Modern Times Pop-Up Shop 3. Wow!

I can't believe we are about to launch pop-up number 3. Amazing! We have got a fantastic space and a truckload (a very very large truck!) of new vintage pieces from Denmark.

Now...how could a room chock-full of vintage Danish furniture possibly be improved? ...By adding the work of 50 contemporary Australian artists and designers!

We have gone from having around 10 artists at the first pop-up to now having 50! I am really passionate about this side of the business. Every artists work excites me and inspires me in some way and I think it is fabulous to bring it together with this beautiful furniture. So who are they?? Well, I'll save listing them all for later and start with a couple of new artists we have on board who I am particularly excited about. I discovered the work of Julian Martin and Warren O'Brien through Arts Project Australia.

Julian Martin, Not Titled (blue shapes on white), pastel on paper, 500 x 700mm,2009

Julian's creates these flattened graphic compositions which are given amazing depth and character through his use masterly of pastel. The surface of Julian's work is built up meticulously to create an almost velvet like texture. The photo really doesn't do his work justice but they are so beautiful. Modern Times is lucky enough to be hanging a number of Julian's work both large and small. Warren O'Brien, on the other hand, has a far looser style. Warren's paintings are these expressionist colour studies with a sense of movement and intensity that is quite captivating. Warren's repetitive use of the arc motif creates layers of 'windows' that you can look through to see the different layers of texture and colour. It's pretty different to the graphic stuff we've had before but I think they are going to work so well the mid-century furniture. Check out these examples...

Warren O'Brien, Not titled (blue, teal, pink arches), ink on paper, 560 x 380mm, 2010

Warren O'Brien, Not titled (yellow arches), acrylic and pastel on paper, 560 x 760mm, 2010

Wow, already such a long post and I've only spoken about two artists. Ok, moving right along... Ellie Malin has some gorgeous new work, referencing mountains this time, but still with her signature use of colour, shape, and bold use of white space.

Ellie Malin, Mountains, woodblock print, 1200 x 800mm, 2012

It seems mountains are a bit of a theme at the moment. Liesl Pfeffer has been so kind to arrange getting some of her works to us even though she now lives in New York! Thanks Liesl! Liesl's photo-media collages have the impact of a bold graphic image but need close inspection to reveal the whole story.

Liesl Pfeffer, The Mountains Wait, Archival pigment ink on Hahnemuhle paper, 50 x 50 cm, edition of 10, 2009

Works by Belinda Suzette, Nani Puspasari, Madeleine Stamer, Ghostpatrol, Sandra Eterovic and Darren Henderson are more on the illustrative side. A number of these artists also produce open edition digital prints which make building your art collection that little bit easier and they make great gifts too.

Clockwise from top: Nani Puspasari, Nature, Ink and thread on paper | Belinda Suzette, The Viking, digital print | Darren Henderson, Various owls, Spray enamel on wood

I can't sign off without posting a pic of Kate Banazi's work. It's packed with punch and it is beautifully framed by bespoke framers United Measures. This is one of the works we have available.

Kate Banazi, Sitting Sun, Silkscreen print, 50 x 76 cm, edition of 3

Whilst all these artists do represent a visual variety, they all complement the mid-century/vintage/retro/modernist aesthetic. I hope you pop in and see the shop for yourself.

This is the full list:

ART | Belinda Suzette | Carolyn Hawkins | Darren Henderson | Eleanor Voterakis | Ellie Malin | Ghostpatrol | Julian Martin | Julie Paterson | Kate Banazi | Liesl Pfeffer | Madeleine Stamer | Nani Puspasari | Draw!Pilgrim | Sandra Eterovic | Tiel Seivl-Keevers | Tim Gresham | TwoOne | Warren O'Brien

HOMEWARES | Ella Schwartz | FromWoopWoop | Funky Wombat Textiles | Luscious Jungle | Odds and Ends | Ouchflower | Patchy Rugs | Penelope Hunt | Pom by Pomegranate | RetroPrintRevival | Stämpel | Treehorn Design

GLASS | Phillip Stokes

CERAMICS | Adriana Christianson | Christopher Plumridge | Ingrid Tufts | Sophie Harle | Tara Shackell

JEWELLERY/ACCESSORIES | And O Design | Dani M | Emily Green | Lucy Hearn | Tailfeather

SCULPTURE | Peter McLisky

14/04/2012
Modern Times News, Art

Cul-de-sac! Cul-de-sac!

I am so excited about this post....can you tell? I want to introduce these beautiful graphic prints by Adelaide design studio cul-de-sac. Art director and graphic designer, Marco Cicchianni, has created these limited edition prints taking inspiration from Danish design, Italian style and the punch of Pop Art. What an awesome combination!

You may well have heard of them before today...Since launching the series in May this year, the cul-de-sac prints have been featured on some of my favourite design blogs such as Design Milk and Design Sponge and most recently were in House and Garden magazine AND Marie Claire! These prints add fantastic visual impact to any interior at a mighty 841 x 1189cm!

So, it is not without a little bit of pride that I'm telling you - cul-de-sac prints will be hanging on the walls of Modern Times Pop-Up2. It is the first time the prints will be seen in Melbourne so come in once we launch to get the full impact of these large scale prints. They are limited edition too so once they are gone, they are gone!

17/11/2011
Art, Modern Times News

Ellie Malin and her famous balloons...

Ellie's gorgeous balloon prints have created quite a splash. Even before they were pictured in a feature on Modern Times on The Design Files, everyone who came into the shop was drawn to these striking yet calming artworks. At 120 x 80cm they are the biggest linocuts I have come across!  

Ellie hand mixes her own colours (she has a wonderful eye for colour!) and prints them herself on what must be a very large press.  Ellie has actually created her own unique linocut technique which I won't give away but I can tell you she uses 100% cotton rag paper from Italy which feels heavy and luxurious with the best quality archival inks. These oil based inks means Ellie's work takes about a week to dry. The two we had hanging were snapped up pretty quickly but it didn't stop everyone asking about them.

 The good news is we have just received three more prints hot off the press. You better be quick!

The new prints!

Me holding up a fresh print!

10/06/2011
Art, Modern Times News