Project Chaboo: All-Star Artist/Designer Collaboration

This is the blank slate. Ken Tomita’s low bench called the Chabu, after the low Japanese table, the chabudai, around which the family gathers. Looking for a way to get to know other designers and artists, as well as generate interest in his and their work, Tomita issued an invitation to a handful of designers and artists: to customize his chabu.

Emily Knudsen for Project Chaboo. detail. photo: Anna Campbell

The new piece would be called a “chaboo,” the double-o’s a nod to the original material used for the bench. Project Chaboo then meant a furniture design/builder creating an interpretation of the chaboo from scratch based on Tomita’s design, or Tomita building half of it for a metal worker who would built the other half, or Tomita building a chaboo for an artist like Amy Ruppel to customize (he built dozens for the show). From the first invitees, Tomita received more recommendations for participants. Eventually, more than 50 chaboos would be created by makers coming from architecture, interior design, photography, fine art, illustration, graphic design, carpentry, engineering, industrial design, as well as furniture design. The chaboo would be painted, pierced, knit. It would serve as a canvas, an armature for sculpture. It would grow legs, get bent, and sprout live plants.

Can’t wait to see work by some really intriguing makers like furniture maker Sara Huston, interior designer Lisa Kuhnhausen, furniture designer Joel Wakeman, textile/accessories designer Erin Albin of Appetite, and art-duo APAK (Aaron+Ayumi Piland). Oh, and David Butts’ walking chaboo.

Don Jensen for Project Chaboo. detail. photo: Anna Campbell

And the project didn’t stop there. Tomita then arranged photoshoots of not only the pieces, but the makers with their chaboos in a stunning series of portraits by photographers Anna Campbell, Alleh Lindquist, Joe Mansfield, and Jamen Lee. Then he and his brother, Yuji, built a beautiful website that features all of the chaboos, photos of the makers, and profiles and a few portfolio shots from each participant. What results is not only great and intriguing work, but a chance to get to know a great slice in cross section of Portland’s creative community, folks whose work you typically won’t see at First Thursday, whose work isn’t in the papers.

Brendan Budge for Project Chaboo. detail. photo: Anna Campbell

Best of all, the results of Project Chaboo will be on display at a party this Wednesday March 4 from 6-10 PM at GALLERY HOMELAND at The Ford Building, (SE 11th and Division). And by the results, I mean the chaboos, the photos, the stories of the people who answered Tomita’s invitation to customize a chaboo. Tomita tells me the exhibition design itself, by Lisa Kuhnhausen and Emily Knudsen, is something to see.

See and interview I did with Ken about the project for portlandspaces.net/blog/the-design-district.

Show2008 Is On!

design: Kari Merkl. photo: Sarah Henderson

Has it been two years already since the last ShowPDX at Design Within Reach and PNCA?

Daring, beautiful, sustainable, sensational furniture design is happening in your own backyard.  And Show2008 is here to showcase the fruits of this branch of the Design Tree. Work by over 45 designers will be shown as part of ShowPDX’s juried biannual furniture fair. And this year the Show moves to the recently renovated Shattuck Hall, Department of Architecture at Portland State University (1914 SW Park, Third Floor).

ShowPDX is produced by husband and wife team of Chris Bleiler and Jen Jako of fix studio. Jako, who was for many years outreach point person for the ReBuilding Center and Bleiler whose furniture we’ve always thought was interesting (using found pieces to craft modern and often sculptural furniture) have somehow carved time out of their busy design practice (restaurants have been lining up) to pull this festival together and we should applaud.

The opening reception for Show2008 is Wednesday, October 1, 6 – 9 PM. $10 suggested donation. Hors d’oeuvres + beverages provided.

The Show continues First Thursday, October 2, 6 – 9 PM, then October 3-28. Hours: MWF from 1-5 PM.

New this year are both the inclusion of every submission displayed in print form so we can see the full scope of what PDX has to offer and the new Designer Q & A at Design With Reach (1200 NW Everett) on October 21 at 6:30 PM co-sponsored by Broder (2508 SE Clinton).

Janus Home Grand Opening

Using the word “new” for this anticipated 4500 square feet of shop on Portland’s inner Eastside is only partly appropriate…Janus Home (1324 SE Grand) deals in incredible mid-century vintage furniture and briefly had a Westside location. No matter, Portland’s newest grand emporium of vintage furnishings is settling into its new space on SE Grand and celebrating with a party tonight, Thursday May 29 at  6 PM. Keep an eye out for the man in the cast, (and buy him a drink when you spot him), Jeremy Schneyer who with wife Kelly somehow managed to renovate the space and get ready for business in spite of his broken wrist. Check it.

How Do I Love Thee?

Let me count the ways….

Three.

This Cowhide Seat from Michigan-based MuNiMulA at Olio United (1028 SE Water), is excellent for several reasons. First and most interestingly, it puts the final design of the seat of the chair in the hands of gravity and your fine derriere. Look at it, doesn’t it look like you’ll slide onto the floor? Give it a while and the leather will break in and conform to you and yours. Secondly, it’s 23.2% more sustainable than your average chair built from the ultimate recyclable, aluminum, and a recycled byproduct: Italian leather. So you can get your fancy and feel good too. Plus, we’re into the modern-meets-the-real aesthetic of it.  Third, you can get it without getting up out of your chair…Olio United now has an e-commerc-y website for your consuming pleasure.

Sit in this chair and read Cradle to Cradle again and By Design by Ralph Caplan. Discuss.

Who Are The People In Your Neighborhood

Well, they ship all over, but they’re located right here in Portland at SE 8th and Clay. Look Modern has 7000 sq. ft. of mid-century (50s-70s) mostly Swedish and Danish ceramics, furniture, and objects. They’re open weekends only. We just like to look at the pictures. Mmm.