News: Design Festivals 2021 – Concepts of cities and the Switch
Inclusive design is what we do at Eone. We are passionate about how design can make a better world. Design is what can transform visions into reality. So, we were of course excited to see what Design Week had in store for us in 2021. We once again collaborated with talented artist, Liam Martin and his team who created three pieces of abstract art featuring elements of the host cities and the Eone Switch.
Paris Design Week
Paris Design Week kicked off on September 8th, 2021, and we marked the occasion by unveiling this stunning abstract composition. Its local inspiration was the La Terrain Duperre basketball court in Paris, which was originally painted in bold, primary colors by III Studio and Pigalle.
Image description: A red Eone Switch fitted with a yellow 12-hour ring sits within a square box atop a low, rectangular plinth. The colors blue, yellow, red, and white; combined with flat harsh lighting and the orthographic perspective, result in the image looking almost two dimensional.
A word from the artists:
"We loved how the flat, block colors impair depth perception. Disguising the form and almost making it look completely flat from some angles. We tried to echo that with the sharp shadows, orthographic view and geometric composition."
Milan Design Week
Our abstract art series continued with the opening of Milan Design Week, which made its come back in style, after 2020’s event was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Image description: Looking down a stoa lined with columns on either side and a barrel vaulted ceiling. Part of a large metal ring can be seen spanning from the floor to the ceiling, intersecting and passing through both surfaces. It is polished steel and decorated in the diamond like pattern found on our Eone Switch. To its right, a slightly smaller ring hangs from a wire as a mobile sculpture. It has a weathered bronze finish and represents the regular 12-hour ring for the Switch. A female figure is stepping into the scene from the left. She has long dark hair and is dressed in a mid-length, brown overcoat, denim jeans, and brown boots. She looks in the direction of the rings. Placed randomly on the floor are various sizes of raw, unfinished blocks of white stone. The whole scene is painted in a warm, sunset yellow glow, coming through between the arches on the left. The lighting casts clear but soft, hazy shadows across the stoa floor.
A word from the artists: "This image is our take on Eone exhibition. We were inspired by past Milan Design Week installations in the Palazzo Clerici courtyard, where modern impressions weave through the classical Milanese architecture."
London Design Festival
London Design Festival featured a rich program of events and installations across the city. Projects included a mixed reality installation at the V&A by Sou Fujimoto, a sculpture celebrating beehives by Arthur Mamou-mami, and a central London streetscape by Yinka Ilori. Liam created yet another beautiful composition in celebration of these events.
Image description: Two large bronze rings are stacked vertically on top of each other; with the bottom ring blended into a thick circular base. The rings represent the Sunflower and 12-hour Ring, top and bottom; respectively. Made from bronze as a nod to the work of Henry Moore, the surface of the rings has a beautiful patina as if from weathering and wear. The sculpture sits center framed in an open field; against rolling golden grass hills and a cloudy, grey-blue sky.
A word from the artists:
For this London Design Festival piece, we took inspiration from the work of legendary English sculptor, Henry Moore. Using Eone’s Switch rings, we created our own sculpture in bronze; large, raw and exposed to the ever changing elements.