Power Of Making

Where - Victoria and Albert Museum, London
When - 13th of August 2011

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/power-of-making/

I loved the Power Of Making exhibition at the V&A. I thought it was one of the most interesting and light-hearted shows I have been to.
There was a variety of items made by a variety of designers and craftsmen all most which were made with great skill and precision showcasing the importance of being skilled.
I really felt excited and inspired coming away from this exhibition and suggest everyone go to see this!

Below is a list of some of the pieces I liked.

Christien Meindertsma - Aran Rug 
This is a hand knitted rug created using custom-made needles and the wool of 18 merino sheep.
This is part of the designers attempt at trying to make the process of design and production as intimate as possible.



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Manel Torres - Fabrican 
Fabrican is a spray on fabric that comes in an aerosol can that can be sprayed on any surface and can be used  for many purposes.
I found this really interesting and thought it was a brilliant innovation. It also inspired me to use different materials in my designs.



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Elisa Strozyk - Wooden Textile 
Wooden Textiles were developed by a German designer Elisa Strozyk.
The wooden peices are cut either by hand or laser and are attached to a fabric base by hand to create a textile like surface.

It is quite weird to see it as a textile as it looks like it is very solid and like it wouldn't move.

Postmodernism: Style and Subversion 1970-1990

Where - Victoria and Albert Museum, London 
When - 27th September 2011 

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/postmodernism/

The Victoria and Albert museums exhibition on Postmodernism was quite bizarre to me.
I walked through a space which contained over 250 items that seemed to have little in common, just lots of colour and light.
As I pushed past hundreds of sketchbook clad students I thought I started to understand Postmodernism.

In my opinion, Postmodernism was a bright, loud rejection of structure and 'normality'. I think Postmodernism was the start of the realization that it wasn't easy to be  new or  keep generating new ideas, therefore designers took to cutting and pasting the old and created things that seemed like mockery.
The use of bright colour, dramatic shape and neon attract the consumer and captivate them to see and buy into things that were impractical and ridiculous. MTV is an example of this, flashing lights and jumping images that draw in the viewers attention yet has no relevance or depth.

I did enjoy the exhibition though, it made me laugh. I don't know if that is the intention of those behind Postmodernism or not. I don't know if i actually understand Postmodernism at all.