The Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum held its 10th National Design Awards on October 22nd at Cipriani 42nd Street. Started in 2000 by the Smithsonian's Coooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum to honor the best in American design, "the annual Awards program celebrates design in various disciplines as a vital humanistic tool in shaping the world, and seeks to increase national awareness of design by educating the public and promoting excellence, innovation, and lasting achievement" (from the Nat'l Design Awards' website.) The 2009 winners include:
Lifetime Achievement Award~ Bill Moggridge, co-founder of IDEO, the international design consultancy. Among his many achievements, "Moggridge designed the world's first laptop computer" and was a pioneer in interactive design.
Design Mind~ Amory B. Lovins, Physicist "widely considered among the world's leading authorities on energy - especially its efficient use and sustainable supply."
Corporate and Institutional Achievement~ Walker Art Center in Minneapolis for its ever-lasting efforts to "present[s] the value of design to the general public."
Architecture Design~ SHoP Architects, created The Porter House in NYC and is currently working on a two-mile park along NYC's East River.
Communication Design~ The New York Times' Graphics Department, for their quick turn-around on complex, informative visuals.
Fashion Design~ Francisco Costa, the Creative Director for Calvin Klein Collection since 2002 (who is terrific, but I think finalists the Mulleavy sisters of Rodarte also deserved this honor.)
Interaction Design~ Perceptive Pixel, Inc., founded in 2006 by Jeff Han the company is "dedicated to the research, development and deployment of multi-touch interfaces for the knowledge worker."
Interior Design~ TsAO & McKOWN Architects, created the architecture and interiors for Andre Balazs' William Beaver House in Lower Manhattan and currently working on several international architecture and urban master plans.
Landscape Design~ HOOD Design, founded by Walter Hood in 1992 in Oakland, California, "the firm is committed to issues that address the re-construction of urban landscapes within towns and cities."
Product Design~ Boym Partners, design studio founded by Constantin and Laurene Boym and based in New York, it creates Boym Editions as well as a variety of products for Alessi, Swatch, and Vitra.
Learn more about the awards, the winners, and the finalists at nationaldesignawards.org, and see pictures from the event at nyt.com.
The First Annual Art Awards took place at the Guggenheim Museum on Thursday, October 29th. Artist Rob Pruitt "conceived the event as a performance-based artwork modeled after Hollywood awards ceremonies. Nominees in nine categories included artists, curators, critics, and gallerists, recognizing projects that took place from January 2008 to June 2009" (from Guggenheim.org.)
Art-world heavy-hitters as well as some Hollywood celebrities acted as presenters of the Pruitt-designed statuettes "resembling a celebratory bucket of champagne that also serves as a fully functional lamp," (Briliant! I want one!) Along with Lifetime Achievement Awards for video and performance artist Joan Jonas and curator Kasper Könighe, the lucky winners include:
Artist of the Year~ painter Mary Heilmann
Curator of the Year~ MoMA's Connie Butler
New Artist of the Year~ Ryan Trecartin (See some of his work at Elizabethdeegallery.com.)
Exhibition Outside the United States~ Jeff Koons, Versailles, Château de Versailles, France (I wish I could have seen that!)
Group Show of the Year, Gallery~ Who’s Afraid of Jasper Johns? Tony Shafrazi Gallery, New York
Group Show of the Year, Museum~ The Pictures Generation, 1974–1984, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Solo Show of the Year, Gallery~ Manzoni: A Retrospective, Gagosian Gallery, New York
Solo Show of the Year, Museum~ Martin Kippenberger: The Problem Perspective, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and Museum of Modern Art, New York
Writer of the Year~ New York Magazine's Jerry Saltz
The Rob Pruitt Award~ Cynthia Plaster Caster (known for her plaster casts of rock stars' male bits.)
Read more about the First Annual Art Awards at guggenheim.org and artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com.
The awards night was really fascinating. Keep up the good job. Long live arts.
Posted by: Dentist Lake Worth | 02/04/2010 at 01:44 AM