Odeum
The presentation by the brand JPC at Milan Design Week 2018 was named ‘Odeum’ (That means, in ancient Greece and Rome: “a theatre for musical performances”.) This presentation is worth mentioning because it was fun! JPC created a make-belief, “metaphysical theatre”. (I’m not going to dive deep into that, sorry: please surf to JPC Universe for the full story.)
Double Identity
From what I gather from the site, in a tiny nutshell: JCP gives new meaning to everyday-life objects. It actually really was an interesting walk up and down the steps in the darkness of this presentation. There was a lot to discover in each piece of furniture; for instance, the pink blob with golden embellishments has a surprise element: it’s a cupboard. That sounds simple but it’s not: it’s so well made that you’d never guess the thing has doors.
Obscene
Also; the products are named after girls and gods, except for the couch: Belmer. According to the Urban Dictionairy Belmer means “A man who loves shoving large items such as bowling pins up his ass.” (Used in a sentence: “He is such a belmer I caught him putting a baseball bat up his ass.”) I’m not quite sure if that’s the Belmer Matteo Cibic had in mind when he named his couch, but it could be. The ‘Justine’ cupboard, also designed by Cibic, is quite a sensual piece of work as well, so are the other designs in this presentation.
Haiku
Every piece of furniture comes with a haiku, below two more Haiku’s written by Alistair Gentry
Venny Table:
“Like poison pitchers
Your spaces are not empty
They invite, like traps”
Sun Ra-Eternity, Table lamp
“Horizon below
The bird and eternity
Both give you new life”
About JCP
JCP was created in 2015, by an idea of the architect Livio Ballabio. The brand is the brainchild of a radical think tank of creatives, developed in collaboration with CTRLZAK Studio, the creative-directors of this year’s ‘Odeum’ presentation.
Livio Ballabio
“Currently CEO and creative director of some of the most important firms in the furniture industry. Following his own versatility, eclecticism and influences, he has made ambitious attempts in various furniture fields, always trying to go beyond conventions and usual modus operandi. A result of this personal approach is the new brand JCP, another challenge with the aim of going beyond what today is inadequately called “the world of design”.
CTRLZAK
“CTRLZAK is a hybrid studio that integrates diverse disciplines and cultures. Founded by artists and designers Katia Meneghini and Thanos Zakopoulos, the duo’s creations are inspired by their experiences around the globe, their own rich cultural backgrounds, and the natural world that surrounds us.”
The studio creates artworks, objects and spaces but above all points of reflection where form follows meaning. CTRLZAK’s projects and extensive research into tradition and cultural context create a new hybrid future by learning continuously from the past. Each project is a story waiting to be told, with a multitude of forms and endings”
More reports on Milan Design week 2018 by Mimi berlin Blogger Team