robot builds salt sculptures as visitors watch from a hot tub

teamLab, an international art collective, has partnered with TikTok to launch an innovative immersive art and sauna experience in Tokyo called 'TikTok teamLab Reconnect.' This unique exhibition, open until August 31, aims to allow visitors to experience art in an enhanced mental state, referred to as a 'sauna trance.' This state is achieved by cycling through saunas, cold showers, and periods of rest, which are believed to sharpen the senses and clarify the mind, enabling a deeper appreciation of the art. The concept draws inspiration from ancient Japanese traditions, blending this historical pastime with digital and immersive art. The exhibition features various saunas, each equipped with colorful lighting and calming scents, followed by a cold bathing area. After this cycle, visitors enter one of five immersive art installations. The experience encourages repeating this process before viewing each new art piece. The installations showcase several of teamLab’s signature boundary-defying works, including pieces from their new project, 'Supernature Phenomena.' Notable installations include 'Levitation,' 'Ephemeral Solidified Light,' 'Proliferating Immense Life in the Rain,' and 'Step into the Light Circle.' These pieces incorporate elements such as levitating orbs that pulsate with energy and color, and floating crystals of solidified light, creating an otherworldly environment. The exhibition challenges conventional notions of art viewing by integrating a physical and mental conditioning process. In collaboration with TikTok, teamLab also developed an augmented reality (AR) piece called 'Every Life Survives in Fluctuating Space,' which can be experienced remotely through the TikTok app. This extends the accessibility of the art beyond the physical exhibition space. The entire experience of 'TikTok teamLab Reconnect' is designed to be unconventional, pushing the boundaries of how art is perceived and interacted with. Further details about the exhibition are available on teamLab's official website. #TeamLab #ImmersiveArt #SaunaExperience #DigitalArt #ArtInstallation #TokyoExhibition #TikTokCollaboration #SupernaturePhenomena

Beginner Ceramics, a Brooklyn-based studio, showcases a playful yet technically proficient approach to clay, transforming everyday objects into sculptural art. The studio's latest collection features new interpretations of their signature Endless Lamp, a series of Looping Mirrors, and an ambitious Dune Signal Vase, all characterized by a confident sense of exploration and a deep understanding of form. The brand challenges its name, demonstrating mastery in crafting pieces that blend functionality with artistic expression. The Endless Lamp series expands with new double- and triple-stacked configurations, emphasizing height, repetition, and scale. These lamps are constructed from hand-thrown ceramic sections, forming a rhythmic silhouette. Each lamp is topped with an unglazed shade, designed to emit a soft, linen-like glow, and includes a brass dimmer for enhanced tactility and warmth. The design draws inspiration from early ceramic traditions and Brancusi’s 'The Infinite Column,' merging a playful aesthetic with precise execution through vibrant color choices. Complementing the lamps, Beginner Ceramics introduces the Looping Mirrors, which reimagine reflection through rhythmic, sculptural frames. These mirrors are available in various shapes—round, square, oval, and rectangular—each framed by hand-sculpted ceramic coils. These coils are joined to create continuous, flowing patterns, reminiscent of cursive script and Art Deco lighting. The repetitive nature of the coils introduces a sense of movement and softness to the mirror's edges. Functioning as both reflective surfaces and sculptural art pieces, these mirrors enhance interior spaces with dramatic flair and personality. Custom sizing options ensure seamless integration into any design scheme. The collection is further highlighted by the Dune Signal Vase, which represents one of the studio’s largest and most intricate creations to date. This piece skillfully combines two of the studio’s signature vase silhouettes: the embracing handles of the Dune Vase and the distinctive negative-space framing of the Signal Vase. The resulting design features geometric, layered details that invite contemplation, guiding the observer's eye across its complex form. This vase exemplifies the studio's commitment to creating objects that are both visually striking and thought-provoking. Across its range of lighting, mirrors, and vases, Beginner Ceramics consistently blurs the boundaries between functional objects and artistic sculptures. The new collections are a testament to the studio's philosophy of treating everyday items as opportunities for creative experimentation, personal expression, and aesthetic enjoyment. Each piece—whether stacked, looped, or scaled—is designed to be both useful and captivating, inviting engagement and appreciative observation without being overly serious. #CeramicDesign #HomeFurnishings #SculpturalObjects #ModernLighting #DecorativeMirrors #VaseDesign #ArtisanCraftsmanship #InteriorDecor #DesignInnovation

This article explores the immersive and unconventional art installations of New York-born, Los Angeles-based artist Tita Cicognani, focusing on her use of hot tubs as central elements in her multimedia works. The artist’s practice, which largely involves sculpture and assemblage, took a unique turn with the integration of hot tubs, driven by a desire for physical interaction and shared experiences, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Her works contrast with the trend of “dematerializing practice” in the art world, instead embracing the tactile and communal. The piece begins by describing Cicognani’s current installation, "Heart Tub" (2022), at the Hammer Museum, where visitors can reserve 45-minute slots to soak in a heart-shaped, red crocodile-skin vinyl hot tub. This installation is designed to evoke a sense of "tackiness" and "religious frenzy," adorned with embedded video screens displaying floating holograms of flying saucers and bubbly hearts. The artist explains that this first tub was created during the initial COVID-19 lockdown, stemming from feelings of isolation and a craving for physical connection. The article then details Cicognani's earlier hot tub installations. "Mothership" (2021) was an inflatable pool designed as a "tiny wet fun house," featuring mirrors, LED lights, and a disco ball, reminiscent of a Gravitron ride. This work explored the convergence of religious and corporeal ecstasy. Another significant piece, "Prayer Cards" (2019), involved devotional cards featuring the artist's image in poses suggesting stigmata or submission, printed with the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, challenging conventional notions of piety with pop culture aesthetics. Her second tub installation, "Grotto Tub" (2022), presented a more visceral experience. Located in an artist-run space in Chinatown, it encouraged a more uninhibited, almost chaotic interaction, with PVC pipes emitting a brown goo and accompanying videos of mud wrestling. This installation, playfully dubbed “art student soup” by a Hammer Museum curator, highlighted a deliberate embrace of the earthy and raw aspects of human interaction. The transition to the Hammer Museum for "Heart Tub" introduced new logistical challenges, including safety protocols, scheduled time slots, and ADA compliance, leading to elements like a chrome heart-shaped handrail. The article also delves into the video component of "Heart Tub," titled "I Still Believe" (2022). This 40-minute looping video, viewed from within the tub, features a green-skinned CGI avatar of the artist navigating a cheap motel with a heart-shaped tub, encountering UFOs, and immaculately conceiving an alien progeny. The narrative explores themes of desire, beauty, and love, drawing heavily from pop music and shiny aesthetics, elements Cicognani previously resisted but has now embraced. The work also has intellectual underpinnings, drawing parallels to other water-based art installations like Hélio Oiticica and Neville D’Almeida’s “CC4 Nocagions” (1973). Finally, the artist discusses the socio-economic implications of embracing "tacky" aesthetics and the interplay between high art theory and pop culture references, such as the film "Hot Tub Time Machine." The experience concludes with the writer reflecting on the custom-made pea-green towels, embroidered with an alien baby and the words "I still believe," which serve as a tangible takeaway from the immersive art experience. This installation, and Cicognani's broader body of work, actively seeks to engage the body and challenge traditional art consumption by bringing viewers directly into the art. #ArtInstallation #MultimediaArt #ContemporaryArt #HammerMuseum #ImmersiveExperience #Sculpture #PopCulture #ConceptualArt

The Desert Drop coffee table, designed by Karim+Elias, explores the fundamental relationship between sand and glass, two materials intrinsically linked by their transformative properties. The design draws inspiration from the desert environment, particularly the way sand transforms into glass under intense heat. This metamorphosis is central to the table's aesthetic and conceptual framework. The coffee table features a natural base that mimics the sculptural forms of desert 'droplets,' complete with contoured surfaces that resemble wind-sculpted sand. This earthen base is juxtaposed with a glass sheet top, which is designed to appear as if it has pooled and settled into place, evoking the fluid-like characteristics and color of oasis waters. The creation of glass from sand, often triggered by extreme natural events like lightning strikes or meteorite impacts, serves as a conceptual foundation for the Desert Drop table. This natural process of vitrification, where sand melts and then solidifies into a transparent material, is mirrored in the table's construction. The design highlights the contrast between the solid, structured base and the fluid, transparent top, creating a dynamic interplay between motion and stillness. The architects, Karim+Elias, emphasize this duality, stating that the glass top's appearance of having 'spilled over the base like a molten sheet' reinforces the narrative of transformation and elemental connection. The foundation, firmly rooted in the earth, provides a grounding presence for the seemingly delicate glass surface. The visual effect of the table, particularly the shimmering blue-green hues of the glass against the arid-inspired base, is intended to evoke the mirage-like presence of water in a desert landscape. This illusion adds another layer to the table's conceptual depth, inviting contemplation on the natural phenomena that inspire its form. The Desert Drop table was first unveiled at Dubai’s Downtown Design fair in 2024 and subsequently showcased at the 2025 Spring edition of Maison&Objet, receiving recognition for its innovative design and profound conceptual underpinnings. Karim+Elias, known for their work that often draws from natural elements and cultural contexts, successfully integrate these influences into a functional art piece. The table serves not only as a piece of furniture but also as a conversation starter, reflecting on geological processes and the inherent beauty found in material transformations. The intentional choice of materials and forms underscores a deep appreciation for the desert landscape and its unique phenomena, translating them into a contemporary design object. #DesertDropTable #KarimElias #CoffeeTableDesign #SandAndGlass #DubaiDesignWeek #MaisonEtObjet #SculpturalFurniture #ElementalDesign #MaterialTransformation

Drag And Drop, a Romanian design and manufacturing studio co-founded by Madalin Gheorghe and Dragos Sabareanu in 2019, is known for its innovative approach to design, merging advanced technology with artisanal techniques. The studio's ceramic collection showcases this philosophy by reimagining the function and aesthetics of everyday objects, specifically vases. The creation process leverages a large 3D-ceramic printer to produce intricate patterns, which are developed using sophisticated algorithmic modeling software. Throughout the design and manufacturing process, a strong emphasis is placed on sustainability, aesthetic appeal, and overall quality. The collection features five distinct vase designs, each drawing inspiration from natural patterns and traditional craftsmanship. The 'Intertwined' vase, for instance, is characterized by its organic, interwoven geometric pattern, reminiscent of growth structures found in tree bark and root systems. This unique design is achieved through 3D printing using 100% natural clay. While the interior of the Intertwined vase is hand-glazed, its exterior maintains a matte finish, a consistent characteristic across the entire ceramic collection. This contrast highlights the intricate textures created by the 3D printing process. Another design, 'Bulky,' is offered in three different sizes. This vase features a textile-like pattern that interacts with light throughout the day, creating varying visual effects. The design encourages tactile engagement, inviting individuals to explore its geometric forms and textures through touch. This interactive element adds another dimension to the appreciation of the piece, allowing for a more intimate connection with its design and material. The 'Ripple' vase demonstrates the studio's ability to translate complex mathematical formulae into aesthetically pleasing natural patterns. Its design mimics the visual effect of rippling liquid, such as the concentric circles formed when a stone is dropped into water. This piece exemplifies how technology can be used to replicate and enhance natural phenomena, creating objects that are both visually striking and conceptually rich. The wave-like pattern provides a sense of movement and fluidity, despite the static nature of the ceramic material. The 'Kilim' vase pays homage to the traditional tapestry-weaving methods employed in regions historically part of the Persian Empire. This design represents a contemporary reinterpretation of an ancient craft, demonstrating a harmonious blend of traditional artistry and modern industrial design. By translating the intricate patterns of kilim carpets into a 3D-printed ceramic form, the studio bridges the gap between historical techniques and cutting-edge manufacturing, creating a piece that is culturally resonant and technologically advanced. Finally, the 'Melting' vase directly incorporates its manufacturing process into its aesthetic. The design plays on the suppleness of wet clay during the layering process of 3D printing, creating the illusion of a soft object that appears to be melting. This visual effect is achieved despite the hard, finished ceramic product, creating an intriguing juxtaposition. The Melting vase challenges perceptions of material properties, making a rigid object appear fluid and malleable, highlighting the transformative potential of 3D printing in ceramic art. #3DPrinting #CeramicVases #NatureInspiredDesign #AlgorithmicModeling #SustainableDesign #HomeDecor #ModernCraftsmanship #DragAndDropDesign #InteriorDesign

Dutch artist Suzan Drummen is renowned for her expansive and intricate art installations that feature thousands of glittering crystals and other reflective elements. These installations, often forming elaborate textile and mandala-like designs, are a testament to Drummen's spontaneous and site-specific artistic process. She does not pre-plan her designs but rather allows the unique characteristics of each location to guide her creative decisions. Factors such as the available light, the anticipated movement of visitors, existing color palettes, and the height of the space all contribute to the evolving nature of her artwork. Each installation, therefore, is distinct and slowly takes shape in response to its environment. Drummen's primary objective with her art is to create an overwhelming visual experience for the observer. From a distance, her installations present as clear and organized patterns. However, upon closer inspection, the sheer volume of details and visual stimuli can disorient the viewer. This dynamic interplay between order and chaos, between the ability to grasp the entirety of the artwork and being overwhelmed by its intricacies, is a central theme in her work. Through this intentional challenge to visual perception, Drummen aims to intensify and requisition the viewer's sensory experience. Her chosen materials include a diverse array of shiny objects such as pins for affixing crystals, chrome-plated metal, various precious stones, mirrors, and optical glass. While some of these materials are used to adorn walls, a significant portion is laid freely on the ground, allowing for fluid, unconstrained patterns. This method of arrangement contributes to the organic development of her designs. The kaleidoscopic effect achieved through the interplay of light and these numerous reflective surfaces is a hallmark of her artistic style. Drummen's work draws viewers into a vibrant world of color and sparkle, where the traditional boundaries of art are expanded to encompass entire spaces. Her installations transform ordinary floors, walls, and even people into canvases for her dazzling geometric patterns. This approach blurs the line between art and environment, inviting viewers to not just observe but also to immerse themselves in the dazzling visual landscapes she meticulously constructs. #SuzanDrummen #MandalaArt #CrystalArt #InstallationArt #KaleidoscopicDesigns #SiteSpecificArt #GemstoneArt #VisualPerception #DutchArtist

Anthropologie's latest collaboration with London designer Bethan Gray is poised to introduce scallops and zigzags as the next prominent design motifs. The 14-piece collection, launching tonight, features these two distinct patterns across various home furnishings and accessories. The article highlights several items from the collection, including upholstered dining chairs with zigzag patterns, sculptural side tables with carved zigzag bases, velvet accent chairs with scalloped backs, and a teal rug with scalloped edges. These designs are presented as sophisticated and inviting additions to home decor. The inspiration for these geometric forms, according to Bethan Gray, comes from natural landscapes observed during her travels. The scallop shape is an abstraction of the feather motif, which she notes is significant in various cultures globally, from Pakistan and Polynesia to European heraldry. The zigzag design, conversely, is derived from the natural veins and markings found in marble and stone. This organic origin ensures that the geometric patterns feel neither cold nor uninviting. The collection showcases the versatility of these shapes. For instance, zigzag patterns appear subtly on a pink file holder, and more boldly as gold lightning bolt-like designs on a white storage cabinet. The designer expresses confidence in the growing popularity of graphic patterns in design, stating that they are effective for storytelling within craft and design, suggesting a trend towards more expressive and narrative-driven decor. The article includes specific product examples with pricing and direct shopping links, such as the Strike dining chair, the Sculptural side table, the Feather velvet dining chair, and the Feather rug, offering readers immediate access to the featured items. It also briefly mentions other appealing items from the collection, like marbleized desk sets, which, while not featuring the main motifs, complement the overall aesthetic. The collaboration aims to bring fresh, nature-inspired geometric designs into contemporary home interiors, making a statement with their unique and meaningful origins. #Anthropologie #BethanGray #HomeDecor #InteriorDesign #ScallopPattern #ZigzagPattern #GeometricShapes #DesignTrends #FurnitureDesign

Sand, despite its common association with beaches and playgrounds, is a critical resource for modern technology. It is indispensable for manufacturing silicon microchips, fiberoptic cables, insulation, and solar cells, and forms the primary ingredient for glass used in consumer electronics such as refrigerators, microwaves, and computers. Despite the extensive efforts involved in extracting, transporting, refining, and processing sand into complex electronic components, there is a significant lack of effective recycling initiatives for these components once electronic goods reach the end of their lifecycle, often leading to them being discarded in landfills. While glass possesses excellent properties for recycling, current EU directives concerning the efficient processing of glass from electronic waste (E-waste) are notably absent. Addressing this critical environmental and resource management issue, the Norwegian architectural design firm Snøhetta has partnered with Brussels-based Studio Plastique to develop a research project titled ‘Common Sands – Forite.’ This collaborative endeavor aims to explore the feasibility of recycling and repurposing glass components found in electronic waste. Building upon existing research conducted by Studio Plastique, ‘Common Sands – Forite’ has evolved into a joint research initiative with Snøhetta, focusing on investigating potential applications for recycled E-waste glass. Through a series of extensive trials, prototype developments, and material variations, the project team successfully established a standardized process for recycling E-waste glass components. Concurrently, they developed an application that not only integrates but also highlights the variable material qualities inherent in this recycled glass: the creation of glass tiles. The project further benefited from the involvement of Fornace Brioni, an Italian ceramic tile manufacturer. Fornace Brioni contributed its considerable experience, industrial expertise, production capabilities, and potential for large-scale implementation to the initiative. The collaboration resulted in the creation of glass tiles in two distinct sizes, available in both opaque and transparent finishes. Each tile exhibits a unique pattern and aesthetic, collectively showcasing a profound and intricate terrazzo-like material quality. These characteristics render the tiles suitable for a diverse range of architectural uses, including surface coverings and semi-transparent partition elements. ‘Common Sands – Forite’ strategically leverages the unique compositional, chromatic, and structural properties of the waste material to produce a series of innovative architectural glass tiles. The project initially concentrates on waste glass sourced from ovens and microwaves as a starting point, primarily to demonstrate the aesthetic depth, functional versatility, and overarching potential of the recycled material. However, the scope of this project is not confined solely to this specific material stream, indicating broader possibilities for E-waste glass recycling in the future. This initiative represents a significant step towards developing sustainable solutions for electronic waste, transforming discarded materials into valuable architectural components, and establishing a circular economy within the construction and design industries. #SustainableDesign #EwasteRecycling #GlassTiles #ArchitecturalMaterials #CircularEconomy #MaterialInnovation #Snøhetta #StudioPlastique #FornaceBrioni

The "Indefinite Vases" project by Stockholm-based multidisciplinary design practice Studio E.O explores the dynamic relationship between organic and geometric forms, and between transparent and opaque materials. This series utilizes handblown glass and meticulously cut stone to create a collection of unique vessels. The design process involves melting and cooling traditional vase forms directly onto sharp, angular stone bases, resulting in a distinct interaction where gravity plays a crucial role in defining the final shape. The project intentionally blurs the lines between sculpture and container, as well as between functional and decorative objects. The core concept revolves around the contrast between the fluid, malleable nature of the handblown glass and the rigid, defined structure of the stone platforms. This juxtaposition highlights the interplay between a delicate, fragile material and its solid, unyielding counterpart. The glass appears to "melt" onto the stone, adopting its contours and creating a seamless, yet visually contrasting, union. Each vase becomes a site-specific creation, molded by the precise interaction with its individual stone base. Studio E.O's approach emphasizes the inherent characteristics of each material. The handblown glass, with its inherent imperfections and fluidity, is allowed to naturally conform to the sharp edges of the cut stone. This process ensures that no two vases are exactly alike, each possessing a unique form dictated by the forces at play during its creation. The transparency of the glass further enhances this effect, allowing light to interact with the forms and reveal the subtle variations in thickness and texture. The angular stone bases provide a stable and strong foundation, contrasting with the soft, flowing lines of the glass. The selection of stone, likely chosen for its aesthetic and structural qualities, complements the ethereal quality of the glass. The project statement elaborates on this exploration, highlighting how "indefinite melting material interacts with definite angular forms and gravity determines the relationship in between." At the time of its release, a limited number of these "Indefinite Vases" were made available through Galerie kreo, a renowned gallery specializing in contemporary design. The project demonstrates Studio E.O's innovative use of traditional materials and techniques to produce pieces that challenge conventional notions of form and function. The collection serves as an example of how careful consideration of material properties and natural forces can lead to compelling and visually striking design outcomes. #glass #sculpture #vessels #StudioEO #handblownGlass #stoneArt #design #artisticVases #materialContrast