Design

A full-grown woman jumping up and down on a modernist bed — in full aerialist gear? Check. A guinea pig gazing into the sunset? Check. Bullhorns, trophies, pink cupcakes, and a mob of trenchcoat clad women? Check. Oh, and, of course, furniture . . . This is a furniture catalog after all.

BLU DOT CATALOG: PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN FAQ

Q. What is Blu Dot?

A. Blu Dot is a modern furniture design & manufacturing studio, based in Minneapolis, MN it was founded in 1996 by John Christakos, Charlie Lazor, and Maurice Blanks.

Q. Who worked on the two recent catalogs (from 2007 and 2008)?

A. The catalogs were art directed and designed by myself. Dan Monick was the environmental/location photographer. Medora Danz handled the logistics (furniture transportation, locations, etc. etc.) and was the keeper of the “ Blu Dot Brand” — making sure we didn’t disappear completely down the rabbit hole. The three of us were the main creative team — as far as the environmental photography was concerned. We worked with two stylists: Janet Gridley in 2007, and Matthew Stenerson (aka Mr. Chips) in 2008.

Q. OK, so what’s the deal with the photographs — is there a plotline?

A. Yes, and no. To lead us through the weeklong photo shoot the creative team outlined a very loose structure. Each character and location had a specific role, and there was a story (at one point). But, I doubt I could re-tell it to you now even if I tried.

2007 Catalog Spreads:

2008 Catalog Images:

Q. So, did you storyboard the entire week out? Was there method to the madness?

A. Yes, and no. We had three, well, maybe four variables: (1) Locations (2) People (3) Furniture (4) Props. We knew which days we were at each location. We knew which days certain people could model. And, we knew the pieces of furniture we wanted to pair with each location. But, beyond that it was extremely stream-of-consciousness. One of my favorite photos, from the 2007 shoot, is of the aerialist jumping on the bed. We had set up the frame, with the furniture and then added in the two models. We weren’t quite sure what to do with them at first, so we shot a series of frames where she was just standing on the bed talking to the red jumpsuit guy. Then, someone (I can’t remember who) suggested she “ practice” her “ moves” by jumping up and down on the mattress. Which, by the way, was an air mattress. We told her to jump until it popped. It never did. I doubt we could have storyboarded that photo the way it turned out — some things just have to happen spur of the moment.

Q. Is the viewer supposed to be able to figure “ it” out?

A. Well, not really. Even though there is a story in there somewhere, the photographs are not presented in order from the first shot to the last. The narrative that guided our workweek played out — in order — from day one through day five. But, the image sequence in the catalog was driven by the images themselves — pacing, color, composition, and image parings were considered while the original story was largely ignored. The resulting narrative is left open ended, allowing the viewer to come to their own conclusions. (And, hopefully they’ll fall in love with the furniture along the way).

Q. So, what’s up? Is there an idea behind the book, or are you just messing around?

A. Yes, there is definitely an idea. First, I knew from the beginning that I wanted the design to rely heavily on photography more than Blu Dot catalogs had done in the past. Beyond that simple notion it was a broader reaction to the furniture catalog genre as a whole. My criticism of the typical furniture catalog you see (in the US, at least) is that the photographs are generally very neutral and safe. Very seldom do you see people interacting with the furniture — it’s as though the human race was wiped off the planet and the only thing that remains are these very beautifully propped dining room or living room sets. They seem very unrealistic. And while I wholeheartedly admit that the Blu Dot catalog is not based completely (or even loosely) in reality, it’s unrealistic in a more satirical way. Which was inevitable since it had to carry the Blu Dot banner: it had to be fun, and slightly irreverent; there needed to be a life to it; it’s supposed to make you smile. Blu Dot is a different kind of design studio, so obviously their catalog needs to be a different kind of catalog.

2008 Catalog Outtakes:

Q. What inspired the concept/idea?

A. I wanted there to be a twist to the photography approach — that was ground zero. And, of course, Cornell Windlin’s Select, Arrange catalogs for Vitra were definitely an inspiration. But, I felt there was something we could do — something that we could add to the conversation — that would be inherently Midwestern, and thus, completely different. Beyond that there’s the whole loose-narrative idea and the mystery/mythology behind the images that was definitely influenced by the band Lifter Puller (which just happens to be Dan’s former band) who created an alternate universe within its lyrics that were based on real people, places, and events in Minneapolis. The spirit of the Coen Brothers’ films (Fargo was definitely talked about more than once on set) and the work of David Lynch (especially the Twin Peaks series) were also reference points throughout the process. When I was younger I was obsessed with Twin Peaks — trying to decipher all the hidden clues and such — so, for fun, we added in our own little secrets throughout the narrative.

Q. Clues? Secrets? Like what?

A. I can’t tell you.

Q. Who is Dan Monick and how did you decide to hire him as the photographer?

A. Dan is known (around Minneapolis) as the drummer of the seminal Minneapolis rock band, Lifter Puller. But, nationally Dan is known as an LA-based rock n’ roll/fashion photographer. Around the time that we were searching for a photographer Dan happened to be putting on a solo exhibition of his art photography at the SooVac just a few blocks from my house. While looking at his work again — in person and all at once — something clicked. His approach to photography was exactly what I was looking for — his work is fun and raw, but it’s not amateurish, in fact it is quite the opposite and extremely well crafted. It was perfect. The only thing that was missing was the furniture. My main collaborator from Blu Dot, Medora Danz, was at Dan’s opening as well — and that night she had the same epiphany. We knew we had found our photographer.

Q. So, you had a fashion photographer shoot furniture?

A. Yup. Luckily, at the time I was making the pitch for such an unlikely combination Dan had just published a series of architectural photographs in Dwell. I presented his rock photos as one end of the spectrum and his Dwell photos as the other end, saying simply: I want the Blu Dot photos to fall somewhere in between these two points. The rest is history.

Q. What was it like working with Dan?

A. One word: Awesome. Dan weaves these amazing stream-of-consciousness narratives for the models in order to extract the expression or mood out of them that he wants. These stories are so amazing I can’t even begin to explain them. I took a bunch of video footage on my digital point-and-shoot this year, but the videos do not do Dan’s amazingness any justice either. Although, it’s still kind of fun to watch:

2008 Behind the Scenes:

Q. Where are the locations? Those are some sweet houses.

A. With the exception of one location, they are all houses or businesses in the Twin Cities area. The one exception is John Christakos’ modernist cabin, which is in Wisconsin. In 2007 we shot at five private residences, the Walker Art Center, and Bower Brothers in NE Minneapolis. In 2008 we shot at three more private residences, but we also added a few commercial locations into the mix: Nick & Eddie and Jetset.

Q. Can I have the names and addresses? I’d like to go check them out for myself.

A. Nope. Sorry . . .

Q. Who are all those people?

A. Everyone in the two catalogs are friends with either Dan, Medora, or myself. There are a slew of local artists (Ben Olson, Jennifer Davis, Todd Norsten), local musicians (from bands like Dillinger 4, The Dynamiters, Roma di Luna), and just plain locals (who you may recognize from your favorite hang-outs: the Walker Art Center, Bryant Lake Bowl, Caffetto, Nick & Eddie).

Q. Is that Ralph Rapson I see in there?

A. Yes, it is. Ralph won the Dwell/Blu Dot Lounge Chair Design competition last year. Blu Dot then worked with Ralph to put his winning submission into production. Mr. Rapson was gracious enough to come hang out with us and get his portrait taken. He was a total sweetheart and an extremely good sport. Sadly, as you know, Ralph passed away just a few weeks after the photo was taken. Here’s to Ralph, a local legend.

Q. This seems to be an ongoing series. Will you continue it in 2009?

A. I have no idea. . . Ask me again 4 weeks before we’re supposed to do the next photo shoot.

Q. You mentioned the Midwest earlier. Does the fact that you are based in the Midwest play into the look and feel of the catalog?

A. Yes. We all take great pride that we are situated here in Minnesota. And, we are all here by choice. So, of course, the quirkiness and mythology of the Midwest is celebrated to the nth degree in these photographs. I see these two catalogs as a love letter from myself, Dan, and Blu Dot to Minneapolis (and the Midwest). So, here’s to Minneapolis! Now, let’s go enjoy the spring weather before summer hits.

Q. Wait, one more thing: I totally want one. Can I have one?

A. Yes. Go to bludot.com and sign-up for the mailing list.

In light of the Typewriter Typefaces post back in March, a co-worker of ours was kind enough to bring in a Royal typewriter to the Walker studio. Everyone had fun punching away at the keys and writing some very profound statements.

Inevitably, the fun and experimentation led me to what you see below: typewriter-made spin-offs of the Walker Expanded identity “strips”. They’re a little rough around the edges, but completely acceptable as the newest addition to the Walker Expanded identity system (jk!). —

Take a preview tour of Design for the Other 90%, courtesy of Andrew Blauvelt, the Walker Art Center’s design director. The free outdoor exhibition opens Friday next to the Cowles Conservatory, on the grounds of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.(more)

Environmental and elemental art — large-scale and sky art — kinetic and technological art — random happenings and programmed events — multimedia and light shows: ZERO 1, 2, 3 documents the birth, more than ten years ago, of these new tendencies in international art. It collects in one volume the three publications created by the artists’ collaborative, Group Zero, between 1958 and 1961.

Group Zero originated in Dsseldorf, Germany, but quickly became a pan-European force, with mutual exchanges and interacting influences linking an array of artists in Dsseldorf, Paris, Milan, Amsterdam, and elsewhere. This is best indicated by listing some of the artists whose words are displayed and works are illustrated in the book: besides Piene and Mack, they include Fontana, Yves Klein, Mavignier, Jean Tinguely, Arman, Pol Bury, Spoerri, Manzoni, Dorazio, Sota, Manfred Kage, and many others.

— Opening cover blurb from ZERO 1, 2, 3 (published by MIT Press in 1973)

fig.1 fig. 2 fig. 3

fig. 4fig. 5 fig. 6

This book initially caught my attention because of its stark cover (fig. 1). The severity of its simplicity and conciseness reminds me of a typographic course exercise in which hierarchy and proximity are closely considered. The inner contents of the book are less precise structurally, but more on point with the diverse selection of artists involved with ZERO 1, 2, 3 and the “dynamic filmlike sequences” their artwork creates upon the pages of the book.

While I’m no expert on group art catalogues as such, ZERO 1, 2, 3 seems to evade the monotonous structure and sequencing I see so often in other catalogues, annuals, biennials, etc. from this time period.

Some of the most mysterious anomalies of this book lie within a section featuring the work of Yves Klein in which the torn and burnt pages (fig. 4–5) are hard to miss. The strange thing about these pages is that it’s evident that the destruction was not an accident. While, to some extent, the writing on these altered pages (and adjacent pages) offer clues as to why the pages are presented as they are. For example, on the page preceding the burnt page, a sentence reads: “Fire is there too, and I must have its mark!” or “…one must be like untamed fire.” Similarly, on the page following the torn page, the opening sentence reads “…Leave my mark on the world, I have done it!” [*]

Lastly, and perhaps with some relation to the burnt page mentioned above, is a surprising set of instructions outlined on the last page of the book—“directions for use: pyromaniac instructions”—in which the reader is encouraged, through a six-step process, to burn the publication with the supplied book of matches. Unfortunately, the book of matches were only included with the original edition of the ZERO 3 publication.

fig. 7 fig. 8

fig. 9 fig. 10

NOTES:

* Further explanation of Klein’s torn and burnt pages is offered by Lawrence Alloway in an opening essay: “Zero 3 was a major publication, both visually and typographically resourceful. Klein submitted a dummy for it, and although it was not used, one detail concerning his own selection was retained. He wanted the last pages of an article of his to be burned in each copy; that way, he wrote “my text will not have any end…it will stop suddenly.” This distinction between formal completion and an existential act of just stoppping is a topic that the Abstract Expressionists discussed in New York, but Klein is alone, I think, in applying the idea to a verbal text.”

fig. 1: Book cover

fig. 2–3: Opening spreads of the ZERO 2 section

fig. 4–5: Spreads from the Yves Klein section in ZERO 3

fig. 6–7: Spreads from the Dieter Rot section in ZERO 3

fig. 8: Spread showing map of artist works

fig. 9–10: Closing spreads of ZERO 1, 2, 3

—

WE ARE: HARDLAND/HEARTLAND

This is a loose facade, a fictional reality. The guise of our creative freedom — a p***a********** vision from the Midwest. The work created is biographical fantasy. We look through this lens, and it makes sense. To us. We’re Live! Broadcasting to you the end of the beginning in Hi-Quad-Defined-Large-Antiquated-Definiton. It should already be just inside your brain. Don’t you see? These are short bursts of information. British Television Advertisements — You love them.

Tired & True. Blech.

WE CAME FROM:

The map between the mountains — mostly coastless. Graveled roads and gangster rap cassette tapes in suede skate shoes. Trials, tribulations and trouble. They made numerous movies about where we came from. Pre-Internettal Youth. Mickey Mouse was huge.

WE DO:

We make things. Total creationists. This all started with drawings, lines were made to be finished by another. We have called it facilitated collaboration from time to time, but we try to not be boring. We try to have fun. Your resulting experience should be most pleasurable and at times quite confusing: We have tried our best to embellish and imbue these narrative explosions with meaning. Sometimes we do not.

WE WANT:

The (B)est (T)imes (O)f (O)ur (L)ives (E)ver. SRSLY. The Organ House forever ending.

There is a “we” — did you know this?

We are trying to take you there.

Self-interview commissioned by the Walker Art Center Design Blog.

These two posters, recently found deep within one of our flat file drawers, demonstrate an unusual application of the Walker commissioned typeface designed by Matthew Carter.

These intriguing posters were somewhat of a mystery until recently when we discovered (with some investigative help from a former member of the Walker studio) that each poster was designed by a Japanese designer in collaboration with Carter for use in an exhibition of Carter’s work. Titled, Matthew Carter’s Type Game: A New Identity of the Walker Art Center, this exhibition took place in 1997 at the Morisawa Typography Space in Tokyo, Japan.

Design: Yutaka Satoh

Design: Kouga Hirano

CalArts is a small school. With a population that averages around 1332 students in 6 different departments that include: Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film-Video, Music, and Theater, each department is its own intimate microcosm. Its faceted nature is eerily similar to the Walker’s own interdisciplinary model, both sharing many of the same departments. The campus is basically a one building compound composed of bits and pieces that form their own semblance of a whole that evokes Lawrence Weiner’s work on the face of the Barnes Building. This unity makes walking around CalArts a frenetic fission of dancers, designers, artists, filmmakers, composers, choreographers, vocalists, dogs (CalArts is a dog friendly campus), and of course posters. They are made by all stripes of students, from those announcing their own shows and performances to figuring out a summer sublet.

But the smart ones get a graphic designer to design and silk-screen their posters. There is a long tradition of the second year Masters students in Design producing all the posters for the Visiting Artists and Designers that frequent CalArts so often. The MFA candidate class of 2008 is currently selling groups of posters on Ebay for those of you who lust for tactility and Day-Glo or metallic inks.If you are interested in taking in more of the history of the posters at CalArts then go take a look at the web version of the exhibition and catalogue for Earthquakes and Aftershocks: Posters from the CalArts Graphic Design Program 1986–2004 edited by Jérme Saint-Loubert Bié with Texts by Michel Bouvet, Jeff Rian, Louise Sandhaus, Somi and Sojin Kim, Jérme Saint-Loubert Bié and a delightful book design by Yasmin Khan and Jon Sueda.

The last 4 years of Insights design lectures are

available to watch online at the Walker Channel.

Ed Fella

Project Projects

Work Worth Doing

Marian Bantjes

Jop van Bennekom

Stuart Bailey, Michael Bierut, Debbie Millman

Daniel Eatock

Chip Kidd

Armand Mevis

Bill Grant

Wink

Blu Dot Design

Paul Sahre

Mooren & van der Velden

Antenna Design