The “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” art and design exhibit at the Somerset House explores the optimistic possibilities of utopia, in the vein of the 1966 Beach Boys song of the same name.
“Wouldn’t It Be Nice” features ten artists, plus the six artists whose work is shown in the Studio (and our gallery). Here’s a guide to what you’re seeing in the gallery above.
1. Art for the exhibition’s main page
2. Dunne and Raby‘s Alignment, created with Michael Anastassiades. It’s a piece of furniture that inflates at random, like an airbag. The owner is meant to decide what it means and what to do with it on their own.
3. Tobias Rehberger‘s MoF 94.7%. Rehberger invites viewers of this sculpture to copy its design and purchase a certificate of authenticity that makes it a Rehberger sculpture.
4. Martino Gamper‘s “Collective Furniture” is a series of hybrid furniture pieces made from old, found objects. It’s meant to make us consider how we treat old things.
5. Noam Toran and Onkar Singh Kular‘s MacGuffin Library. This assortment of “materialized narrative devices” plays on the term ‘MacGuffin’ coined by Hitchcock, which describes items that help to move the plot along despite having no inherent significance.
6. Engine parts created for the Enthusiasts’ civilian fantasy machines, as a part of the MacGuffin Library.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Optimistic Utopia
- Exploring the possibilities of a utopian society through art and design exhibitions.
- Random Inflation
- Disruptive innovation opportunity in furniture design through the creation of pieces that inflate at random, redefining the concept of functionality.
- Materialized Narrative Devices
- Incorporating storytelling elements and objects that propel the plot forward into various art forms, opening up new opportunities for immersive experiences.
Where This Applies
- Art and Design
- Creating innovative art installations and exhibits that challenge traditional concepts and inspire new perspectives.
- Furniture Design
- Revolutionizing furniture design by incorporating unpredictability and redefining functionality through random inflation.
- Entertainment
- Integrating materialized narrative devices into entertainment industries, such as film, theatre, and interactive experiences, to enhance storytelling and engage audiences.
