The Decadence of Decay @ Rivet (March 6) / Q&A with Cris Rose
EVENT: Rivet presents "The Decadence of Decay" [tagged] featuring the 3D artwork of Amanda Louise Spayd and Cris Rose ~ with an opening reception on Saturday, March 6th (from 7-10pm). Artist Amanda L. Spayd will be in attendance. Complimentary beverages provided by Magic Hat. Exhibition will be on display March 6 through March 31. (For any additional information, please visit the show page here & contact Laura @ laura [at] rivetgallery.com for interest in artwork.)
What can be said about Cris' work that which I have not already done on TOYSREVIL? From customs to original toy-creations (Rotund and Runcible being the first), Cris has been steadfast and consistent with his craft, creating a style iconic to his name. And as a story-teller, his vision for the fictional future sings of robots and decay, which I reckon is perfect for this show, IMHO! CLICK THRU for a Q&A, including exclusive first-looks at some customs destined for The Decadence of Decay, and stay tuned to TOYSREVIL for more reveals throughout the week!
TOYSREVIL: What can folks expect from you for the upcoming show? Any particular theme you are going for? (Of course the show title had my mind gripped with anticipation haha)
CRIS ROSE: The name of the show was a great way to tie the works of myself and Amanda together and allowed us to just do our thing - I felt it was less of a statement that described a specific direction for this show, and more a phrase that encompassed our overall style, without being so specific as to bias towards one or the other. To describe something as both Decadent (i'm assuming the meaning of "excessive luxury" here, not moral decline) and Decaying is oxymoronic, yet when you see our work, it makes sense and brings those contrasting elements into focus. I love contrast. Contrast between modern and retro, shiny and rusted, future and past; the list goes on for me.
(Stay tuned for Rummage and Rumble reveals tomorrow on TOYSREVIL!)
CRIS ROSE: For this show i have designed 2 new resin robots that are 100% original. I haven't done one since Rotund was unveiled almost a year ago, but 2010 is the year of original bots for me, so i felt this would be a great way to kick it all off! These are my biggest and most complicated to date, incorporating everything i have learnt over the last couple of years about design for manufacture in resin. I'm very proud of them.
(Stay tuned for Rummage and Rumble reveals tomorrow on TOYSREVIL!)
CRIS ROSE: The first is a chap called "Rummage". He's the main character here, but he couldn't do his job without the second... well, not very well anyways. The second is a smaller guy called Rumble! Rummage is a 1/12th scale bot standing 6-7.5" tall, depending on the size of his central tube. (5 of each will be showcased at Rivet this weekend.)
Each of the Rummages in the Rivet show has a matching Rumble and will be available as a set or as single works... but you wouldn't break up a family would you?!
(Stay tuned for Rummage and Rumble reveals tomorrow on TOYSREVIL!)
CRIS ROSE: There are also two "families" of Observation Drones / Clear Vision in the Rivet show too. These sets of 4 bots each contain a Mk2 and Mk3 Observation Drone and a Mk1 and Mk2 Clear Vision, all in matching colours (one pink, one grey). Once again, each will be available as single works, but priority will be given to those wishing to buy them as a set!
ADDED SLIDESHOW:
[7 x images in slideshow above / CLICK for full-screen viewing]
STORY: The Epoch Foundation had been using these off the shelf models to observe those Rummage and Rumble families that had returned to the wild. They found that the very basic AI was nowhere near smart enough to keep up with their movements though, so they decided to upgrade their programming using their new research. They modified the code from some of their Epoch Rumbles and used it to form the basis of the minds of these new Observation Families. The result was 4 bots that observed and thought as one intelligence, but no emotional behavior developed. While this was a disappointment to many in the EF, it did achieve the desired result of increased intelligence and teamwork to the level that they were now able to keep up... just about.
[Above: Custom ThreeA Toys' Square named "DAWN"]
TOYSREVIL: How much does "decay" inspire you?
CRIS ROSE: Decay is an interesting issue with regards to the robots i create, because it has very different connotations to people or animals and that's something i like to explore. For us, when we age and are damaged, it can be extremely detrimental and often signals our impending end - thusly we prize youth and a lack of imperfections within society. With regards to the objects we consume, we're moving away from the "mend and make do" attitude of my grandfather's generation and increasingly throwing away perfectly good things just because they're a little scuffed at the edged or because a new one just came out. I find a lot of pleasure in objects with a history, cuts and chips that tell a story and will regularly place them in my home right next to my latest iPhone or digital camera. I also love antiquated technology, so next to the 20D i take all my studio shots with, are film cameras from the 20s to the 80s that still work and i still use.
For me, a robot would be like a person, but one that improves with decay, that carries around a history with it and that may never die because of it. Losing a limb or having a major component blow isn't really an issue for them, you source a replacement part and just bolt it on. It might be the right one, it might be a better one, it might not even be anything like the original, but it tells a story and keeps them going so that they can tell more stories. Decay does not necessarily signal death for the things i create, they're more like memories and experience worn on the outside.
TOYSREVIL: How should the world be better served? In Decay? or Decadence?
CRIS ROSE: Thats a hard question to answer for me, because i feel it's that contrast between them that gives life much of it's richness. The luxury of being able to throw away an old TV, even tho it still works, just to get the latest 3D HDTV, is something that makes the modern world such a pleasure - the pace of progress and the continually reducing cost of these advances is amazing and i take every advantage of it. Yet at the same time, by doing so we are perpetually erasing our own personal history, destroying the future antiques and robbing out grandchildren of the wonder of an age gone past.
One of my christmas presents this year was my father's lightweight bicycle from when he was 16. It wasn't new when he bought it and the frame dates back to the 1950s. I was delighted with it! It's rusted in places, corroded in others, i had to replace the brakes and rear cogs just to ride it, so it's now even less original. It's not the most comfortable bike, it's not the fastest and it's certainly not the slickest example of modern transportation technology but it has amazing character and personal history and i will ride it for a long as i can. If i change every part on it over the years, it will still be my fathers bike and i hope my son will want it one day. I'm sure his mates will all be loving their fuel cell powered hoverbikes... chance are though, i will be too!!
TOYSREVIL: Congrats on the show in advance, Cris! Here's hoping to see you with your own solo show in the near future!
ABOUT CRIS ROSE [via]:
Cris Rose is a London based artist and designer with a degree in Product Design BSc from Brunel University. His love of technology, antiquated curios and all things nature, have caused him to repeatedly produce retro styled robots with conservation on their mind and rust on their chests. It's an affliction, he can't help it.
He knew what he wanted to do when he was 14. To design and make things that people could hold in their hands and enjoy. Didn't matter what. We're happy to report that at almost 28, he's now doing this on a daily basis and feeling extremely satisfied because of it. Yet, he's a man who's never happy, who's always looking to push himself harder and trying to outdo what he's achieved before. He's a man in competition with himself and no-one else. He looks forward to a future where robots pass him in the street, where everything he imagined for the future will seem terribly quaint and where he still won't be happy. But he'll still be having fun!
If you do not find him in his studio building a robot with a camera for a head, you'll find him with a camera in his hand. Probably in a field.
[Cropped-Image from an interview TOYSREVIL had with Cris back in 2009 / CLICK to read
Cris Rose Portrait Photography by Owen Roseblade]
What can be said about Cris' work that which I have not already done on TOYSREVIL? From customs to original toy-creations (Rotund and Runcible being the first), Cris has been steadfast and consistent with his craft, creating a style iconic to his name. And as a story-teller, his vision for the fictional future sings of robots and decay, which I reckon is perfect for this show, IMHO! CLICK THRU for a Q&A, including exclusive first-looks at some customs destined for The Decadence of Decay, and stay tuned to TOYSREVIL for more reveals throughout the week!
TOYSREVIL: What can folks expect from you for the upcoming show? Any particular theme you are going for? (Of course the show title had my mind gripped with anticipation haha)
CRIS ROSE: The name of the show was a great way to tie the works of myself and Amanda together and allowed us to just do our thing - I felt it was less of a statement that described a specific direction for this show, and more a phrase that encompassed our overall style, without being so specific as to bias towards one or the other. To describe something as both Decadent (i'm assuming the meaning of "excessive luxury" here, not moral decline) and Decaying is oxymoronic, yet when you see our work, it makes sense and brings those contrasting elements into focus. I love contrast. Contrast between modern and retro, shiny and rusted, future and past; the list goes on for me.
(Stay tuned for Rummage and Rumble reveals tomorrow on TOYSREVIL!)
CRIS ROSE: For this show i have designed 2 new resin robots that are 100% original. I haven't done one since Rotund was unveiled almost a year ago, but 2010 is the year of original bots for me, so i felt this would be a great way to kick it all off! These are my biggest and most complicated to date, incorporating everything i have learnt over the last couple of years about design for manufacture in resin. I'm very proud of them.
(Stay tuned for Rummage and Rumble reveals tomorrow on TOYSREVIL!)
CRIS ROSE: The first is a chap called "Rummage". He's the main character here, but he couldn't do his job without the second... well, not very well anyways. The second is a smaller guy called Rumble! Rummage is a 1/12th scale bot standing 6-7.5" tall, depending on the size of his central tube. (5 of each will be showcased at Rivet this weekend.)
Each of the Rummages in the Rivet show has a matching Rumble and will be available as a set or as single works... but you wouldn't break up a family would you?!
(Stay tuned for Rummage and Rumble reveals tomorrow on TOYSREVIL!)
CRIS ROSE: There are also two "families" of Observation Drones / Clear Vision in the Rivet show too. These sets of 4 bots each contain a Mk2 and Mk3 Observation Drone and a Mk1 and Mk2 Clear Vision, all in matching colours (one pink, one grey). Once again, each will be available as single works, but priority will be given to those wishing to buy them as a set!
[7 x images in slideshow above / CLICK for full-screen viewing]
STORY: The Epoch Foundation had been using these off the shelf models to observe those Rummage and Rumble families that had returned to the wild. They found that the very basic AI was nowhere near smart enough to keep up with their movements though, so they decided to upgrade their programming using their new research. They modified the code from some of their Epoch Rumbles and used it to form the basis of the minds of these new Observation Families. The result was 4 bots that observed and thought as one intelligence, but no emotional behavior developed. While this was a disappointment to many in the EF, it did achieve the desired result of increased intelligence and teamwork to the level that they were now able to keep up... just about.
[Above: Custom ThreeA Toys' Square named "DAWN"]
TOYSREVIL: How much does "decay" inspire you?
CRIS ROSE: Decay is an interesting issue with regards to the robots i create, because it has very different connotations to people or animals and that's something i like to explore. For us, when we age and are damaged, it can be extremely detrimental and often signals our impending end - thusly we prize youth and a lack of imperfections within society. With regards to the objects we consume, we're moving away from the "mend and make do" attitude of my grandfather's generation and increasingly throwing away perfectly good things just because they're a little scuffed at the edged or because a new one just came out. I find a lot of pleasure in objects with a history, cuts and chips that tell a story and will regularly place them in my home right next to my latest iPhone or digital camera. I also love antiquated technology, so next to the 20D i take all my studio shots with, are film cameras from the 20s to the 80s that still work and i still use.
For me, a robot would be like a person, but one that improves with decay, that carries around a history with it and that may never die because of it. Losing a limb or having a major component blow isn't really an issue for them, you source a replacement part and just bolt it on. It might be the right one, it might be a better one, it might not even be anything like the original, but it tells a story and keeps them going so that they can tell more stories. Decay does not necessarily signal death for the things i create, they're more like memories and experience worn on the outside.
TOYSREVIL: How should the world be better served? In Decay? or Decadence?
CRIS ROSE: Thats a hard question to answer for me, because i feel it's that contrast between them that gives life much of it's richness. The luxury of being able to throw away an old TV, even tho it still works, just to get the latest 3D HDTV, is something that makes the modern world such a pleasure - the pace of progress and the continually reducing cost of these advances is amazing and i take every advantage of it. Yet at the same time, by doing so we are perpetually erasing our own personal history, destroying the future antiques and robbing out grandchildren of the wonder of an age gone past.
One of my christmas presents this year was my father's lightweight bicycle from when he was 16. It wasn't new when he bought it and the frame dates back to the 1950s. I was delighted with it! It's rusted in places, corroded in others, i had to replace the brakes and rear cogs just to ride it, so it's now even less original. It's not the most comfortable bike, it's not the fastest and it's certainly not the slickest example of modern transportation technology but it has amazing character and personal history and i will ride it for a long as i can. If i change every part on it over the years, it will still be my fathers bike and i hope my son will want it one day. I'm sure his mates will all be loving their fuel cell powered hoverbikes... chance are though, i will be too!!
TOYSREVIL: Congrats on the show in advance, Cris! Here's hoping to see you with your own solo show in the near future!
ABOUT CRIS ROSE [via]:
Cris Rose is a London based artist and designer with a degree in Product Design BSc from Brunel University. His love of technology, antiquated curios and all things nature, have caused him to repeatedly produce retro styled robots with conservation on their mind and rust on their chests. It's an affliction, he can't help it. He knew what he wanted to do when he was 14. To design and make things that people could hold in their hands and enjoy. Didn't matter what. We're happy to report that at almost 28, he's now doing this on a daily basis and feeling extremely satisfied because of it. Yet, he's a man who's never happy, who's always looking to push himself harder and trying to outdo what he's achieved before. He's a man in competition with himself and no-one else. He looks forward to a future where robots pass him in the street, where everything he imagined for the future will seem terribly quaint and where he still won't be happy. But he'll still be having fun!
If you do not find him in his studio building a robot with a camera for a head, you'll find him with a camera in his hand. Probably in a field.
[Cropped-Image from an interview TOYSREVIL had with Cris back in 2009 / CLICK to read
Cris Rose Portrait Photography by Owen Roseblade]
