protein journal 6

Prote in Journal Issue #06

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Prote in Journal

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Issue #06

As 2011 comes to a close, we round up a magnificent year with a suitably varied selection of the most popular stories from our very own “cultural operating system”, the Protein OS. For this, our sixth issue, we explore consumer genetics, how data is changing the face of sports, new luxury trends in China and the art of Michelin-starred pop-ups.

We have science journalist Lone Frank explaining how genome mapping affects identity, Nendo’s Oki Sato on the importance of story in product design, Pret A Diner’s KP Kofler discussing culinary entertainment and personal favourite, Casey Reas on how learning to code made him a better designer.

We also present a snapshot of London’s latest photography postgrads, a guide to Barcelona’s top food spots from our

boys over at Unlike City Guides, and of course a hefty dose of data goodness from a designer attempting to shape complex philosophical theory into geometric shape and colour.

We’re redesigning the Journal next year, so if you can’t wait until the next issue, you can read the daily Feed, watch Profile films, play with our apps, sign-up to events and get our weekly Supplement over at the Protein OS:

http://prote.in/os

Have a great holiday and here’s to even bigger thingsin 2012.

William Rowe, December 2011

Welcome

Contact us

Protein UK, 18 Hewett Street, London, EC2A 3NNProtein US, 96 Diamond Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222Protein AU, 285 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, 3182Protein DE, 116 Chausseestrasse, Berlin, 10115

Contributors

Welcome / Feed / Br ie f ing / Prof i le / Gal lery / Guide / Data

William [email protected]

Addie ChinnManaging [email protected]

Max ReynerHead of [email protected]

Max SpencerArt [email protected]

General: journal@prote. in

Editorial: editorial@prote. in

Advertising: sales@prote. in

Distribution: distr ibution@prote. in

Jonathan FaganContributing Editor

Teddy FitzhughContributing Photographer

Chloe RahallContributing Designer

Gigi BarkerEditorial Assistant

Henrietta ThompsonInsight Correspondent

Sara KabiriFeed Correspondent

Stephen FortuneFeed Correspondent

Nadia SaccardoFeed Correspondent

Tarik FontenelleFeed Correspondent

Kate BerryFeed Correspondent

Kara Sarkodie- MensahFeed Correspondent

Jason DikeFeed Correspondent

Miya KondoFeed Correspondent

Ian HsiehFeed Correspondent

Marina BortoluzziFeed Correspondent


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Contents

Prote in Journal Welcome / Feed / Br ie f ing / Prof i le / Gal lery / Guide / Data

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Issue #06

Feed

Editor’s Picks

Submitted by Prote in

Never Forever, Never For Now

Under the moniker ‘The Luxury of Protest?’ data inspired graphic artist Peter Crnokrak has released his latest piece ‘Never Forever Never For Now’.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/10/never-forever-never-for-now

Housewine

With her project ‘Housewine’, designer Sabine Marcelis has scaled down the production of winemaking, streamlining the process for the home.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/10/housewine

Escape the Map

Mercedes launches an interactive campaign called ‘Escape the Map’ where players help a girl break free out of a Google Streetview matrix-like world.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/escape-the-map

Aesop New York

Aesop has opened a full flagship store in the Nolita district of New York, designed by architect Jeremy Barbour.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/10/aesop-new-york

Blog -Up Store

Swedish interior design retailer Lagerhaus decided to take the pop-up on step further by opening the world’s first Blog-Up Store.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/lagerhaus

Semblance

Protein’s 18 Hewett Street presented the launch of ‘Semblance’ from the London based artist, Von.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/semblance

It Choses You

Artist, film-maker and writer, Miranda July, has launched ‘It Chooses You’ her book that explores the stories and characters in classifieds ads.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/it-chooses-you

The web is an endless sea of information. But who has the time to sift through it all? The Protein Feed is here to help. It’s a daily update of what’s important, new and next in the world of fashion, music, food, film, cuture, art and design. Here are our picks from the last couple of months.

http://prote. in/feed

Little Printer

London-based design studio BERG has developed a palm-sized printer that scours the web and prints customised mini newspapers.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/l i tt le-printer

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Prote in Journal Issue #06Welcome / Feed / Br ie f ing / Prof i le / Gal lery / Guide / Data

Amuse Me

A new luxury service in Paris offers people the chance to create their very own video game

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/amuse-me

Osaka Fountain Clock

At Osaka Station City, Japan, a water fountain has been built which tells the time.

1http://prote. in/feed/2011/09/osaka-fountain-clock

Ultra Light Microlattice

A team of US scientists have managed to create the lightest material on earth, the Ultralight Metallic Microlattice.

http://prote.in/feed/2011/11/ultralight-metallic-microlattice

3D Printed Food

3D printing has broken out of the box of rapid prototyping and may soon transform the food of the future with 3D printed edible delights.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/09/3d-printed-food

Monocle Cafe Tokyo

Monocle magazine has just opened its second store in Tokyo, which also houses its first ever café.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/10/monocle-cafe-tokyo

EAT! Design with Food

Hamburg-based design agency EIGA has collaborated with 53 artists, designers and photographers to create a book called EAT! Design with Food.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/10/eat-design-with-food

HUH Magazine Shop

HUH magazine recently opened its own store in Dalston, East London, adding to the growing number of boutiques within the area.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/huh-magazine-shop

Philips BioLight

The Biolight, from Philips Microbial Home uses live bacteria to produce luminescence that resulting in a sustainable light source.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/12/phil ips-biol ight

Protein Radio

We’re big fans of what’s new and next at Protein, so we thought it was about time we launched our own online radio station, Protein Radio.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/10/protein-radio


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Rations

Armed with a chef, a set designer and a gallery, collective The Art of Dining collective held their latest dining concept ‘Rations’ in a secret London location.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/10/rations

Meat Liquor

The creator of the famed Meatwagon now has a permanent home with a new name, Meat Liquor in Central London.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/meatl iquor

Girls on Bikes Opening

We hosted one of our biggest gallery launches yet with the opening of graffiti artist INSA’s ‘Girls on Bikes’ show at our 18 Hewett Street space.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/gir ls-on-bikes-launch

Go Happy To Bed

IKEA has launched an interactive 3D showroom on Youtube for its ‘Go Happy to Bed’ campaign that taps into users’ Facebook profiles.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/10/go-happy-to-bed

Earnest Endeavours B Bravo

Our good friends at the London, art-led record label Earnest Endeavours drop their inaugural release with B. Bravo’s “Kiss ‘n’ Tell” EP.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/10/earnest-endeavours-ep

Design Faction

An exhibition shown at this year’s Lodz Design Festival in Poland last week offered a glimpse of how we might live in the future.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/design-faction

Beecosystem

An exhibit at Dutch Design Week called Beecosystem hopes to offer a solution to the declining urban bee population.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/10/beecosystem

Instagrafite

A new social media handle is letting people get a glimpse of graffiti from the streets of cities around the world.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/instagrafite

Balloons of Bhutan

Balloons of Bhutan is a literal portrayal of happiness in the last surviving Himalayan kingdom, by artist and anthropologist Jonathan Harris.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/bal loons-of-bhutan

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The Impossible Project

New York’s Ace Hotel continues its impressive run of interesting collaborations, this time teaming up with The Impossible Project.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/09/the-impossible-project

Frank by OCBC

Frank by OCBC is a bank in Singapore aimed at 18-30 year olds, with services, products and branches tailored specifically to their needs.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/frank-by-ocbc

Ether Press

Ether Press are letting you turn your tweets into a book with their on-demand printing service.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/ether-press

Senseless Drawing Bot

The Senseless Drawing Bot is a mechanical spray painting device which imitates a double pendulum, drawing abstract and dynamic lines simultaneously.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/senseless-drawing-bot

Sculpting Sound

Swiss artist Zimoun is exhibiting his organic sound installations in a solo show in Florida’s Ringling Museum of Art.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/sculpting-sound

Business Street View

First letting us see places from Antarctica to Legoland, Google Street View has now expanded to allow people to look inside actual businesses.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/business-street-view

Luxury goes East

Who knew Shoreditch, with its grotty streets and run-down warehouse spaces, might become a prime location for luxury brands.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/11/luxury-goes-east

Own a Colour

Choose a colour from 16.7 million different types, and purchase it for a minimum donation of £1 in paint brand Dulux’s new initiative for Unicef.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/10/own-a-colour

Scratch’n’Cut

MADE in Berlin’s SCRATCH’N’CUT pushes the idea of the remix, applying it across multiple disciplines to form one almighty clash of creativity.

http://prote. in/feed/2011/10/scratchncut


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Back at the start of this year, many of the key trends that shaped business for 2011 had to do with personal relationships. Facebook and Twitter have a lot to answer for, certainly. But while they’ve changed the rules of etiquette and expectations between friends and followers, stalkers and contacts, the relationships we have with the digital devices themselves is also worthy of a closer look. It would seem, according to a number of new surveys and research reports, we are as dependent on our devices - whatever content we might be accessing through them - as an addict might be to tobacco, alcohol or (just maybe) crack cocaine.

Almost everyone who uses a mobile phone or tablet or laptop will have at least some anecdotal evidence that shows how the irresistible compulsion to update, upload, download, check-in or simply check their screens, can cause problems. Car-crashes at worst perhaps, but then there’s the lack of sleep as you check Twitter into the night, relationship breakdowns as partners ignore each other to answer that one,

non-urgent email, or even just the ‘nakedness’ and vulnerability of being without a phone when it’s been accidentally left at home. While the sight of couples engrossed in their devices and pointedly not into each others eyes at restaurants is all too familiar, a Retrevo study found that 11 percent of people under age 25 feel it’s OK to interrupt sex to check an electronic message. But take the phones away and people will get fidgety and irritable - withdrawal symptoms are much the same to that of coming off the coffee…

The hospitality industry has been the first to embrace the idea - positing the notion that to be uncontactable could be seen as a luxury proposition. The Renaissance in Pittsburgh in the US offers guests a ‘Zen and the Art of Detox’ package: your laptop, cell phone, and all other digital devices must be surrendered upon check-in, and will be held for you until your departure. The television, phone, and dock station are removed from your room and replaced by actual books. There are many more examples - detoxing from technology is all about relaxing, spending time outdoors - and doing the things you never seem to have the time to do, and it seems we need a little help.

Over in Sweden, it might seem counter-intuitive, but in a bid to give the customer what they really need/want, telecom provider Telia now offers a free download for users to disable the internet at home, and has created ‘internet-free zones’ in various parts of the country.

Slow TechSubmitted by Henr iet ta Thompson

Briefing

“Detoxing from technology is all about relaxing, spending time outdoorsand doing the things you never seem to have the time to do, and it seems we need a little help.”

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During the London Design Festival 2011, the Slow Tech exhibition - co-produced by Protein in our 18 Hewett Street gallery - showed the results of an experiment as to what designers might think up given the brief to encourage digital downtime from a product point of view, rather than a service one. From an iPad powered terrarium (like a live tamagotchi designed by Sam Wilkinson, who explains ‘My approach wasn’t to try and think of products that stop you from using technology, but encourage you to just spend a bit of time away from your technology’) to an app that gives you little electric shocks to help you wean off from addictive behaviour, the approaches used both carrot and stick, as well as creating a whole new awareness around the subject that some would say is half the battle.

Jack Mama, creative director of the Probes (far future research initiatives) programme at Philips thinks people are beginning to move away from the glowing rectangle in order to lead a more active, fulfilling lifestyle. ‘Broadly speaking, speed and the way tech is evolving is based on the masculine trait of being faster and quicker,’ says Mama. ‘I think there’s a counter movement that’s starting to question this.’

Taking the idea that we are becoming more and more distanced from ourselves and nature as his starting point, his team has devised a whole host of products that bring us back into contact with the unpredictability of the natural world. Matt Ward, lecturer in design at Goldsmiths, meanwhile makes the point that perhaps it’s the speed of consumption that is the problem - the rate at which we are digesting means we are failing to get sufficient quality from our life experiences.

His recent project ‘Slow Photography’ explores how we can look at slower and more considered processes that move away from instant and disposable point and shoot. ‘I worked out a lot of the products in the show would be about removing yourself from the process. I’m taking it in a slightly different direction… The whole

culture of photography has changed dramatically. But it’s also how we consume - from Flickr to Facebook - we look at photographs in a different way now.’

Ward describes a recent holiday: ‘We were thinking of going to see the world’s oldest olive tree, so we looked at it on Flickr, and it looked a bit shit. So we thought: “Nah”. But then we thought, “we’re being terrible, let’s just go and see it.” And it was wonderful.’And what of the future? Will the omni-present screens that we’re drawn to like moths to a lightbulb disappear anyway? Ward thinks not. ‘The idea of a seamless environment where computation happens around you without screens started in 1980s. But that hasn’t happened,’ he says. ‘Instead we’ve become more drawn to these little rectangles.’ At the same count, do we even want them to? ‘I’m skeptical about how these things disappear into our environment - I don’t want my wallpaper to tell me what time it is. We like things. We like the boundaries that objects give us.’

Until we actively decide to re-learn the will-power to resist the call of the screen the market is open for both products and services to help us.

http://prote.in/briefings

“Speed and the way tech is evolving is based on the masculine trait of being faster and quicker. I think there’s a counter movement that’s starting to question this.”

“Perhaps it’s the speed of consumption that is the problem - the rate at which we are digesting means we are failing to get sufficient quality from our life experiences.”


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How well does technology and art work together? Not great, if history is anything to go by. The Bauhaus tried it in the 1920’s when they hosted an exhibition called New Unity, which explored the new age of industrialisation. But in the later half of the 20th Century it went a bit quiet. Which is surprising, perhaps, given the rapid development of computers, software and data. All that technology, it seemed - with its code, bits and bytes - was a little too technical for creative people.

Since the start of the new Millennium, however, things have changed dramatically. There’s been an explosion in technical creativity. Designers are making visually complex art from software technology. Beautiful data visualisations are helping us navigate our growing mass of information. And generative art is taking the control away from the artist to create unexpected design. Finally we have the digital art for our digital age.

But all this is only possible if you have the tools to do it. And for this generation of digital artists, the paint brush is Processing, an open-source software programme developed by Ben Fry and Casey Reas while they attended MIT. It has transformed how designers can creatively express themselves. The inspiration came from John Maeda, an influential Japanese-American computer scientist and graphic designer, whose Design by Numbers project provided the necessary building blocks. ‘The first time I saw his work - and I guess it’s a cliché - but it blew me away,’ says Reas. It was visually beautiful, but Reas also noticed the work did something crucial: it had bridged the gap between the technical world of programming and the traditions of design. Software was no longer an uncreative medium. ‘When I saw this work,’ says Reas, ‘I realised I too could make that bridge.’

And that he did. With Fry, Reas developed Processing 1.0, the first iteration of the open-source programme, which is now widely used by designers, artists, architects, students, or anyone who just wants to make visual art with a computer. It’s hugely influential, and has taken Maeda’s ideas even further, removing the need for a technically skilled person to carry out the creative’s ideas. ‘It used to be that an artist would collaborate with an engineer,’ says Reas. ‘But now designers and artists are creating their own frameworks. Once they use it,

they accelerate and become powerful designers and artists. But in doing so, they also become extraordinary programmers as well.’

There’s no better example of how this gap has been bridged than Reas himself. His work plays with the ability to create the unexpected using the software. Instead of recreating a physical illustration, for instance, Reas writes code - or ‘rules’ - that enables beautifully intricate patterns to form themselves.

Processing 2.0 is the latest version of the software, and has made the software bigger, more advanced and even better than ever. And it will only continue to help designers and artists push their work further into unexplored realms.

http://prote. in/profi le

Casey ReasSubmitted by Max Reyner

Profile

“Once they Processing, they accelerate and become powerful designers and artists. But in doing so, they also become extraordinary programmers as well.”

“It used to be that an artist would collaborate with an engineer. But now designers and artists are creating their own frameworks.”


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For the modernist designers, such as Eames and van der Rohe, form always followed function. But for Oki Sato, founder of Japanese design studio Nendo, form also follows narrative. ‘It’s about what kind of story you can find behind the object,’ says Oki. ‘Whether it’s a chair or a computer mouse, it’s all the same to me.’

These stories enable Nendo to fulfill its design philosophy: to transform people’s interaction with every day objects (an approach described on the studio’s website as ‘giving people a small “!” moment’). It does this by creating a form that’s minimal but full of character. ‘I like my designs very simple,’ says Oki. ‘But I don’t want to make them cold. It needs a pinch of humour or friendliness.’

Nendo means ‘clay’, specifically a malleable type, such as children’s Play-doh. ‘It changes form, shape and colour,’ says Oki. The name is fitting for a studio that needs to evolve and change to produce design solutions for the wide variety clients that knock on its doors. Founded in 2002, after Oki visited his first Salone del Mobile design fair in Milan, it has since quietly become one of the most prolific contemporary design studios.Recent work includes a case and glass holder for the brand Ruinart, which lets people have a place to rest their glass when outside. Oki has also turned his hand to interior design, where he has created retail spaces that help to enhance the way simple merchandise and products are displayed. For the Issey Miyake’s 24 store, built for department store concessions in Japan, Nendo created a cluster of narrow steel rods for folded clothing to sit on. It designed an interior for a Puma show room in Japan, called the Puma House Tokyo, where sneakers are placed on timber stairs that spiral around large concrete columns.

Nendo has also turned its hand to furniture design, with collections that have appeared in renowned galleries around the world, much to the praise of the design press (the Thin Black Lines exhibition at the Philip de Pury gallery, for instance, was a highlight of last year’s London Design Festival). Most recently, Oki worked with British furniture brand Established & Sons for this year’s London Design Festival, where it created an installation called ‘My London’ that represented the city and its population. Oki created thousands of different

small, Post-It-sized maps, and attached them to the walls of the brand’s showroom in East London. The result was a giant white cloud of paper - a collection of all the small moments experiences by the city’s population. ‘London doesn’t have a certain colour or face,’ explains Oki. ‘It’s different to every person. It was all about the small memories of different people.’

Next year Nendo will be ten years old. To celebrate, Oki is planning a series of exhibitions that will travel around the world. But despite having been in design for almost a decade, Oki’s approach, and his interest in the narratives behind design, hasn’t dated. In fact, it’s only become more pertinent. ‘People are more interested in small stories now,’ says Oki. ‘It’s maybe because of the media. Before it was newspapers and television. Now it’s more about Twittering small moments. It’s similar to the way I think about design.’


Oki SatoSubmitted by Max Reyner

Profile

“People are interested in small stories now because of the media. Before it was newspapers and television. Now it’s more about Twittering small moments. It’s similar to the way I think about design.”

“I like my designs very simple. But I don’t want to make them cold. It needs a pinch of humour or friendliness.”

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Lionel Messi’s appearance for Argentina last month in a friendly game against Nigeria was a little different to usual. But it wasn’t to do with his role on the field. Nor was it to do with his performance, which was typically brilliant and resulted in two assisted goals. What was different, however, was what he wore on his feet.

For the entire game, the superstar striker played in a pair of Adidas F50 miCoach, the first pair of football boots to contain an electronic chip inside its soles. While Messi ran around the helpless Nigerian defenders, the device recorded every piece of information about his speed, work rate and distance travelled. At the final whistle, a bank of data had been created that explained his performance over the whole ninety minutes. The player even uploaded this information to his personal website later on for anyone to download and view.

This might sound like a football match from the future, but it’s just the latest development in technology that’s gradually telling us more about how sports people fare out on the field. And it’s all been possible thanks to technological advancements. According to Dr Marco Cardinale, the Head of Sports Science and Research of the British Olympic Association, we’ve reached a tipping point in how these devices are used. ‘The miniaturisation of batteries, GPS, magnetometers, gyroscopes and accelerometers in the last few years has meant an increase in the use of tracking devices aimed at quantifying and characterising motion patters

in athletes,’ says Cardinal.

So why haven’t we heard about chipped athletes before? The reason, says Cardinale, is because the technology has mostly been reserved for the training field. ‘It’s become so prevalent in training that there’s now as many decisions made on numbers and data as on intuition and feel,’ says Cardinale. ‘Technology applied to equipment is a new addition to this. Now we can have real time information and can visualise what happens, just like in Formula 1.’

Measuring basic body responses such as blood

pressure and heart rate is nothing new. Heart rate monitors have been available on the market for several years. But what’s a more recent development is the ability to measure several different performance variables at once. Ken Clark, a Phd student at the Locomotor Performance Laboratory at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas in the US, says that many Universities across the country have implemented new technology. For instance, it’s now typical to see complex instrumentation in weights rooms, which lets

Performance Enhancing Data

Submitted by Max Reyner

Briefing

“This technology isn’t just for the professionals. A growing number of devices are coming to market that are aimed at the consumer.”

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people measure how quickly an athlete lifts weights, not just the total weight lifted. ‘Knowledge is power,’ says Ken. ‘The more you know about the demands of the game - whether it’s anaerobic or energy - the better you can gear your training programme to what you need.’ And this is only set to become more accessible with smartphone technology, says Clark, which will enable athletes to immediately upload and analyse data on their handset as soon as they leave the training ground. ‘It could also be transmitted to a team’s database for a collective analysis,’ says Clark. Recording performance during a training session certainly gives coaches a useful way of seeing how well an athlete has performed after they’ve finished. But what about during it? One of the biggest trends in sports data at the moment, says Ken, is real-time tracking. ‘It gives strength and conditioning coaches a better idea of the demands of the game,’ says Ken, ‘which gives them the ability to alter and adjust training programmes as they happen.’ Now coaches really will know if an athlete isn’t putting all they’ve got into their training.

Of course, real-time tracking isn’t going to suddenly turn an athlete into a winner, says Dr Scott Drawer, Head of Research and Innovation at UK Sport, a British high performance sports agency. ‘If you’re not podium potential by the start of the Olympic Games, you won’t be during it. It’s all about the ten years of training, development and exposure you’ve put in during the athletic journey.’

But all this technology isn’t just for the professionals. A growing number of devices are coming to market that are aimed at the consumer, too. The miCoach Adidas boots, for instance, may have been debuted by a superstar footballer, but they’ll also be available in sports shops next month (although budding Messis may be deterred by the £245 price tag). Nike has been pioneering much of this market with its Nike+ device, which syncs up a pair of shoes with a phone, and lets runners measure distance, work rate and calories burnt. And it’s not just runners who are enjoying sport technology. For the wannabe Tiger Woods, there’s the Senso Glove, a pair of golf gloves that have in-built pressure sensors to help perfect grip. For swimmers, there’s the Tempo Trainer, a small device that fits inside a swim cap and transmits an audible beep to help measure pace. For those that like to work out to music, the New Balance iHome NB639 headphones features an embedded stop watch, heart rate monitor and pedometer. And gadget manufacturer Jawbone has launched its Up device, which wraps around a person’s wrist and tracks their activities, sleep and eating habits.

Even if it’s just to help someone shed a few pounds, at

least they can do it in the most digitally up-to-date way. ‘People will be more active and fit if they understand more about how they move and how their body behaves,’ says the British Olympic Association’s Cardinale. ‘The ability to provide real time information and continuous feedback on various parameters can actually help more people exercise and motivate them.’

So what’s next for data monitoring in sport? Cardinale predicts we’ll be monitoring what’s going on inside our bodies, as well as how we’re using them to perform. ‘I expect wearable devices will not only be able to store and transmit data on human movement, but also on specific biological indicators,’ says Cardinale, ‘It will begin to provide some holistic information on how the body is coping with daily stresses and activities.’

In coming years, we can expect to see more sports equipment being made ‘smart’ with electronic devices that measure our fitness, work rate and performance. We’ll also increasingly use the technology to monitor our daily habits in order to work out how to lead a better, healthier lifestyle. Data will certainly tell us a lot, and we hope to see more devices being released to help us track, measure and monitor ourselves.


“People will be more active and fit if they understand more about how they move and how their body behaves. The ability to provide real time information and continuous feedback on various parameters can actually help more people exercise and motivate them.”

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Index 7Gallery


More than just an arts qualification, the Central St Martins’ Post Graduate certificate in photography – one of London’s most esteemed – also provides a platform for a wide and varied range of emerging photographic talent to develop and most importantly interact with another.

Following the course’s final show back in June, seven alumni came together at Protein’s 18 Hewett Street gallery to celebrate the course’s contribution to their practice as photographers and to the London art scene in a wider context. Featuring the work of Myka Baum, David Caverley-Morris, Paula Gortázar, Luz Marina Trellez, Jo Phipps, Eva Roovers and Paul Vickery this is a selection of some of our exhibition highlights.

Themes raised include quasi-futuristic spaces, representation, stillness, connectedness and the nature of photography itself. These are approached through an equally diverse range of photographic processes, from digital to large format and from pinhole to the physical use of film as matter.

http:// index7show.wordpress.com



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From the series ‘Common Space’ by Paula Gortázarhttp://www.paulagortazar.com


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From the series ‘Past, Imperfect, Future Tense’ by Paul Vickeryhttp://www.paulvickeryphotography.com

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From the series ‘Solaris’ by David Calverley-Morrishttp://www.davidcalverleymorrisviewbook.com

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From the series ‘Domestic Totems’ by Eva Roovershttp://www.evaroovers.net


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From the serIes ‘Grace be said at the Supermarket’ by Jo Phipps


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From the series ‘Chance Procedures’ by Jo Phippshttp://www.jophipps.co.uk



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3. Enric Rovira

Enric Rovira has created a gallery of confections from life size Gaudi inspired chocolate sculptures through to sugary planets and robotic gorillas.

http://barcelona.unl ike.net/ locations/307985-Enric-

6. Barcelona Reyjavik

Whether it’s a dense, moist bread with a sweet crust or a fluffy, airy affair with a crisp exterior, Reykjavík sells its splendid breads straight from the oven.

http://barcelona.unl ike.net/ locations/301267-Barcelona-

Reykjav-k

4. Shunka

Shunka, a regionally-rare Japanese eatery, harnesses the best of the East-West dichotomy by fusing local ingredients with Japanese-style cooking methods.

http://barcelona.unl ike.net/ locations/307987-Shunka

7. Monvinic

At once a wine bar and bastion of viticulture, Monvinic combines an extensive wine library with tasty local tapas prepared using Catalan produce.

http://barcelona.unl ike.net/ locations/307990-Monv-nic

5. Vila Viniteca

Vila Viniteca lives and breathes wine showcasing over 4,500 different wines, sherries, cavas, liquors and spirits, making it one of Barcelona’s leading wine specialty shops.

http://barcelona.unl ike.net/ locations/306014-Vi la-Viniteca

8. Gresca

In Gresca, haute gastronomic and traditional cuisine collide, resulting in intelligent and inventive cooking that is as enlightening as it is satisfying.

http://barcelona.unl ike.net/ locations/307983-Gresca

Barcelona Food Guide


Guide

With our friends at Unlike City Guides we’ve curated a series of insider glimpses into our favourite cities. Last issue we gave you a tour of Paris, and now here’s a look at Barceloa’s gastronomic scene with chef Oriol Ivern, chef and the owner ofthe modern Catalan restaurant, Hislop.

1. La Boqueria

Proving that market culture is alive and kicking, this central Sant Josep market is full of locals and tourists who come to shop and browse local Catalan produce.

http://barcelona.unl ike.net/ locations/300033-La-Boquer-a

2. Tapas 24

Serving up simple tapas with a unique twist, Tapas 24 is not the cheapest way to please your palate, but is well worth a visit.

http://barcelona.unl ike.net/ locations/305209-Tapas-24

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1.La Boqueria

C/ La Rambla, 9108001 Barcelona+34933182584www.boqueria. info

2. Tapas 24

C/ Diputació, 26908007 Barcelona+34934880977www.tapas24.net

3. Enric Rovira

Avinguda de Josep Terradellas, 11308029 Barcelona+34934192547www.enricrovira.com

4. Shunka

C/ Sagristans, 508002 Barcelona+34934124991www.boqueria. info

5. Vila Viniteca

C/ Agullers, 708003 Barcelona+34902327777www.vi laviniteca.es

6. Barcelona Reykjavik

C/ Doctor Dou, 1208001 Barcelona+349330209www.barcelonareykjavik.com

7.Monvinic

C/ Diputació, 24908007 Barcelona+34932726187www.monvinic.com

8.Gresca8.Gresca

C/ Provença, 23008036 Barcelona+34934516193www.gresca.com


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Issue #06

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The dark, dank tunnels underneath London’s Waterloo station are probably the last place you’d expect to eat fine cuisine. But during a week in September they were the setting for a temporary event that combined the usually removed worlds of street art and fine dining, and placed both inside an equally unexpected space.

The event, The Minotaur, was a collaboration between street art curator Steve Lazaridis and KP Kofler, the founder of German temporary restaurant, Pret a Diner. The pair had set up the temporary dining and food event within the damp, underground caverns of the Old Vic tunnels as part of this year’s Frieze Art Fair. And the result was a a curious mix of the refined and unrefined.

The complex of caverns that make up the underground architecture created a labyrinth of spaces, which were filled with a continuous soundtrack of creepy music and a faint smell of damp. Each contained a different work of art that the guests stumbled upon as they entered each area. In one room, the image of a creature made from plumes of smoke had been projected on to a giant screen, and was reflected back down into a dark, shallow pool of water below. Another featured a series of tribal figures, with giant masks that stood along a passageway, and looked like a group of hunters marching off to a kill. And towards the end of the trail, a curious monolith stood, pointing upwards to the roof above. On first glance this looked like an abstract sculpture. But on close inspection, the piece had been made from hundreds of dead rats, each crafted with realistic detail.

All of these works had been curated by Lazaridis, who had turned to his roster of street artists, including Stanley Donwood, Doug Foster and ATMA, and asked each to produce work in response to his theme of Greek mythical beast, The Minotaur.

But the art was only half the story. The guests - had the more morbid installations not taken the edge off their appetites - were later ushered into a temporary restaurant area, which had been filled with vintage decorations and chandeliers fit for the coming banquet. Once seated, they tucked into a series of fine dishes, which had been made by an international group of renowned chefs. Nuno Mendes, formerly of El Bulli

and now head chef at Viajante in London’s Bethnal Green, served a dish based on gathered and foraged ingredients. Others included Amador’s Juan Amador from Mannheim in Germany, and Matthias Schmidt of Villa Merton in Frankfurt. All of them had been gathered by Pret a Diner’s Kofler, and had been set a challenge to feed guests in the temporary kitchen.

The overall concept - matching refined food with an unrefined surrounding is certainly a juxtaposition. It’s not everyday you get to see art and eat a meal inside a tunnel, after all. So why do it? The reason, says Kofler, was to push people’s expectations of fine dining. ‘Normally if you go to a fine dining restaurant you see classic art on the walls and a formal atmosphere,’ says Kofler. ‘But nowadays, people don’t want to be entertained in a way they are used to.’

But the concept also highlights a more pressing issue for the restaurant industry: that refined dining as we know it doesn’t quite cut it anymore. Today - with supper clubs, molecular gastronomy, and culinary artists feeding us everything from coal to dirt - the rules have changed. The white table cloth restaurant is starting to look stale. And this is all to do with a change in mindset of the diner. ‘People don’t want to pay a lot of money for good food anymore,’ says Kofler. Instead, predicts Kofler, the future for fine dining might look a little more dirty. http://prote. in/profi le

KP KoflerSubmitted by Max Reyner

Profile

“Normally if you go to a fine dining restaurant you see classic art on the walls and a formal atmosphere. But nowadays, people don’t want to be entertained in a way they are used to.”

‘‘Refined dining as we know it doesn’t quite cut it anymore - with supper clubs, molecular gastronomy, and culinary artists feeding us everything from coal to dirt - the rules have changed.”

Prote in Journal

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Issue #06

Genetics is about to be taken out of the realm of the scientist and placed in the hands of the public. Having your genome profiled is becoming increasingly cheaper and more accessible. And almost a decade since a complete draft of the genome was discovered by the Human Genome Project, the next years are promising to radically change not only the personal health industry but possibly our wider society.

‘I think consumer genetics is one of the most important scientific developments, and maybe cultural developments, in this Century,’ say science writer Lone Frank, who has traveled around the world talking to those who have pioneered the personal genetics movement, and written about it in her latest book My Beautiful Genome. With a family history of depression and breast cancer, Lone decided to have her own genome sequenced in the hope of uncovering some of the questions about her family’s past and how - or if - our genome plays a part in our individual destiny.

In the last few years the web has become populated with companies offering a glimpse into our genome. The cost of doing this was once out of reach to anyone without a grant and a lab. But things have recently changed. Through a simple swab of your inner-cheek, companies such as 23andMe, Navigenics or deCODEme can reveal a snapshot look at your genetic makeup. ‘This profiling tells you something about your disease risk - heart disease, bladder cancer, macular degeneration - all kinds of diseases,’ explains Lone. ‘They will tell you something about your personal risk, but it’s not going to tell you what you’re going to die of.’

DNA holds the instructions that, for the most part, make us who we are. It’s through this recipe of base pairs that everything from eye colour, height and shape, familial lineage, to our risk for developing heart disease is stored. But gene profiling is more than just disease risk and physical appearance. ‘Knowing about disease risk is interesting, but what is more interesting is why we are the way we are,’ says Lone. ‘We don’t know very much about why our psychology is the way that it is. Our individual personality traits are 50% inherited, so there’s an awful lot of genetics involved here. But we know very few of the genes.’

‘These [genetic profiling] tools are still first generation,’ explains Lone. ‘Genetics is really a work in progress, but the knowledge is piling up.’ And this is where

personal genetics gets really interesting. This direct-to-consumer genomic testing is producing a vast amount of usable genetic data that is promising to transform the way we understand and consider disease risk. And these genetic databases could offer real insight for scientists working towards solutions for prevention.

Naturally, with this kind of personal information there are concerns being raised over privacy. Perhaps an employer could discover you hold an increased risk for dementia. Or an insurance company might give you altered rates based on your genetic profile. But Lone doesn’t see this as a real issue. ‘Why should genetic information be so much more personal and important than your credit rating, or other stuff that is out there for people to know about you,’ she asserts. ‘It builds on that old view that our genes are us, that if you look into your genome you can see your future. But it’s not that simple.’

In the long-term Lone sees this industry having the potential to drastically change the way we approach healthcare, particularly from an early age. ‘Our genes are the hand of cards that we are dealt,’ says Lone. ‘They don’t specify our future or who we are, but are part of who we are.’ And this better understanding of our individual make-up could assist in better preparing for the future. ‘In the long run I think we’re going to see everyone having their whole genome mapped from birth,’ predicts Lone. ‘This information could then be placed with a company who will manage your genetic data, and update you with new findings coming out of science. It will be life management based on science and genetics.’


Lone FrankSubmitted by Jonathan Fagan

Profile

“I think consumer genetics is one of the most important scientific developments, and maybe cultural developments, in this Century.”


“Knowing about disease risk is interesting, but what is more interesting is why we are the way we are.”


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Issue #06

When Louis Vuitton hosted the launch of its first Chinese flagship store in Shanghai, it was a truly glamorous affair. VIP guests quaffed champagne from flutes, while models wearing fur coats strutted about a shop floor that was covered in the brand’s gilt-lined steamer trunks.

That was 2004. Back then, luxury was fresh, new and exciting. The spend was big, the cars fast and the wallets fat. The market was being driven by the country’s wealthy consumers and elite renminbi millionaires. They bought big and bold, and wanted to show off that they could afford it.

Since then the market has grown to an astounding $9 billion, according to McKinsey, and has overtaken Japan to become the world’s second largest luxury market. And it’s still growing. According to research consultancy Bain & Co, it’s predicted to expand by 25% by the end of this year.

Now in 2011, things are a little different. Sure, there’s still some conspicuous consumption, but for the majority of consumers, the taste for luxury has largely changed. ‘Generally, Western perceptions tend to be that Chinese consumers are still immature regarding luxury,’ says Jonathan Hasson, Co-Director of Luxury Concierge China. ‘They think of bling, excess and brashness. But having been exposed to luxury for over a decade, Chinese consumer tastes and needs have matured rapidly.’ Nick Marshall, a luxury consultant that specialises in emerging markets, agrees, and says how

many consumers now embrace much deeper values. It’s not just about showing off wealth, but showing off good taste. ‘They’re looking to demonstrate outwardly that they also know what to do with their money, and show that they’re sophisticated and cultured.’

To add to the complexity of the market, there’s also a disparity between the tastes of the old wealth and the young, according to Marshall. ‘The existing, more mature luxury consumers are becoming more sophisticated and discerning,’ says Marshall. ‘Whereas the new, younger consumers in more cosmopolitan cities such as Shanghai and Beijing often have a greater international outlook.’

Then there’s the issue of location. Consumers in first tier cities, such as Shanghai and Beijing, have had access to luxury retail for several years, and have therefore developed their tastes. ‘This segment is

New Luxury in ChinaSubmitted by Max Reyner

Briefing

“With increased competition in the luxury sector and more demanding consumers, brands are having to be more creative and impressive in their activation to cut through and get noticed.”

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much more sophisticated with their spend,’ says Nick Marshall, ‘They want craft, provenance and quality.’ Meanwhile, in the Tier Two and Tier Three cities, luxury is still relatively new for consumers. ‘They don’t ask the same questions,’ says Marshall. ‘They’re at the stage where they want a lot more bling.’

So the Chinese luxury market isn’t very straight forward. And marketing to its consumers isn’t as easy as it used to. ‘With increased competition in the luxury sector and more demanding consumers,’ says Marshall, ‘brands are having to be more creative and impressive in their activation to cut through and get noticed.’

So how are they doing this? Some brands are creating physical ‘energy’ spaces, which function as a tangible place in which to bring their values, story, and history to life. Whisky brand Johnnie Walker, for instance, has done this with its Johnnie Walker House in Shanghai. It acts as a place for consumers to learn about the provenance and processes behind the drink. Installations are used to explain how the spirit is produced, such as the whisky constellation, which is used to communicate how the drink is flavoured. It also hosts its own lectures, masterclasses and dinners.

Another unexpected space is Swatch’s bold new boutique hotel that functions as an incubation workshop for artists. The Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai, which opened its doors this summer, stands inside the former Palace Hotel in Bund, originally built in 1909, and functions as a live-in residence for artists visiting the city. Invited composers, designers, videographers and other creatives can stay for six months and exhibit within the in-house gallery. Their stay is free, just so long as they donate a piece of work to the hotel’s collection. As for non-artist guests, they can pay to stay amongst the creative environment in one of the lavish suites.

Other brands are using a more theatrical approach to activate their brand. To celebrate its new flagship store in Beijing this summer, Burberry created a giant digital launch party. The walls of the store were turned into giant floor-to-ceiling video screens showing the latest runway collection. There was even a virtual catwalk, created with hologram projections of models who walked the length of the room and then exploded into a cloud of water vapour.

To launch its new Arceau Le Temps Suspendu watch, French luxury brand Hermés built a pop-up theatre in Beijing. At the Beijing Flying Club, the brand created an installation that aimed to recreate moments from a timeless dream, inspired by the ‘timeless’ function

of the watch, which lets the wearer make the date and time disappear from the clock’s face if they press the 9 button. Guests were invited to enter the space through a cuckoo clock door, which led them through a series of progressively stranger scenes complete with actors. The first was a garden featuring people playing croquet. Then guests walked through a maze with ballerinas hunting men in animal masks, which led to an aquatic scene with fisherman. The final part invitedguests go on a short trip in a real hot air balloon.

So what’s next for brands in China? As the market shows no signs of slowing down, they only have their work cut out. ‘China has built an incredible economy, through hard work, determination and ambition,‘ says Hasson. ‘They’re now reaping the benefits of this incredible growth story of the past 30 or so years.’ As a result, brands will have to be even more imaginative and creative to find ways to appeal and engage this confident, wealthy audience.


“Generally, Western perceptions tend to be that Chinese consumers are still immature regarding luxury. They think of bling, excesses and brashness. But having been exposed to luxury for over a decade, Chinese consumer tastes and needs have matured rapidly.”


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Issue #06

PhilographicsLondon based, Catalonian born designer Genís Carreras recently created this wonderfully simple poster series titled Philographics. In these he attempts to explain some complex philosophical theories through basic shapes, colours and geometry. “In every work I do I like to keep a balance between simplicity and beauty,” says Genís, “where colour and shape plays an important role on it.”

http://www.geniscarreras.com

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Prote in Journal

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Issue #06Welcome / Feed / Br ie f ing / Prof i le / Gal lery / Guide / Data

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