SUNSHINE AND GREASE
If you’ve seen images from the O.H.W.O.W. space in Miami than you must be among the rest of us obsessing over the focal point of the whole space- no, I don’t mean all the incredible art, I’m talking about the shelving on the wall, which serves as the gallery’s shop. The entire building is beyond amazing down to every detail and lucky for us, Style File caught up with Rafael de Cardenas who designed the whole space, outside (the striped black and white building) and in (the shelves, the walls, the floors- they all come together so perfectly) to ask him a couple questions regarding the new Miami spot as well as trying to sneak a few design secrets out of him. You may know Raf as the genius behind Jessica Stam’s apartment as well and I think I know who I’ll be calling if I ever open that shop I dream about. See inside the gallery below and stop on by if you’re down south.
Seriously, his inspiration for the project is one of the best I’ve heard..
Was the inspiration for that design really as simple as, you like black and white?
I did have one outside inspiration lurking in the background. I’m sure you heard of U-boats, the first submarines? Back in World War I, the Germans had them, and no one else did, and because they were sinking everything in sight, they were winning the war. In response, the Brits came up with these “Dazzle Ships”—boats painted, on the underside, in black and white patterns that made it impossible for someone underwater to determine their size or scale.
And that worked?
OK, theoretically impossible. I actually have no idea whether the Dazzle Ships were effective in battle. But I like the idea.
And to sum up his job, I liked this quote the best:
[Referring to where he found Stam's wallpaper] I’ve spent a long time cultivating my sources for stuff like that. I’m not about to divulge one in an interview. I mean, there’s a certain amount of my job that I’m happy to talk about, like its theoretical framework, and then there’s another part of what I do that involves standing in flatbed trucks, looking at antique sofas.
That part is secret.
Be sure to read the full interview now!
10 comments
His inspiration is actually pretty lame, as it seems like he lifted it from the Jeff Koons/Ivana Porfiri project based on the same theme.
Maybe their inspirations were the same but the outcome is not and I don’t think it’s in any way “lame”. There’s no denying how amazing this building is no matter what inspired him.
His work is amazing. I remember drooling over Jessica Stam’s apartment when it showed up in Elle Decor in October (I think?). But I think I like this much better. Granted it’s a different space, but it just seems so much edgier. Maybe this is what his true aesthetic is like.
Ha, Elle Decor totally dishes his wallpaper source.
I wasn’t saying that the space is lame. Obviously it is not. I was commenting on your statement “Seriously, his inspiration for the project is one of the best I’ve heard.” Maybe you think stealing another artist’s inspiration is “best,” but I think it is lame. And I don’t think it is a coincidence either, dude definitely knows who Jeff Koons is.
Dude how many people are “inspired” by (for a supreme example) punk rock? You think only one person is allowed to be inspired by something? There’s no doubt in my mind that he knows who Koons is but I’m pretty sure they’re allowed to like the same things.
fight! fight!
neways, this is heights! thanks for introducing me to the guy’s work. x
im shocked this is miami
I hate shelves and have always had shelve issues.
But those are some I would happily put my toys on.
I’ll convince him to be my boyfriend and build them in my lounge room….. not to far fetched I think!
[...] shit in their bookshop . Unfortunately, it’s not a virtual bookshelf of the one I’ve written about before inside the gallery but they have so much awesome shit to look at that you’re not [...]