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Project: Masculine / Feminine (2011) Description: 6 pairs, male and female, of international designers from Holland and Portugal experiment with firing ceramics in small homemade ovens a.k.a. Ceramic Crumb Ovens. The result consists of tiny objects about "Masculine/ Feminine" that in the exhibition can be viewed through magnifying glass or microscope. Participating: BCXSY, Daniela Pais & David Luxembourg, Design Drift, Janine Braun & Pedro Almeida, Studio Joon&Jung together with Yu-hun Kim, Studio Pedrita. Project Initiative: Yoad David Luxembourg Masculine/ Feminine 20 May to 7 August 2011 De Krabbedans, Eindhoven. For more info please visit De Krabbedans website Masculine/ Feminine 12 October to 19 November 2011 Mundano Objectos Gallery. RUA DE SANTOS POUSADA 668 4000-480 PORTO For more info please visit Mundano Objectos website Please visit our page on  for more photos & interviews with participating designers. |
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BCXSY: Relationships Through experiments, we have played with the size-limits of the ceramic crumb oven, and tried to see what happens when bigger objects are put in the oven and only partly being baked. Since in our own work we do not emphasize the border between our own identities, but rather aim to merge into one narrative, we have chosen to present seven vessels which are abstractly illustrating various relationships. The expression of masculinity and femininity are left open for the interpretation of the viewer. |
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Daniela Pais & David Luxembourg: Perspectives on Masculine / Feminine We chose 3 different perspectives about masculine and feminine as a starting point for designing various button sets. The perspectives were taken form Greek mythology, Eastern Philosophy and Modern Times and then reinterpreted in a away that using these buttons will perpetuate the moral or beliefs that these perspectives represent. |
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From left to right: Greek mythology It is said humans originally consisted of four arms, four legs, and a single head made of two faces, but the Greek gods feared their power and split them all in half, condemning them to spend their lives searching for the other half to complete them A button set Designed to be shared by 2 parts of these ancient humans. Eastern Philosophy: Yin and Yang. The male provides the direction yet seeks for energy. The female provide the energy and seeks for direction. 2 opposites, positive and negative, alone each of the bottons in this set cannot fulfill its function, but when matched together they fulfill their function. Modern Times 2 equal beings joined together by the thread of love. A button set composed of 2 identical, equal parts joined together by thread that runs through them both. |
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Design Drift: Ceramic LED fitting For the Masculine / Feminine project we thought immediately about male and female pin headers, small components that can be mounted on a circuit board to hold LED's or are used as a connector. Although the traditional Phillips light bulb is not produced anymore, the old ceramic lamp fittings are more popular then ever. We decided to use this tiny bit of old visuals as inspiration for this new ceramic LED-light fitting, where the fitting has both male and female connection. The fitting is then used in one of our existing projects, Dandelight, a little piece of real nature that lightens up by a 9 Volt battery. |
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Joon&Jung with Yu-hun Kim: 'The Lai' In our journey of research about Feminine and Masculine, we found a common keyword 'Fluttering'. We decided to use ceramic crumb oven to bake a feminine object, and to develop a working structure as its masculine counterpart. However, the as starting point was an abstract translation; we have decided to create an experimental object. Conclusively, it would create the fluttering atmosphere to a visitor with both of technology and craftsmanship. |
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Janine Braun & Pedro Almeida: Masculine / Feminine Because ceramic painted tiles are part of our Portuguese heritage we created two stamps of tiles. We linked the motifs of the tiles with the differences between the masculine and the feminine brain: The masculine brain follows a mathematical path and uses specific parts of the brain to solve problems. Therefore, the tile is abstract and geometrical with a predominant center. The feminine brain uses multiple parts to solve problems and has a bigger ability to store stressful moments related with emotions. So the tile is more complex and figurative with shifting focus of attention. |
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Studio Pedrita: Masculine / Feminine Rather then working on a concept, we've let ourselves go from design methodology and focused on finding the gestures of masculine and feminine. Away from our computers, cans, candles and tiny clay pieces took over the studio balcony where 2 micro ovens cooked consequently many lost attempts to reach recognizable shapes which represent this theme. Based on a micro scale for a micro oven the challenge here was to understand a procedure and accurate a technique. |
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29. Masculine / Feminine (2011) Concept & Curation: David Luxembourg Photography: David Luxembourg Presenting works by: BCXSY, Daniela Pais & David Luxembourg, Design Drift, Janine Braun & Pedro Almeida, Studio Joon&Jung together with Yu-hun Kim, Studio Pedrita. With Special thanks to: To everyone! mentioned above, Edwin van Onna & Stijn van der Vleuten (c) All rights reserved, yeah! All of them. +++ Yoad David Luxembourg 2012. |