matali crasset: dip in space with HEAD genève

‘dip in space’ installation view image © designboom

in a series of workshops led by french designer matali crasset and curator alexandra midal at the geneva university of art and design (HEAD – genève), the ‘dip in space’ exhibition presented at milan design week 2011, brings together students of the institution’s masters in design – spaces and communication, masters in media design and the bachelors in fashion design and interior architecture / space design programs.

image © designboom

the installation is divided into two worlds: the first being that of a glowing red magma set above the platform representing the mind of the designer in fulferment, and the second inviting visitors to experiment in a fun and convivial way, to produce new forms – the concept behind the exhibition is to offer individuals a new experience of creating and standardizing space.

three wells of wax are situated within the exhibition space image © designboom

the scene of the show features a sloping floor, in which containers of wax are situated below. each of these three wells offer a pulley system in which visitors are asked to participate in the exhibition, invited to dip supports into the wax-filled containers from which they withdraw the objects, each one resulting in a unique form. these pieces are then reassembled in situ, as a means of constituting a collective work that is a constantly changing quasi-organic space.

image © designboom

over time, the space will change with the walls and objects eventually blending with one another, a metamorphosing environment illustrating how design is a place for individual, participatory and democratic inventiveness.

visitors interacting with the installation image © designboom

looking into the well image © designboom

pulley systems allow visitors to dip and retract objects in and out of the wells of wax image © designboom

some of the dipped objects drying image © designboom

video by designboom

installation view image © designboom

the ‘finished’ objects are hung in situ with others waiting to be dipped image © designboom

ceiling view image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

visitors are invited to linger image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

‘dip in space’ image © designboom

matali crasset portrait © designboom