FURNITURE

The oldest branch of DIY is of course furniture making. Tables, cupboards and shelves made by our fathers and grandfathers have been past on for generations (although most likely not more then two) if only for sentimental and nostalgic reasons.

Dutch-German sculptor Anja Krause turned this sentiment the other way around. She recreated her grandmothers cupboard in chocolate. The framed sentimental phrase found above her grandmother's bed she wrote in chocolate on the wall: "Immer wenn du meinst es geht nicht mehr, kommt von irgendwo ein Lichtlein her" ("Whenever you think things look gloomy, a little light shines through somewhere").

Grandmother Krause's comforting phrase should be in every DIY manual!

For another sculpture Krause knitted a carpet that also covers the comfy chair which usually sits on the carpet. It reminds us of the overzealous handiwork and tidying up practised by our grandmothers as well.

This sculpture can be seen at Rotabs at the moment.

Anja Krause, 'Nachtkastje (Night Table)', (1994)

Anja Krause, 'Stoel (Chair)', (1994)

PIPES

Pipes, what would we do without them! Supplying nature's minerals to our houses and carrying organic waste out.

Considering this, all pipe fitting should be done using Burçak Bingöl's flower patterned pipes.

Burçak Bingöl, 'Kapali Devre (Closed Circuit)' (2011)

Burçak Bingöl, 'Kapali Devre (Closed Circuit)'(detail), (2011)

For more of Burçak Bingöl's work look here.

Showing until 14/06/2011 at Cda Projects in Istanbul.

SEALING KIT

To make our modern buildings look like tight minimalistic objects and our cities as transparent as air, sealing kit and mirrored glass are the architects and city planners favourite materials. Of course - and maybe in consequence - the DIY-er knows his way around with sealing kit and glass foil - the new idiom of the art of building - as well.

The Turkish artist duo :mentalKLINIK reflects and questions our relation with the surrounding objects. In the 'Silver' series they have made panels of foiled glass, sealed with kit in their frames. The series 'Bias' and a work like 'Turnup' consists of anodic oxidised aluminium strips kitted togther with pink sealing kit.
These objects remind us of minimal art like Dan Graham's or Donald Judd's. On the other hand they might just as well be glass panes from a modern office building, with green polymer sealing kit pouring out of their frames.

:mentalKLINIK, 'Silver (06,07)', 2009

:mentalKLINIK, 'Turnup', 2009

TOOL BOX

Dan Peterman, conceptual DIY-artist with an ecologist's mind, makes sculptures and installations mostly from recycled consumer plastic.

The 'Carrying Case', an early work, is from before the use of recycled plastic. The 'Storage' sculpture refers to storage space in wholesale hardware stores, while the 'Nailless Bench' is proof of the designer's mind.

Dan Peterman, 'W/ Carrying Case 500 Series - Red, Handle On Case, Unidentified' (1988-1989)

Dan Peterman, '4-Ton Vertical Storage' (1996)

Dan Peterman, 'Nailless Bench' (2009)

Find more on Dan Peterman's work in the Fitness Feedback blog.

POWER TOOLS

The Power Tool, as everybody knows, is an extention of masculinity and manhood.

Rubén Ortiz Torres, a Mexican artist living in L.A., U.S.A., portraits stereotypes of the Mexican immigrant in his Pan-American relation to "the American citizen".

Mexicans in California are usually destined to manual labor like gardening or window washing. The macho Chicano is also known for his lowrider: the shiny pimped classic car with hydraulic suspension, sitting low above the ground.

Torres's sculptures and installations combine the power tool of the low-income job (like leaf blowers and lawn mowers) with the hydraulics and polished chrome of the lowrider. These sculptures not only portrait Mexican culture within the U.S.A. but also comment on their political-social relationship.
To read the interesting story behind the pimped leaf-blowers on Torres's own blog follow this link.


Rubén Ortiz Torres, 'Power Tools (detail)', (1999)


Rubén Ortiz Torres, 'Power Tools (detail)', (1999)


Rubén Ortiz Torres, 'The Garden of Earthly Delights' (2002)


Rubén Ortiz Torres, '1492 Indians vs. Dukes' (1993)

DIY REVERSAL

Reusing wood from dumpsters in his renovation-projects riddled home town of Rotterdam, NL, Ron van der Ende crafts cunning photo-realistic bas-reliefs of his favourite topics. The panels exist of assembled pieces of precisely cut pre-painted and carefully selected salvaged wood (old doors, cabinets, floor boards, window sills, etc.) as in a mosaic.
Check it out!


Ron van der Ende, 'Work-Table / Werktafel' (2003 – 2005)


Ron van der Ende, 'Grytviken (Whalers Lodge)' (2007)


Ron van der Ende, 'Peekskill' (2008)


Ron van der Ende, 'Silver Machine (Lotus Turbo Esprit 1983)' (2007)

SELF-ASSEMBLY

Tools and machines, assembly required. Michael Johansson's sculptures and installations reflect on the aesthetics of our growing DIY, home improvement and interior design culture.
The beauty (of the potential) of the unassembled kit and organised space.
Michael Johansson is from Sweden.


Michael Johansson, 'Some Assembly Required - Starter Kit' (2011)


Michael Johansson, 'Engine Bought Seperately - Hugin' (2007)


Michael Johansson, 'Some Assembly Required - Scooter' (2007)


Michael Johansson, 'Engine Bought Seperately - Volta' (2007)