Liverpool artwork of the day – Tuesday April 24 2007. Mini Cooper (Courtesy of Liverpool Williams BMW) customised by Tom Smith for Microzine’s Black on White exhibition at the Site, Albert Dock April 20 – May 20 2007
This may never happen again – a car as artwork of the day! I really enjoyed this exhibition, in a very short space of time the art students from Liverpool JMU have come up with a really classy, professional looking display of customised iconic consumer products.
I really like the projections onto the Vitra Panton chair, the Fatboy bean bag and the Umbro football which looks like its covered in broken black glass.
A cool idea too from Microzine, well done to all concerned and if you need a home for the car after the show…
Microzine: ‘Black on White’ exhibition, Liverpool Albert Dock
Microzine and Liverpool John Moores University’s School of Art and Design have opened a unique exhibition of classic consumer products, given a make-over by art and design students.
‘Black on White’ is the latest in a series of experimental shows at Site, an art space established at the Albert Dock by LJMU’s School of Art and Design in partnership with Liverpool Biennial.
Since it’s inception in 2003, Microzine has been recognised as one of the most innovative retailers in the world. Starting as the first of its kind; a unique two-story concept store especially for men, the store’s concept was one never explored before; offering the latest, greatest, next, best, classic, fastest, limited edition and exclusive of everything for the modern man.
From fashion, sportswear, art, furniture, technology, music, books, gadgets, beers and bikes, products are consistently replenished – just like a magazine is updated each month, Microzine has a new product.
Collaborating with some of their most forward-thinking brands, Microzine were able to source an eclectic selection of products to produce the exhibition.
Presented in their purest form; white only, Microzine invited LJMU art and design students to take these items as a blank canvas and customise at will, using only one colour, black.
Designs were judged by a panel, including representatives from Microzine, LJMU and Liverpool Biennial. Twenty four winning designs now form this multi-medium exhibition, hosted at LJMU’s art space, ‘Site’, in the Albert Dock.
Notable products include a MINI Cooper, generously permitted for use by Williams BMW.
Microzine Managing Director, Chris Lee, comments, “Obviously the MINI was granted with one exception; any customisation is temporary. So students had to think about alternative methods, such as projections and stickering. The results have been outstanding and we’re really pleased with the results. We think the brands involved will be too. We’re happy to give students a ‘live’ brief and hope that tomorrow’s design leaders will be spotted by today’s industry professionals.