Please note: A lecture will commence at 6:00 PM in our showroom located at 3901 West Russell Road, Las Vegas, Nevada. This is open to the public. There will be wine and cheese following. The exhibition will be on display for a period afterwards. The following entry has multiple links which open in separate windows. Please enable your browser. Some products may be available for purchase and links will direct you to the appropriate page(s) at Unicahome.com. A blog posting on new product introductions will follow.

Constantin and Laurene Leon Boym are the principals of Boym Partners in New York City. They are the recipients of eight I.D. magazine awards and their products are in numerous museum and private collections. In 2009, they were the recipients of the National Design Award for Product Design, given by the Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian for Product Design.

Bonnie and I met the Boyms many years ago. We were interested in the Boym’s work because they were American Designers developing product based on social and philosophical concepts combined with artistic expression. This made them more than notable in the world of label-consciousness, SuperDesigners, and Fashion/Design Houses. Combine this in the small world that Designers, Manufacturers, and Retailers inhabit and sooner or later our paths would cross. Whatever the case, we have had an open invitation to them (along with their son, Bobby) for a visit to Las Vegas. We feel fortunate that the planets have aligned not only for a visit, but also for a product introduction and retrospective of their work.

I decided to write a short introduction for the exhibition. What I realized very quickly is that the start of Unicahome coincided with the introduction of Boym Studio’s work for Benza (Giovanni Pellone/Bridget Means) in 1998. Over the years we have retailed and archived many examples from Boym Partners. I’ve tried to add personal commentary to this essay in an attempt to add some context for the product design. I’ve also liberally used the Boym’s

website

and the books

Curious Boym

(Princeton Architectural Press, 2002: noted as CB) and America (Birkhauser, 2005: noted as AM) to help me with the task. Any one of these references are excellent if you wish be immersed more in the world of Boym.

Constantin Boym (b. 1955) is a Moscow-trained architect. Immigrating to the United States in 1981, Constantin left in 1984 to enroll at the Domus Academy in Milan. In 1985 he returned to New York.

Laurene Leon Boym (b. 1964) was born in New York City. She studied fine art at the School of Visual Arts and received a Masters in Industrial Design at the Pratt Institute.

They met in 1988 at the Parsons School of Design.

Boym Partner’s conceptual thought process may be divided into the categories of Reuse/Recycle and Art and Architectural History. There is an overall sense of Irony and Humor combined with a focus on redefinition of perception of an object.

Reuse/Recycle

The concept of Reuse/Recycle is pervasive in Boym Partners’ production. This can be in the form of elevation of everyday objects to new function (and form) or materials used in novel ways. Disposable objects become new and innovative. Found objects become inspirational. Anti-materialism and anti-consumerism seems to be present in many of the firm’s works.

Art and Architectural History

There is a clear historical perspective to Constantin and Laurene’s works. While there is a nod to the past, there is also an attempt to develop works of permanence. These attempts focus on the effect of the object on our common psyche; product design in which the viewer’s perception and emotional involvement becomes the rationale for consumerism and, presumably, a timeless appreciation through the generations.

Irony/Humor

Making a ‘thought’ product isn’t easy. Add a touch of irony and humor and the product becomes more palatable to the consumer. People are more apt to develop their own sense of value when allowed to come to their own decisions.

PRODUCTS IN THE EXHIBITION

STRAP CHAIR, circa 1999

The Strap series was a result of living in the Meatpacking District in the mid 90’s. Walking along the street the Boym’s would pass piles of packaging refuse. According to Constantin, “the polypropylene strapping tape used for securing cartons appeared to be an excellent material for experimentation (CB, p. 42).” When strapping tape was stretched on a wooden framework the end result was a multi-purpose alternative to basic upholstered furniture. Steven Skov Holt called it “cushions of air encased in a network of lines (AM, p.39).”

In May 1999, a series of the Strap Furniture was exhibited in Conversation Pieces and the Strap Chair was exhibited in 2000 at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Triennial. The chair in the exhibition was purchased from the Boyms in an installment plan. I remember once telling Constantin that a friend from Detroit plopped on the chair and declared it “very comfortable.” Our macaw has found a new function for the piece- the dowels are perfect for his feet, evidently.

SALVATION STACKS by MOOOI WEER, circa 2002.

The Salvation Stacks originally were produced for an exhibition at the Vitra showroom. The ‘salvation’ was for mismatched plates and cups from secondhand shops, glued together to present new function and beauty. Marcel Wanders (with Rebecca Wijsbeek) produced (in the Netherlands) a numbered series for Moooi Weer. Despite being production items all pieces are unique.

TIN MAN CANISTERS (1990) by Alessi, 1993

According to Constantin, “I have always considered the coffee can a beautiful design object. The corrugated body of a standard tin can simultaneously provides structural strength, a decorative pattern, and a tactile gripping surface. A very small design intervention could turn a humble can into a glittering kitchen canister. It took three years and several meetings with Alberto Alessi to get him sufficiently excited in the idea. The final product was edited by the company to appear more sleek, and perhaps, more commercially viable. (AM, p. 61)”

ANTENNA CLOCK by MORPHOS, 1989.

Once again, from Constantin: “The clock continues my life-long design exploration of the conventional anonymous object. As before, the aim is to redeem the everyday thing (in this case, a simple antenna) from the oblivion and indifference caused by habitual use. Twelve standard telescopic antennas mark the hours along a clock face. In a matter of seconds, the object grows from fifty centimeters (19.7”) to almost two meters (78.7”) in diameter. Depending on the owner’s temperament and available wall space, the clock can form a symmetrical composition or create an expressive visual gesture (AM, p.68).”

LENS HEAVEN by SWATCH, 1996

This design was a result of a meeting with Alessandro Mendini, Constantin’s mentor and former employer, who was functioning as Art Director at Swatch. Lens Heaven, produced in an edition of 50,000, placed six lenses over icon-based numbers on the dial. A note accompanying the submission to Swatch read, “Let’s look at the world with fresh eyes, with inquisitiveness and humor (CB, p.130).” Evidently the original submission used a six-pack icon for the number ‘6’, which was deemed “too American” (CB, p.130-131).

BLUEPRINT SERIES for ACME, 1998-present

The Blueprint series is actually a decoration that is not a decoration; it is merely the dimensions of the actual product. According to Constantin, “For our studio with no proper signature style, such decorative products are never easy… This combination of dead-pan irony and inherent nostalgia of the blueprint found strong resonance with architects (CB, p. 132). This series has become the most successful for Acme, with product introductions of watches, business card cases, cufflinks, pencils, an eyeglass case, and a tie.

DIAMOND PLATE PEN for ACME, 2000

A limited edition for Acme Studio, the Diamond Plate Pen was based on diamond-plate steel. A simple design, the production process was difficult enough that it was patented.

CLOUD NINE SERIES for BENZA, 1999

Produced with Pratt graduates Giovanni Pellone and Bridget Means, the Cloud Nine Series consisted of a toothbrush holder and soap dish in bonded marble. Available in two colors, the Cloud Nine pieces were created with an “almost non-design quality” (CB, p. 146).

AMERICAN PLUMBING VASES for BENZA, 1999

Inspired by Marcel Duchamp, the American Plumbing Vases are readymade pieces using PVC pipe. This design was the one that got the Boyms on our radar. It also made the Jasper Morrison curated International Design Yearbook the same year.

PAPER TABLE for DMD, 1998.

The paper table was produced in galvanized steel as a telephone table. A ream of DMD letterhead paper was included with the table (Constantin states pencils as well). DMD, founded by Teake Bulstra in 1993, was closely related to Droog Design. Confusingly enough, both Droog Design and DMD were distributed in the United States by the same company.

BUILDINGS OF DISASTER, 2000-PRESENT

The Buildings of Disaster series is based on the concept of design to communicate, rather than function (in the literal sense). The Boyms have been fascinated by souvenirs and kitsch. Unlike traditional souvenirs, however, the Buildings of Disaster commemorate more ‘involuntary’ monuments and tourist destinations. Made of bonded nickel, the BOD have a more significant weight than the usual souvenirs.

The most popular of the Boym Partners’ production, the BOD included a number of limited editions of popular tourist destinations, including the World Trade Center, Alma Tunnel, Pentagon, Waco, Texas High School Book Depository, etc, all of which immediately bring mental images based on names alone. Following 9/11 I remember two things: debating if we were going to sell the World Trade Center BOD (the first version- garage bomb) to a phone inquiry and an extremely irate customer from New York who did not receive her packages that day.

UPSTATE PLATES (1995) by CONDUIT, 2005

The plate series was produced as an extension of the Boym’s fascination with souvenir kitsch. This time the inspiration came during a vacation in upstate New York. Unknown, presumable commonplace images become immortalized for display.

Note: If you like this concept check out the book series by Phaidon, Boring Postcards. A wonderful, somewhat humorous reference- available in at least 3 different languages (based on Country of Origin) at last count.

SEX RUGS by HANDY, 2002.

Handy is a company developed by the Boyms. The name derives from ‘handicrafts’. According to Constantin, we “… wanted to offer objects for emotional fulfillment , items for collectors and connoisseurs… the designs (also) had to be unusual enough that bringing them to any other manufacturer would be simply futile (CB, pp. 158).” The Sex Rugs are produced using traditional handicraft techniques to unconventional results. Constantin felt this was a “must-have’ for Las Vegas.

REAL PLATES by CONDUIT, 2004

Produced for the Cooper Hewitt, the plates show images of ‘real plates’ from the museum’s collection. Presented as a series of six, we were unable to get the lovely athletic female- evidently they were stopped at customs. So we have five on display for your enjoyment.

UNABOMBER BIRDHOUSE, 2008

An extension of the Buildings of Disaster series, this 9″ x 9″ x 11″ birdhouse is made of pine wood in a signed edition of 25. Imagine something which such a terrible history becoming a haven for sweet little chickadees.

BABEL BLOCKS, 2007

Babel Blocks was an approach to the uniqueness of New York City. According to the Boyms, the Babel Blocks are “an intentional blurring of boundaries between image-making and product design.” The blocks are in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

Flatware for Gourmet Settings, 2007

Gourmet Settings commissioned Boym Partners to design a series of patterns aimed at ‘a younger and hipper’ customer base. The result is a series of extremely different, interesting, and affordable products.

MONA LISA CLOCK for KIKKERLAND, 2006

One of the Boym’s initial design successes back in 1987, the clock was re-introduced twenty years later. Another avant-garde tribute to art’s timely timelessness, Mona is complete only twice a day.

SKYSCRAPER VASES by GAIA & GINO, 2007.

Manufactured by Gaia & Gino, the Skyscraper Series are optical glass. Available in a number of sizes and colors, the Skyscrapers appear as multifaceted treasures.

According to Constantin, “As a former architect I have been long interested in architectonic expression for tabletop objects. The Skyscraper vase is a seemingly random assortment of miniature crystal towers. It appears almost immaterial in its multifaceted transparency. The vase assumes a different meaning when an organic form of a flower or branch is introduced inside. The composition is based on contrast between the linear and the organic, between transparency and materiality, between artificial and natural.”

ULTIMATE ART FURNITURE, 2006

Ultimate Art Furniture was a project in conjunction with Moss, NYC and presented at Art Basel. The Boym’s approach to this project was the opposite of the elevation of Design- Art is deliberately reassigned a functional role in the household. Without ceremony art is ripped from a frame and turned into a chair or table. “The project questioned a century-old division between art and design. Is a painting taken off its frame still art? And if it becomes furniture what is the critical difference between the two fields?”

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