Things We Like

Our weekly round-up of things we like here on the DW news-desk.

Kenneth Grange

One of the many joys of the Design Museum’s newly opened Kenneth Grange retrospective has been seeing the ever-entertaining Grange interviewed in the national press. Following Design Week’s own profile last month, Grange was visited at his Hampstead home by the Observer’s Rachel Cooke and told her of his struggles to turn on the Mac mini, describing Apple as ‘a bit up their own arse’.

In a chat with the Guardian’s Justin McGuirk Grange turned his ire to the five-bladed razor, saying, ‘Three of the fuckers don’t do anything.’ When Corinne Julius met Grange for a piece for the Independent , he pointed to a bookcase and said, ‘I designed this in the shape of a man. When I die, all my wife has to do is chuck out the books and put me in instead. That’s real design for recycling.’

Kenneth Grange
Kenneth Grange

Katsu Naito’s Photographs of Streetwalkers

Japanese photographer Katsu Naito’s fascinating series West Side Rendezvous documents transsexual and transvestite streetwalkers in the now rather upmarket Meatpacking district in New York.

another from West Side Rendezvous by Katsu Naito
another from West Side Rendezvous by Katsu Naito

His beautiful portraiture, all from the early 1990s, demonstrates a detached, yet intimate approach, with each one telling its subject’s story without judging or meddling.

another from West Side Rendezvous by Katsu Naito
From West Side Rendezvous by Katsu Naito

The West Side Rendezvous book launches today with an exhibition running until 31 July at LN-CC gallery 18-24 Shacklewell Lane, Dalston, London, E8, by appointment only.

Dover Street Market’s SS11 Interiors

The creation of Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, Dover Street Market is a stunning six-story fashion store in Mayfair, which takes a highly innovative, daring approach to its interiors.

Dover Street Market's Inside-out Cave
Dover Street Market’s Inside-out Cave

In what’s known as Tachiagari ( meaning ‘beginning’ in Japanese), to welcome the new season every July and January the store completely closes to undergo a thorough interiors overhaul – including the inauguration of a new window installation.

In the past, the store has worked with designers including Gary Crard and  Tom Dixon, with one window installation arriving courtesy of Simpson’s creator Matt Groening.

For Spring/Summer 2011, Kawakubo has drafted in an ‘iconic egg’, for the fourth floor; Micheal Howells’ Industrial Cabaret space; a new Sneaker Space designed by artist Micheal Samuels and the rather wonderful Ship of Fools installation by artist Matt Clark, which contains actual ’fools’ – of the dessert kind, naturally.

Matt Clark's Ship of Fools installation in Dover Street Market's window
Matt Clark’s Ship of Fools installation in Dover Street Market’s window
Hide Comments (1)Show Comments (1)
Comments
  • JONATHAN MUIR November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I love the nostalgic value of Matt Clark’s ‘Ship of Fools’. It holds a certain attraction that offers a subtle freshness to installations.

    As I look at this truly astonishing bit of work I cannot help but smile, as I am whisked away to those childhood memories, of the South West coast and its heroic seas. The lone fisherman bobbing in the middle of the tranquil blue and the first mouthful of the sweet layered beauty.

    Finally a shop window worth staring at!

  • Post a comment

Latest articles