This is a joint action of two magazines: Project Russia and ‘Interni’, as well as companies ROOM (furniture store) and Alexander Ney (construction, decoration, including furniture manufacturing). The latter was the main initiator of the project; she also made the samples presented at the exhibition.
The Etazherka project was announced in the spring of 2008. The organizers suggested that renowned architects design on a shelf no larger than 2 x 1.5 x 1 meter made of "wood, metal, plastic or glass". At the same time, an open tender was announced with the same conditions. The only winner of the competition was among the invited famous architects - they also promised to make his bookcase and show it at the exhibition "bookcase collection" together with the masters. Which was done; For the first time, the exhibition was launched in the fall, but not all objects participated there (not all of them had time to be made), now it has been opened in the same ROOM gallery for the second time, in a larger composition. Before us, apparently, the final version of the project, which developed over the course of the year.
In the press release of the organizers it is written that one of the tasks of "Etazherka" is to restore in Russia the practice of architects' work in the field of design, which has been popular all over the world since the beginning of the 20th century, but has been thoroughly forgotten in our country since the 1930s. The greatness of the goal deserves respect; It is not without reason that the organizers include the professional architectural magazine Project Russia and the equally professional design and architectural magazine ‘Interni’. Certainly, specialists from a related profession have taken up the business of reviving Russian design with fresh forces.
True, with the assertion that architects in our country did not do design at all during the entire specified time, one could object: many of the masters practicing today could remember the interiors in which they painted something like that, then a table, then chairs. And the wardrobes in exclusive interiors are visibly and invisibly designed. Moreover, in the early nineties, this was done out of poverty (in our market there was practically nothing for a decent interior), and then, of course, already from wealth, as a unique product. True, these were exactly that unique things - for a certain interior and not looking further. Not for the stream, not even for the exclusive.
However: there are also those among Russian architects who are passionately engaged in design (the most real, and not just drawing chairs in the interior), and even win some competitions in this field. They are Arseny Leonovich and Nikita Tokarev (Panakom). The door handle designed by them is serially produced by Valli & Valli. They were not invited to the number of celebrities invited to the "Etazherka"; For an open competition, Panakomites designed as many as 11 options, but the victory passed by the side.
Other architects engaged in design from time to time are the Art-Blya group (Andrey Savin, Andrey Cheltsov, Mikhail Labazov). In their workshop there was a whole division of graphic design, which made, for example, the magazine "Ptyuch". They also came up with a chair made of a thick sheet of plywood, gutted on one side, and in 1989, back in the "paper" time - scissors, similar to … well, what their objects often look like. The scissors did not go into series, and they were not intended. So the complete absence of architectural design is a myth; but it must be admitted that our architects, passionate about design, can be counted on one hand.
Much more famous architects who make objects from time to time are funny things, not applicable to anything, except for contemporary art, but strongly enliven the boring architectural life.
Those who were invited to become the designers of whatnots are exactly they, 40-50-year-old authors of objects and participants in almost-non-architectural exhibitions such as RodDom (which opened a cruise to Europe in the fall) and Persimfans (whose echoes are still published in architectural magazines). As a result, whatnots turned out to be not shelves, but installation objects. I would divide the items on display into: not at all whatnots (anti-storyboards), whatnots-constructors, and just whatnots.
The former are especially remarkable and characteristic.
It seems that whatnot is a simple subject. This is not a chair to sit on. And yet, some of the authors managed to get away from the banal function especially far - to design such a bookcase on which it is difficult to put anything. Yuri Avvakumov and Meganom did especially well. It is quite difficult to install anything on their shelves. If you manage to put it, then it will be difficult to get it later. They directly declare: we are not furniture, but an object of art. I would like to evaluate it as a sculpture.
Yuri Avvakumov's object is a beautiful, well-polished spiral made of noble reddish wood. If it had bumpers, this spiral could be a great way to launch children's cars. But there are no sides. Any object placed on an inclined surface, of course, is held with difficulty. But the spiral is such a multi-valued thing that it resembles everything at once: DNA, dialectics and the tower of the Third International. A is dedicated to Archimedes, who invented the equation of the spiral. Not any spiral, but one whose turns are located at the same distance from each other. The Avvakumov spiral, however, is spatial, and develops upward, like a spring (a ramp to the sky - by analogy with a staircase to the sky?). But all together looks like a beautiful and expensive sculpture.
The second anti-dealership was invented by Yuri Grigoryan and Alexandra Pavlova (Project Megan). It looks like a monument to a kitchen brush: many metal pins are stuck into a wooden rod. The brush hedgehog naturally bristles with his "needles" at a potential user - do not approach. However, it also looks quite sculptural.
According to our classification, Art-Bla's work turns out, oddly enough, to be a compromise. You can put something on their bookcase - it's just that the shelves are diagonal, as if they had not been folded (laid out?) To the end. A sort of "sprouting" from the floor whatnot turned out, caught in the process of formation.
There is only one bookcase with a plot - at Alexander Brodsky. A drawing with her image was already sold in professional magazines in the summer. This is also not a bookcase at all, but a "personal mobile bar": a box on wheels, inside of which bottles must be placed on the shelves. The object continues the theme of drinking popular with Brodsky - a 95-degree restaurant, a pavilion for vodka ceremonies, now here's a personal bar, less and less … This is an object for a single drink.
I must say that the drawing was charmingly fascinating. There was a man knocking over a glass, some comments about soft pads (so as not to hit the edge), and a message that it was convenient to get out of the bar on all fours. The project has lost something in its implementation - the box has become too large, it seems difficult to move it, and there is not enough light bulb inside (the latter was noticed by many of those who came to the opening of the exhibition). In my opinion, this is a clear example of how manufacturing in a factory spoils an object. And most importantly, the magazines on these shelves are completely out of place. On the other hand, this is the only attraction object, only now - you need to know that you can get inside there.
Whatnots-constructors do not contain negation and are more like themselves. These are, in fact, classic examples of modernist design, whose plot is not narrative (like Brodsky's: got in, drank, crawled out), but technical. And they see their advantage in the multiplicity of options for the development of one module. And sometimes this "collapsible" essence is displayed, and sometimes not.
Svetlana Golovina's giant bookcase, which divides the exhibition hall into two parts, is dotted with grooves and protrusions, which leave no doubt that it can be assembled in different ways. The entire structure is assembled from one type of board - that is, the task of maximum options with the initial minimalism is completed here.
The architects of Atelier MMDA (D. Baryudin, M. M. Labazov, M. Emontaev), the winners of the open competition for joining the masters, went the same way. The four plywood boards, which resemble very large combs due to the numerous slots, are connected by a rubber band that can be rearranged in different ways. Rubber smells and leaves no doubt about its brutality.
Nikolay Lyzlov's metal bookcase, on the other hand, hides its collapsible nature. It looks like a cut safe - it is a solid iron box, laconic, practical and moderately flaunting with a rusty texture. But in fact, the iron cabinet of Nikolai Lyzlov consists of boxes of three sizes, which can be rearranged in a different sequence.
Alexey Kozyr's object is also made up of boxes, and most of them are also rusty-metal, and two are glass; here the emphasis shifts to the weight and texture of the material, and collapsible becomes ephemeral - the boxes look very heavy, especially since they are made up of a pyramid that you don't want to turn upside down.
Vladimir Plotkin's bookcase stands somewhat apart in the company of anti-whatnots and whatnots-constructors. It is a large but thin frame. More precisely, two frames - white and red, inside - two thin black shelves. And that's all. There is very little mass in it. The main content is a frame dividing the space into before and after. A bit like "Window to Europe" - the project of the St. Petersburg seaport by the same architect Vladimir Plotkin. Everything is bright, colorful, shiny. A good element of the interior, and quite designer, without fronting and without denying function. True, I must say that in relation to space it is also quite an architectural thing. Design object made by an architect.
But one way or another, but in general, whatnots, as already mentioned at the beginning, are more like objects than design objects. Still - the masters are invited, this is not a prêt-a-porter for you, but a real haute couture, which means that you simply cannot wear it. In addition, nothing shown is intended to be replicated or serialized. And therefore, in essence, all these things are not design (which is intended just for mass production). Not design, but piece items; handmade - albeit factory made. Craft. Some rich person, versed in art (from Pirogov, for example) can buy them, adding to his collection of works by the same masters. But this will be the purchase of an installation object - like a painting, not a design object. There is a difference: the design items are exhibited in the same gallery on Tverskaya, one floor above, where they are apparently sold. And here - in the basement, contemporary art. In this case, it's a variation made by architects. This is not the design of architects (as stated in the press release), but objects of architects on the theme of design. The parallel world, however, is necessary for the design "for image promotion".
But why do architects need it?
In many works it is felt (at least it seemed to me so) that while working on the theme of design, architects somehow frown and strive not to merge with the topic, but to distance themselves from it, to do something that is difficult to use, or rusty, or smelling of rubber … Not wanting to cross the line that separates pure art for the exhibition from art for the consumer.
However, the action was conceived in the spring (or even winter) of 2008, when there was no rumor or spirit about the crisis. Now we can judge as follows: the affairs of many architects (not these specifically, but let's say, in general) are bad, something needs to be invented. Maybe design work could help out many talented people. True, not with this, but, apparently, with a simple design. It is not very clear whether this action will serve to introduce architects into design (and also whether they will want to and whether it should be done). Or it will remain the next project in the series of exhibitions of "arch-objects", where it fits so well.
