Nacho Carbonell - Playground Closes at Dusk
At the entrance to this years Design Miami/ Basel, visitors are greeted by an outdoor installation of sensory furniture and sculptures created by spanish designer Nacho Carbonell. In this video by Luka Dogan for Co. Design he introduces and explains the work, which is entitled 'Playground Closes at Dusk'.
The installation contains a tactile resonator, which visitors can use to create sound by running their fingers up and down the metal plates. A chair sitting just beyond this piece and fitted with four large 'ear trumpets' then catches and funnels these sounds as well as those from the surrounding area, creating a unique auditory experience for the sitter. The middle structure mixes blown glass and steel with the smells of the forest, employing a specially created perfume; this piece is designed to confuse and contradict the sensory expectations of the audience.
Carbonell discusses the ways in which he hopes to enliven the senses through his work, as well as his interest in the connection between senses and the evocation of memories.
A designer interested in the imaginative, fantastical and the sensory, this statement from Carbonell on his website sums up his approach:
“I like to see objects as living organisms, imagining them coming alive and being able to surprise you with their behaviour. I want to create objects with my hands, then I can give them my personality. I turn them into communicative objects that can arouse one’s sensations and imagination. In short, what I want to create are objects with a fictional or fantasy element, that allow you to escape everyday life.”
Design Miami/ Basel is on until 18 June '11
