Yulia Brodskaya’s work brought up an overall design trend towards all things handmade, and this topic reminds me of a talk that Kurt Andersen recently gave at Pratt, promoting his new book Reset. He assures us ‘It’s the end of the world as we know it, but it’s not the end of the world.’ Check out this great interview with Kurt Andersen on The Colbert Report.
What we need is not a return to a slower, simpler time, but to strike a balance between the all-too-American value of bigger is better, and the possibility that people could ONLY want what we actually need… in the design world this could mean great things! Beyond the aesthetic of handmade visuals and art, the back-to-basics value could extend into the materials being used and the method of production. Things don’t always have to be shiny-and-new. Hmm… this makes me want to visit the flea market to pick up some dusty old inspiration.
For those of you interested in dusty old stuff too, here’s a list of the largest flea markets in nyc:
Antiques Garage (25th between 6th and 7th ave)
Grand Bazaar (25th between 5th and 6th)
Also there’s another one around 40th and 8th ave
Brooklyn Flea is great (one in Fort Greene and another at the Brooklyn Bridge)
Housing Works Thrift Stores are a great resource for books, clothing and furniture