A fleeting moment of wonder and joy, reminiscent of the changing seasons.
In that moment, all is well. You are instantly encapsulated with a series of emotions. Up until the bubble bursts, and all you are left with is a cloud of scented mist and the memory of what was.
This is the experience of Studio Swine and COS’ recent installation, New Spring.
Super Wide Interdisciplinary New Explorers, otherwise known as Studio Swine, is a design collaboration between Japanese Architect, Azusa Murakami and British Artist, Alexander Groves. Their studio was established in 2010, shortly after graduating from the Royal College of Art. With their unusual name being chosen as an homage to their first project together–a mobile food stall for cooking and selling pig heads.
(Image Source: www.studioswine.com)
The dynamic duo explore themes of regional identity and conduct in-depth research into materials and modern industrialisation. All in order to reflect the future of resources in the context of globalisation. The works they create as a result, span across many different disciplines such as art, design, and film.
And, not without notice.
Studio Swine’s work has been awarded at the Cannes film festival and widely exhibited at institutions such as the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Pompidou Centre in Paris, and the Venice Art Biennale.
Most recently, they had the opportunity to collaborate with COS, the well-known fashion brand, to create an installation titled New Spring.
Collaboration with COS
COS is a modern fashion brand known for their contemporary, functional and conscious design. They have been know to support new and emerging talent in innovative ways and have collaborated with many artists, including Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, Brooklyn studio Snarkitecture and Japanese design studio Nendo.
Karin Gustafsson, COS creative director, shared that the project with Studio Swine would draw upon their shared design principles and “many common values – a focus on timelessness over trend, functionality with beauty, and the exploration of materials”.
The collaboration was a natural fit.
(Image Source: www.studioswine.com)
They first unveiled their plans for New Spring by releasing a teaser movie last February:
Swine Studio New Spring
The interactive installation first premiered April 2017 in a 1930’s abandoned cinema in Milan, designed by local architect Mario Cereghini.
Murakami and Groves sought to display ephemeral materials in a strange new context. They explain that the installation was “inspired by the cherry blossoms of Japan we wanted to create a special moment that brings people together. A fleeting experience that evokes fragility and changing of the seasons”
(Image Source: www.studioswine.com)
They also love to draw inspiration from the locations their works are exhibited in, which is why they looked to the architectural heritage of Milan when developing the form for the installation. “We were immediately drawn to the Murano chandeliers housed in private Milanese palazzos and, by contrast, the tradition of modernist Italian design,” they explained. And, “a desire to create a communal experience, another key reference for us became Italy’s public fountains, one of the country’s greatest luxuries.”
Using recycled aluminium, they created a six-meter high structure consisting of slender tubes that extend up and out like the branches of a tree. The sculptural tree produces delicate mist-filled “blossoms” which disappear upon contact with skin, but remain intact when coming into contact with certain materials.
(Image Source: www.studioswine.com)
As visitors make their way into the old cinema, they pass through a black curtain into a dim room. Before their eyes even have time to adjust, they are greeted with the tall abstract sculpture in the center of the room. By wearing special gloves, the visitors are capable of interacting with the installation. They can pick up and hold the mesmerizing opaque bubbles until they burst, releasing a scented mist into the air.
The multi-sensory experience brings the visitors together as they share a captivating and almost mystical encounter with the unique installation.
Next stop, DesignMiami
After the waves made last April when Swine Studio New Spring exhibited in Milan, Studio Swine have decided to re-exhibit the installation at DesignMiami this December.
But of course, not in it’s original form. As Murakami and Groves draw inspiration from their works’ settings, the interactive installation will be bigger and better, picking up on the playful nature of the city of Miami.
This time, the work will be displayed against the backdrop of the Art Deco Temple House, a rare example of residential architecture by architect L. Murray Dixon, best known for his hotels including the Raleigh, the Marlin, and the Ritz Plaza.
(Image Source: www.partyspace.com)
Groves exclaims, “The artwork is about renewal and rebirth and this incarnation will reveal a completely new side of the installation, creating a unique experience and feel,” says Groves. “At Temple House, the space is entirely white and filled with light. New Spring will take on more of the fun and whimsical feeling of Miami, something that evokes the glamour of the Art Deco City by the sea.”
Because of the Temple House’s extremely large interior, the installation will be scaled even bigger to fill the space. And, it will be joined by additional works displayed throughout the house’s three levels.
This will be the first time the Swine Studio pair have exhibited in Miami. “The architecture and the city of Miami as a whole bring out the playful nature of the installation,” says Murakami. “It’s more in tune with the South—the verdant orange groves; the languid swamps of the Everglades beyond the city. We are really excited to debut with New Spring in Miami and introduce our work to a new audience.”
The upcoming Miami exhibition is a chance for New Spring to live on and reach new audiences. The unique installation encapsulates a series of emotions in an instant, creating a multisensory experience that is fleeting. However, in that fleeting moment, it is able to evoke joy and vitality, even if it only remains in memory.
Don’t miss the opportunity to experience this incredible work for yourself. You can find more information about tickets to December 2017 DesignMiami here.