A bookshelf made out of old coffee table books clipped together, a cosy and old armchair restored with a simple embellishing duct tape, basket bins made out of discarded or broken plastic and wicker buckets, baskets or tubs… the travelling exhibition ‘New Olds’ trends in recycling of regular materials to transform into a new design and redesigning of classic design to give a modern touch. The exhibition is presented by curator Volker Albus with the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (IFA), Stuttgart, in association with Goethe Zentrum, Hyderabad. A team of 45 designers and artists from Germany, other European countries and the US have showcased their work at the exhibition.
The designers have broken away from the traditional moulds and structures using old, recyclable materials.
The exhibits best display the fact that discarded waste can be reused as props with aesthetic and contemporary looks. It also adapts old traditional designs to fit modern lifestyle.
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The traditional Persian carpet is interpreted in varies styles. An oriental carpet, which is an impression of jigsaw puzzle, or a Persian carpet where the geometrical shapes are used for ornamentation or an oriental rug with an animal silhouette to represent the classic animal skin rug are some of the examples.
In any porcelain dinner set, it is the pattern that is the most prized. But in the tableware at the exhibit, the pattern is placed on the reverse side, while the signature stamp is on top of the plate. When placed on a mirror table top, the pattern is part of the reflection. In a consumer- driven world, this tableware is a symbol of how brands matter more than design. An entire cupboard made out of foam, with the contents fit in such a way as if they are sticking out or tumbling out of the cupboard is a visual representation of old Baroque style furniture but made out of a modern-day household material — foam.
Moving away from the concept of a traditional hammock which is nothing but a hanging mat, this hammock is not made of a mat or net that you can place in your balcony or garden. But this hammock is a symbol of urban spaces and modern apartment structures. Candle stands, wicker seats, lamps have undergone a transformation to suit the modern minimalistic designs but it is only a mutated version of the traditional designs.
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The exhibition is open till July 22, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Salar Jung Museum.