Super Contemporary is the current showcase exhibition at The Design Museum, who have teamed up with Beefeater 24 to commission 15 new design projects by established and emerging London designers. Each design touches on a social consideration of design within London, such as the ‘K9 Post Office Kiosk’ by Industrial Facility; ‘The Listening Station’ by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby; and Paul Smith’s reactive rabbit shaped rubbish bin, whose ears light up in thanks when receiving a piece of rubbish.
Hidden at the back of the exhibition is the original model of “the” channel 4 logo, Designed by Robinson Lambie-Nairn in 1982. (The 4 made of coloured blocks which fly together into the middle of the television screen, used to mark the beginning of a new program or advert break). This small indent in broadcasting is now mostly hidden in vhs tapes across the nation, on battered home recordings of ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’, alternatively see youtube to marvel at the six second sequence. Acting as the backdrop to Super Contemporary, the inclusion of ‘The Channel 4 Identity’ is one of the many relics used to create a rich timeline of London design since 1960 in the exhibition.
Also happening this week is The Design Museum’s 20th Birthday. You can join the celebration this Friday 25th September, at the Design Museum’s late night opening, get involved with a bake-off by emailing overtime@designmuseum.org and get ready to boogie and draw in a silent disco within Super Contemporary. Tickets £5 in advance (£8.50 on the door), Booking: 020 7940 8783, tickets@designmuseum.org, ticketweb.co.uk, Designmuseum.org/design-overtime
Super Contemporary at the Design Museum runs until 4 October 2009
www.designmuseum.org
Words: Lorna Robertson