Moscow Design Week

A few weeks ago, I visited Moscow Design week at the Central House of Artist. It showcased product and graphic designs from Russia and other countries.
My wife is an art historian. She studies the very best that history has to offer. She expresses distress when we go to a modern art exhibit and she realizes that all the displays there are… less than good.
I felt the same way about Moscow Design week.
The first floor had graphic design. It looked very similar to what I imagine a unicorn fart to look like. Color was everywhere! I almost became epileptic with all the bright colors and simple designs that were pressing in on me from all sides! Don't get me wrong, they all were very interesting individually, but once you throw them all together… watch out! It seems that simple colors and a minimalistic design is what is in fashion this year in graphic design. I love simple bright colors and minimalism, so I'm quite happy about it.

Let me take you upstairs now into the realm of product design. It wasn't so much product design as it was "we're a company with interesting ideas… BUY OUR STUFF!". That aspect of it was annoying, but there were many… OK, some…. really interesting ideas. 

This is a cup on a metal dish. The dish rotates, and you can see a 3D image of a "ghost" cup. This was created by etching the metal dish in such a way that it always reflects the same image no matter which angle you're viewing it from. Quite complicated, but very cool!

This was a very interesting model of a cafe (I believe). It was made by cutting out layers and then glueing them together. The bright yellow color contrasts very nicely with the black stand. 

BUY OUR STUFF!!!

This was a chair (or a bed, or a table.. who knows) which I think fails. It doesn't look very good and I don't think there's any room that would have a style suitable for this. I did not like it. It looks cheap.

     I think Design Week in Moscow was a disappointing venture. I expected more than what I got. It is a learning experience though. It just goes to show how the Russian market really needs some good product designers!

 - Chris