Quite often the world of designer Jaime Hayon looks a bit like the colourful and bizarre landscapes in the "Adventure Time" TV series: amusing, fantastic and narrative elements combine together to create a weird and wonderful world.
Fans of his work will be happy to know that, in a few days' time, the Groninger Museum will open a large-scale exhibition entirely dedicated to him, entitled "Jaime Hayon – Funtastico".
Considered as one of the most talented Spanish designers around and an influential creator on a global level, Hayon was born in Madrid in 1974. After studying in Madrid and Paris, Hayon joined the design department of the Benetton-funded communications research centre Fabrica in the late '90s, working also with Oliviero Toscani.
While at Fabrica Hayon focused on shop concepts, logos and graphic designs for exhibitions, curating installations for Milan Design Week. In 2000, he started his own company, debuting with the ceramic work "Mediterranean Digital Baroque".
As the years passed he opened offices in Italy and Spain, developing collections of ceramics, footwear, furniture and design toys, designing installations for several events, collaborating with many companies, receiving commissions from renowned clients, and winning important international awards.
As a young man Hayon was influenced by skateboard culture and graffiti art, but also by weird imagery. All these references are combined in the works included in the exhibition at the Groninger. Spanning the past ten years, the event will include ceramics, wood, glass, textiles, product, furniture (such as the 22 Chair for Ceccotti) and interior design.
"Funtastico" is actually the perfect title for this exhibition since most of Hayon's works are suspended between art, decoration and design, though all of them are also characterised by a playful twist.
"The Tournament" – a life-sized game of chess made of turned wood and hand-painted ceramics on a Bisazza mosaic glass chess board, that will premiere during the exhibition (it has recently been acquired by the Groninger Museum) – is a perfect example of Hayon's passion for playful elements.
Inspired by the Battle of Trafalgar this work was commissioned to Hayon by the Design Festival London in 2009. The Groninger Museum announced that, during the exhibition, it will organise chess games on this massive board at specific times.
The installations "Mediterranean Digital Baroque" and "Mon Cirque" (purchased by the Groninger Museum in 2009) as well as the now iconic "Green Chicken", and commissioned works for clients such as Baccarat and Lladro, will also be included in the event.
Among the most colourful pieces (some in Miami Art Deco shades) featured in "Funtastico" there will be the ones for "American Chateau", the collaborative project Hayon made with his partner artist, Nienke Klunder. This series of hybrid pieces take inspiration from the cultural exports of the USA and the opulence of 17th century European craftwork, and could be considered as a mix of American fast-foot culture and Versailles styles.
Hayon employs craftsmanship and traditional techniques to create his objects, but the best thing about the Groninger exhibition – planned as a sort of unusual and quirky art gallery – will be the fact that most of these pieces will invite visitors to become part of them and of the fantastic interior design spaces they create.
"Jaime Hayon: Funtastico", The Groninger Museum, The Netherlands, 12 October 2013 to 30 March 2014.
Image credits
1. Poster for the Jaime Hayon: Funtastico" exhibition.
2. Jaime Hayon, "Mediterranean Digital Baroque", © Jaime Hayon.
3. Jaime Hayon and Nienke Klunder, "Rockin sausage", 2012, American Chateau, © Jaime Hayon.
4. Jaime Hayon, "New York is Miami", 2012, American Chateau, © Jaime Hayon.
5. Jaime Hayon, "Supersonic Pig", 2003, Mediterranean Digital Baroque, © Jaime Hayon.
6. Jaime Hayon, Ceccotti twenty two, © Jaime Hayon.
7. Jaime Hayon, "Testa Mechanica Yellow", 2012, blown murano glass, metal and wooden accessories, © Jaime Hayon.
8. and 9. Jaime Hayon, "The Tournament", 2009, 2m high ceramic chess pieces on a specially created Bisazza mosaic glass chess board, © Jaime Hayon.
Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos
Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos
Related articles
Rispondi