vase vs. vases
helmrinderknecht, berlin
on now until january 9th, 2010

the vase can be noted as an object of utility and decoration. moving on from its simple
methods of production and craftsmanship, today the vase has become a mass produced piece
of design, found in almost every household, expressing a range of techniques and aesthetics.

vase vs. vases is helmrinderknecht's second show completely dedicated to the subject.
15 international artists and designers have been invited to show their interpretations
of the common object. tension between diverse forms of design engineering, a range
of materials and production approaches have been explored in the works on show.
the result is an experimentation of sorts, enhancing the everyday role of the vessel.


bucket vase, 2009 by tina roeder
editions of 5 +1

almost too frugal and too obvious – as if the object would already exist in the collective memory.
the banal simplicity of the white porcelain bucket vase by tina roeder baffles and inevitably
points out the magnitude incorporated in such a design. the bucket made out of pure silver 925
emphasizes simplicity and turns reticence into elegance. inspired by the basic plastic buckets
used in flower shops, it celebrates the generosity of giving flowers.


L vase, 2009 by robert stadler
edition of 15 + 5

stadler's intention with Lvase was to point out an important financial and juridical problem -
the counterfeit of luxury brands. Lvase draws on this current urban scene of the illegal street
salesmen wrapping their replicated items into pieces of cloth and escaping authorities.
the Lvase is filled with concrete and its immobility symbolizes the fact that this problem cannot
be easily removed. is this a bad bag or a good vase? in terms of brand quality and authorship
it is a 'bad' bag, but after the shift in typology from bag to vase it can be considered as something
'good'. the plastic fabric provides a waterproof mould for pouring the concrete, its handles enable
it to be moved around and its weight offers a stable container to display flowers.


RGB vase, 2009 by oscar diaz
edition of 8

the RGB vase combines a process like glass blowing, a process refined over more than
two thousand years ago, but which references contemporary culture. based on the RGB
color system, the vase works as a three dimensional pixel, where the values of red, green
and blue overlap to create a specific hue of purple(p242) which only appears when the vases
are nested within one another and as light passes through. a computer was used to calculate
the exact amount of pigment that each vase should have in order to achieve that purple color.


fish futures, 2009 by martí guixé

based on a drawn concept of a vase, guixé's contribution is a corked glass vase, filled with water
and floating upright. fish futures is a reference to the objects he has designed for fishtanks
which were based on interaction or function, discarding decorative purposes. it includes a
feeding area, system to travel in hostile areas, a chill-out zone, oxygenation area etc.


vase plant no. 1, 209 by osko + deichmann
edition of 20 + 2

in nature, the leaves of the bormeliad form a funnel to collect water to nourish the plant,
with roots only serving as stabilizers in the soil. osko + deichmann have transformed
an ordinary bromeliad into an object where roots are completely free from soil, the plant 
centered and is in an almost floating position on a marble edifice. the use of marble as a
main pillar increases its value and serves as a reference to neo-clasical pageantry vases.
a flower stands in the vase, but is the flower part of the plant, or just debris placed there intentionally?
the constraints of perception begin to blur, along with the presumption that a cut flower
would be more alive than the vase itself. the bromeliad lives as both plant and vase,
the full beauty of the living object gains importance in the presence of the perishable.


podium, 2009 by nicholas le moigne
gold, silver, bronze, edition of 5 + 2

in observing the systems used by art and modern design galleries for displaying objects -
the iconic white plinth - le moigne came up with the idea of irrevocably associating them
with the object put on display. each stand and vase is linked by a common technique,
with enameled ceramic, and follows a mathematical logic. the dimensions and shape of each
vase have been determined in relation to the plinth's proportions. the upper part of the vase
has a noble function that is setting off its chosen contents, while the stand retains its more sober
and modest function.


chop, 2009 by herrmann august weizenegger
edition of 8

the aesthetics of the vase's surface is defined by the use of sensual attributes which have been
determined by an electronic production process which leaves marks / traces similar to the ones
of a manually produced object. laser cut from cardboard, it shows minimal fringes at the edges
of the cut. these traces relate to the material and are also intended by the designer, to provide
the vase with its own substantial profile, reminding one of more natural materials like wood
and sedimentary stones. the functional morphology refers to such tectonic and geological layers
in combination with non-conformity in erosion.


brief moment of happiness, 2009 by studio glithero
provided by funds of the vauxhall collective
read more here

the show also includes work by werner aisslinger, giulia maria beretta, frédéric dedelley, 
alfredo häberli, robin van hontem, julia maendler and ursula palla.