2008
Monday – Saturday (11:00 am – 6:00 pm)
New York, NY- Felissimo Design House is proud to announce the launch of Japan C, an 11-week celebration of contemporary Japanese design and culture. The event will introduce the most interesting and authentic aspects of Japanese style through a selection of innovative design and everyday products. Over 70 diverse Japanese designers and firms will come together to present the products that are currently captivating the Japanese audience.
Free and open to the public from August 16 to November 1, Japan C will showcase new objects in areas of home and fashion accessories, food, stationery, beauty and pop-culture. Each week will highlight and focus on different categories, with notable speakers, designers and industry leaders on hand to demonstrate the products and discuss the influence and innovation of products coming out of Japan.
Japan C represents all that Japan is today: Cool, Cute, Clever and Creative. For a year and a half, the team at Felissimo reviewed products and hand-selected designers and companies that represent the best-of-the-best in Japanese product design.
"We have spent the last 15 years introducing wonderful things from all over the world. This time we want to showcase what we know best - everyday things from Japan. Japan is going through an interesting time. Designers have come out from the shadow of western influence and are starting to create something totally new from the fusion of both cultures and they are having fun with it. But there is also a sense of craftsmanship that doesn't exist in most mass-produced products elsewhere. We hope to be the one-stop ‘experience and explore’ destination in New York,” states Felissimo Director, Haruko Smith.
The collection features an exciting mix of the traditional and eclectic: robots are alongside fine stationery, kawaii animé characters next to high-tech rice cookers promising the perfect bowl of rice.
To create and develop a one-of-a-kind design showcase and bring the concept of Japan C to life, Felissimo Design House enlisted two of New York’s most exciting design talents: Conceptual Designer Tobias Wong and Design Consultant Josée Lepage. Wong is an internationally renowned artist and sculptor whose work plays between concept and beauty and LePage is an independent curator who was recently featured as one of the top five curators in contemporary design by I.D. magazine.
About Felissimo:
For Felissimo, design is more than a matter of shapes and colors; it dictates everything that we do. We believe that design has great significance in daily life and potential to lift the spirit. With a beautiful turn-of-the-century townhouse as our home, Felissimo Design House offers inspiration, experience, opportunity, and encounters for those who are in pursuit of happiness and harmony through design. Creative minds in the industry, from students to world-class designers, regard Felissimo as a place for cutting-edge design, unique exhibitions and sought-after events. It is also home to the innovative online community, DESIGN 21: Social Design Network - a project devoted to promoting and exploring "Design for the Greater Good." It is the first web-based initiative ever supported by UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.
Felissimo's townhouse, located at 10 W. 56th Street was designated as a historical landmark of the City of New York in July, 2007.
