Egyptian Influences (Design)

Egyptian art had been such a great source of influence in our modern world. It influenced a lot of important sectors such as architecture, fashion, interior design, make-up, jewellery and much more.

The Louvre Pyramid

The Louvre entrance is a clear inspiration of an Egyptian pyramid, in fact its name is the Louvre’s pyramid. It is made up by geometric patterns which are made of glass and metal. It was a very controversial structure and I can’t understand why exactly because in my opinion it is an amazing piece of art. There are also three small pyramids beside the large one which has the same style of structure. This Louvre pyramid was officially inaugurated in March 1989. Designed by Pei Cobb, an American architecture. It is a contrasted structure with the old historic building around it. 

The process of men clothing
on a wall painting found in a tomb.

Fashion

In the ancient Egypt, Egyptians used to wear light clothes to keep them cool such as linen for their hot weather especially in summer. They had to grow plants of flax near the Nile River to make linen. The reason that men used to wear make-up is that to respect their gods and they used to wear jewellery as a protection from bad things to happen and to give them strength. 

Inspired make-up from the Eye of Horus

Christian Dior Collection

The famous company Christian Dior, made a collection based on Egyptian Art influences from its designer John Galliano, who had been inspired after an aerial tour of Egypt over the Valley Kings. His research on Egyptian Art was all being represented in this amazing collection. This collection was like an explosion in Egyptian Art which shows wealth which is being represented by the shining gold colours in this collection and also the main characteristics taken. He made use of Egyptian art’s body adornment to create something similar or slightly different from the main inspiration. 

In my opinion this collection is very amazing because it has all the main characteristics of  the Egyptian Art and also some of them are representing important symbols, figures, gods or characteristic. 

Christian Dior's collection

Christian Dior's collection

Christian Dior's collection

Bibliography:

A view on cities, Anon, n.d., Louvre Pyramid [online] Available at: http://www.aviewoncities.com/paris/louvrepyramid.htm [Accessed 20 May 2014].

From paris.com, Anon, n.d., Louvre museum and the pyramid [online] Available at: http://fromparis.com/louvre-museum-and-the-pyramid.html [Accessed 20 May 2014].

History on the net, Anon, n.d. (updated 07/10/12) The Egyptians – Clothing [online] Available at: http://www.historyonthenet.com/Egyptians/clothing.htm [Accessed 20 May 2014]. 

Style.com, Sarah Mower, 18 January, 2004, SPRING 2004 COUTURE

Christian Dior. [online] Available at:  http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2004CTR-CDIOR/ [Accessed 20 May 2014].

Tutankhamun (Design)

Tutankhamun's tomb

Tutankhamun was the most famous pharaoh/ king in Egypt. He pharaoh died at a very young age. The reason of his death isn’t certain and diseases or infections might have caused his death, also there was found broken bones in his mummy. His tomb was found by Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings on the 4^th November 1922. All objects found in his tomb are all very wealthy which were buried with his body for his ‘afterlife’, which the Egyptians used to believe in, and they put all those things with his body in the tomb to have the same life after his death. The objects might have been used by Tutankhamun during his life. His body was mummified with a golden mask in his head, in a wealthy, artistic coffin.

All these objects found in this tomb are all impressive and amazing in its wealth and artistic decoration which shows their dedication, patience and skills. 

Tutankhamun’s coffin (1327 BC)

Tutankhamun was mummified, with his head covered with a gold mask. The coffin has the form of a mummy’s bandages of the King’s. His head and arms are represented as in real life in his hands there are the crook and flail, the insignia of god Osiris. The coffin is made out of different materials such as sheets of gold of about 0.3cm thick, semiprecious stones and glass. It weighs more than 110kg.

Tutankhamun’s Coffin

Tutankhamun's Mask

The coffin’s relief has a lot of meanings and important symbols from the life of Tutankhamun because he used to wear the well known headdress which is represented by its stripes on the coffin, more important things were represented on the coffin are a ceremonial beard, a broad collar and two necklaces. There are also different gods on the coffin. One of the goddess represented on the coffin as a feathers wrapped around Tutankhamen was the goddess Nut.

In my opinion this coffin is very impressive and breathtaking in all its artistic way. It is a piece of art which had been made by hand, which I really admire and appreciate that fact. Behind all the detail it has, there was a dedicated artist/s which we should appreciate and respect. They also managed to put interesting colours which made more the coffin to stand out. It consists of a lot of different lines which varies from curved to straight lines... I’m also really amazed by the textures created especially of the textures of the arms.

These images below are all objects which were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Armchair with Tutankhamun and his Queen
 Ankhesenamun (1327 BC)

Duck-head chair (1327 BC)

The goddess Selket (1327 BC)

Lion head (1327 BC)

Mirror case (1327 BC)

Painted box (1327 BC)

Bibliography:

Bio.,Anon, 2014, King Tut. [online] Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/king-tut-9512446#awesm=~oEJb8FxcRbyjky [Accessed 19 May 2014].

Jaromir Malek, 2003, Egypt 4000 Years of Art, New York, Phaidon Press Limited.

Egyptian Papyrus (Art)

Papyrus was a kind of paper made out of a plant called Cyperus Plant which grows along the river Nile in Egypt. The papyrus was used instead of textbooks, newspaper, letters/emails or news and they also serves to record history. The word ‘paper’ came from the word papyrus. Papyrus is still being made, but not for the purpose the Ancient Egyptians used to use them for, but they make them to attract tourists to buy them. In the Egyptian Era they used papyrus to make a lot more things rather than paper, they used them to make sandals, baskets, fencing, rope and they also used it to make medicine or to be eaten as well. There were papyrus found with paintings which are still recognizable, which dates back to the 2700 BC.

Detail from Book of the Dead of 'King Pinudjem I,
from the royal cache at Deir el-Bari (1032 BC)

The image above this text is a page of a book found, which is made from papyrus and I'm very impressed for its good condition it still is because it looks like it was drawn/painted recently as the papyrus isn't torn or broken. Even its colour remains very well and each detail could be recognized. This book was found in the famous royal cache at Deir el-Bahri with the mummy of Pinudjem I.

Bibliography:

 EgyptianPapyrus.co.uk, Anon, n.d., Egyptian Papyrus [online] Available at:  http://www.egyptian-papyrus.co.uk/ [Accessed 18 May].

Jaromir Malek, 2003, Egypt 4000 Years of Art, New York, Phaidon Press Limited.

Egyptian Symbols (Art)

The Egyptians had many symbols which they believed in. You could find many of these symbols on many walls besides their paintings or all over the ceilings. Each symbol has a meaning on its own.

The Eye of Horus

An Example of The eye of Horus

This was a very important and powerful symbol for the Egyptians. They believed in it as a protection from bad things, healing and as a health symbol. This symbol represents the god Horus’ eye, who was a very important god. The eye’s design has got an inspiration from falcon. The right eye was known as the Eye of Ra which symbolized the sun, and the left eye was known as the Eye of Thoth or Aah which symbolized the moon. It symbolized the moon because the god Horus was going to be blind from the left eye but he healed after he was cured.  

The burial chamber of the workman
 Pashed at Deir el-Medina (1280 BC)

In this image on the right there is also this important symbols, which was painted a bit huge, maybe to show its importance. Also there are a lot of symbols all over the ceiling as I said before, they used to draw many symbols with their paintings.







This is a tattoo which was inspired from the Eye of Horus.



Bibliography:

Ancient Egyptian Gods and Symbols, Anon, n.d., Adjat [online] Available at: http://www.artsconnected.org/collection/102739/ancient-egyptian-gods-and-symbols?print=true [Accessed 17 May 2014].

Art deco – Egyptian inspirations (Design)

The Art Deco movement was influenced by Egyptian Art. It was a very popular movement and it only lasted 10 years. A great increase in popularity of Egyptian Art/Design happened in November 1922, when Howard Carter found the tomb of the boy pharaoh Tutakham. Some wealthy things were found which includes funerary goods, furniture, mummy cases, chariots, gold jewellery and the astonishing gold mask of the pharaoh. Such characteristic from the Egyptian images and motifs are “lotus flowers, scarabs, hieroglyphics, pylons and pyramids, rapidly became popular.” These characteristics were used to cover everything such as fine “bookbindings to biscuit boxes, variety cases to cinema façades.” “This movement affected all forms of art from architecture, interior design, sculpture, furniture, industrial design and visual arts such as fashion, clothing, jewelry, paintings, graphic arts and film.” The Art Deco style looks geometric and it is also very “elegant and stylish”.


The Paramount Theatre

A good example of Art Deco inspired by Egyptian Art is that of The Paramount Theatre. This theatre is in America and was built in 1915. It has those figures which are surely inspired from Egyptian art as I can combine the two period styles together. These are an unrealistic figures like the ones used to be painted by the Egyptians and also their costumes are very similar to the Egyptians.
  Even that golden look makes it look like the Egyptian Art.

Bibliography:

V&A, Anon, 2003, Art Deco: Global Inspiration. [online] Available at: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/art-deco-global-inspiration/ [Accessed 17 May 2014].

No 5 Boutique Art Hotel, Anon, n.d., History of Art Deco. [online] Available at: http://no5boutiquearthotel.com/history-art-deco/ [Accessed 17 May 2014].

House Design Coffee, Joffre Essley, n.d., Art Deco and Archaeology. [online] Available at: http://www.house-design-coffee.com/art-deco-and-archaeology.html [Accessed 17 May 2014].

Paramount Theatre of the Arts, Anon, n.d., A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE. [Online] http://www.paramounttheatre.com/history.html [Accessed 17 May 2014] 

Egyptian Art (Art)

Introduction, Paintings & Reliefs

Egyptian art is mostly known for their magnificent and astonishing masterpieces, and also for their original artistic conventions. During the Egyptian Era there was close connection between society. The Egyptian period was the longest civilization in the world, the beginning of this period was 5500 BC and a found source from this period dates back to the 4500 BC. Some works of art shows that Egyptians believed in life after death. A very impressive fact is that after these thousands of years many works of art are still in good condition and could be recognized. Egyptians believed in many different gods who were believed to have universal powers and as a proof of these gods there was found statues and artistic works which represent the gods. Egyptians were the first and the inventors of science, math and medical skills, as they were a great hep of our learning. Egyptian art/ culture was a huge influence of our modern world. 

Last judgment of Hu-Nefer

Egyptians art mostly includes people painted or sculptured in reliefs, which are done in an “unrealistic” and exaggerated way because they aren’t proportioned and in an impossible position. They wanted to show every part of the body. The hands are always put in way you won’t recognize which one is left or right. Their head is always viewed from one side (left/right) and their eye made in an exaggerated way, so it would be seen as a full eye. This Egyptian style lasted for about 3000 years.

Raised relief (Temple of Karnak, Egypt) 

An unfinished work in Karnak, Egypt wasn’t continued because the sculptor died before it was ready and it gave the opportunity to archaeologists to study how these bodies were proportioned because there were found red lines of plaster which found to be as a grid to help them sculptor or paint in a specific measurements. Each part of the body was measured by these squares of the grid. Another study was made by the archaeologists, concludes that all the other paintings or sculptures were done with this method of grid lines, which includes with their style. 

Bibliography: 

Jaromir Malek, 2003, Egypt 4000 Years of Art, New York, Phaidon Press Limited.

Electrostatic, 2010, The Style of Ancient Egyptian Art, [video online]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOUjDIX37o4 [Accessed 15 May 2014]

Contemporary Designer - Philippe Starck

Philippe Starck

Philippe Starck was born on the 18th January 1949 in Paris. He is a French designer, who also worked as an architect. Starck is very well known for his outstanding designs such as; interior design, household design, boat, watches... his influences are mostly from his father who was an aircraft engineer. He studied in Ecole Nissim de Comando, Paris. In 1968 opened his first company which produces flatable objects. In the 1970s, Starck started to create and design interiors and two of his first projects were La Main Bleu done in 1976 and Les Bains-Douches done in 1978, which are both nightclubs, which gain a lot of attention especially the President Francois Mitterrand. Then the same President asked him to make a refurbishment to his own Private apartments named the Élysée Palace (1983–84), in Paris. This refurbishment made an increase to his popularity.

Then he started to design and produce households such as lamps, chairs, kitchen utensils and such other thing like motorbikes, wind-turbines electric cars, hotels, and boats. Starck wants to make the world a better place to live by creating innovative designs which most are expensive and some are at a good price to reach everyone’s pocket. He also wanted to have the element of humour in his designs.

Juicy Salif juicer

His main characteristics which could be found in every design he does are fluid lines, organic forms and playful designs. His designs are beauty which sometimes means wealth. "above all he is a man of honesty, in the purest tradition of the Renaissance artists."

He is also known for the Juicy Salif juicer for the company Alessi, watches for Fossil, television design for Thomson Multimedia, luggage design for Samsonite, “Urban Fittings” for Decaux, office furniture for Vitra, eyeglasses for Alain Mikli and the Optical Mouse for Microsoft.

Then he is mostly known for buildings such as “Asahi Beer Hall (1990) in Tokyo, an austere, block like granite building topped with a bulbous orange shape resembling a flame, and the Unhex Nani-Nani office building (1989), also in Tokyo, which has been described as a biomorphic shed.”

In 1997 he got an award from Harvard Graduate School of Design for ‘Excellence in Design’.

Miss Lacy chair

'Miss Lacy' chair, by Philippe Starck.

This is an example of Starck’s design of a chair. It is made out of stainless steel. It is originally inspired from natural leaves of botanical. It is very elegant because of the material used; it makes it look more expensive. As I looked at this chair, immediately William Morris came up to mind because he used to use natural leaves pattern for his designs and maybe Starck was influenced by him. The design is also influenced from Baroque Art. Technique used for this chair is melting and casting which is an ancient technique.

The Pibal bike

The Pibal Bike

This bike is designed by Starck and it is manufactured by Peugeot. It was created to encourage people use these bikes instead of cars which is better for the environment and people’s health. It has an automatic two-speed hub, comfortable seat and also a part to rest your foot as it makes it look like a motor scooter. From the beginning of this year, about 3,000 or 4,000 bikes were expected to be manufactured by the Peugeot Company.

In my opinion, this bike is very unique as I’ve never seen this kind of bike before. Its original colours are yellow and gray, which reminded me of Pop Art. Pop Art has the characteristics of bright colours sometimes mixed with black or gray and this bike has almost the same characteristics of colour. 


MAMA Shelter Hotel - Interior Design 

The MAMA shelter hotel Marseille, Paris interior is all designed by Philippe Starck. He designed this hotel in an innovative way that it is welcoming and comfortable to all cultures. It is full of a mix of art and furniture which is a very interesting aspect in his design. This hotel includes a live stage, game area, dining hall, boutique, meeting room, etc... which has six floors. As I can see from the images it has a positive mood which comes from the bright colours used. Again in these designed interiors I notice that it has the characteristics of pop art from the colours used and from the look of the ceiling because it has a lot of writings which might Pop Art had been the influencing source for this project. For me this is a splendid talent to just combine and mix furniture with Art. Everything in this hotel designed by him is different in a way we don't usually see them.

"Elegance and honesty are two mandatory parameters for any human production." – Philippe Starck's quote.

My Overall Thoughts: Philippe Starck is an innovative designer who changed everything in his own designs. I really like and admire his designs because he does things which are very unusual in a modern way. He is able to create designs for every generation or for all generations in one design. While I made my research about him I got to know his style more and I never thought that he could design everything such as small things to huge things. Designs which I didn't really like were of the cars, I didn't find them attractive at all.

 Bibliography:

Starck, Jonathan Wingfield, January 2013, Biography -  PHILIPPE STARCK SHORT BIOGRAPHY, [online] Available at: http://www.starck.com/en/philippe_starck/biography/ [Accessed 21 April 2014]. 

Design Whitin Reach, Anon, n.d., Philippe Starck France (1949). [online] Available at: http://www.dwr.com/category/designers/r-t/philippe-starck.do [Accessed 21 April 2014].

Britannica, John Zukowsky,n.d., Philippe Starck, [online] (Last update 18^th June 2013) http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1233446/Philippe-Starck [Accessed 21 April 2014].

Trustmedesigner.com, Onrej Chudy, 26^th November 2013, The first twenty Pibal Bicycles by Philippe Starck arrive in France. [online] http://trustmedesigner.com/2013/11/26/the-first-twenty-pibal-bicycles-by-philippe-starck-arrive-in-france/ [Accessed 21 April 2014]. 

Designcollector.com, Arsney Vesnin, 22^nd February 2013, Philippe Starck’s PIBAL an Urban Hybrid Bike/Scooter, [online] http://designcollector.net/philippe-starcks-pibal-an-urban-hybrid-bikescooter/ [Accessed 21 April 2014]. 

Design Boom, Danny Hudson, 22^nd September 2012, philippe starck: MAMA shelter hotel, Marseille, [online] http://www.designboom.com/architecture/philippe-starck-mama-shelter-hotel-marseille/ [Accessed 21 April 2014].