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Barry Flanegan

Barry Flanegan

Today we bow to Welsh born sculptor, Barry Flanagan. He is best known for his work with bronze, but here we take a look at his early work with cloth; plus some clay sculptors and drawings from the 70’s and early 80’s.

Vuokko Nurmesniemi

Vuokko Nurmesniemi

The Finnish designer Vuokko Nurmesniemi was one of the two main designers for the Marmekki company. The internationally renowned textile designer was at the top of her game and her legacy lives on in the company and influence she made in particular with design classed shirt, Jokapoika. She also created one of the coolest interiors in her home in Kuosaari, Helsinki.

 

Shop Sounds: Manu Archeo

Shop Sounds: Manu Archeo

The latest shop sounds mix is by Manu Archeo of Archeo Recordings. Archeo Recordings reissue rare 1970's and 1980's Italian music. This mix is over 2 blissful hours of balearic pop and soft rock. The prefect score for an afternoon in the shop. Stream or download here.

The Peanut Vendor (London) Guest Mix (Feb. 2017),

"Balearic Soft-Rock & Pop-Rock collection", mixed & compiled by MANU•ARCHEO:

01. Intro voice - Jane's Addiction
02. The rainbow (Manu•Archeo edit) - Talk Talk
03. Planet caravan (alternative lyrics version) - Black Sabbath
04. Coconut grove - The Lovin' Spoonful
05. Coconut - Harry Nilsson
06. Lions - Tones On Tail
07. Baby did a bad bad thing - Chris Isaak
08. A town called Ivanhoe - Mountaineer
09. Market place - Eden Ahbez "Nature boy"
10. Love is how y make it - Gong
11. Symptom of the sea - Lexx
12. Proclamation (Manu•Archeo edit) - Gentle Giant
13. Numb - U2
14. Black magic - Soft Rocks
15. Capeesco Mina - Mushrooms Project
16. Serious - Duran Duran
17. Fly too high - Janis Ian
18. Catch a moment in time (Ewan Pearson’s memory blissed
remix) - Mocky
19. Tropicalia - Beck
20. Toxic girl (David Whitaker string arrangement) -
Kings Of Convenience
21. Pinball (Ashley Beedle's tripped rework) - Brian Protheroe
22. When the cookie jar is empty - Michael Franks
23. Something - José Padilla
24. Horse with no name (Leo Zero dub psychedelic mix /
Manu•Archeo edit) - America
25. Human nature (original) - Michael Jackson
26. Walk on the wild side (Holtoug edit) - Lou Reed
27. House at the sea - Goya
28. Riders on the storm (alternate version) - The Doors
29. Even after all (Manu•Archeo acoustic / original edit) -
Finley Quaye
30. Baby can I hold you - Tracy Chapman
31. Outro/Au version (edit) - Tosca

 

Dieter Rams

Dieter Rams

"Good design should be as little as possible". It's the ethos that Dieter Rams has applied to all his work that resonates as soon as you see it. The extremely successful Rams is responsible for the look of one of the most iconic transistor radios, the T3 for Braun in 1958. Aside from his work with Braun in electrics (incidentally inspring the aesthetic of most of the apple products) he also designed furniture. The 606 Universal Shelving system is now so well known from Vitsoe. It's lifetime guarantee see's it still cropping up in the interior of the grandparents and never looking out of place. The modular kit 620 Chair Programme is a genius system that allows you to create bespoke sofa scenario, turning a chair into a two or three piece sofa. As far as the Dieter Rams products go, they don't come cheap but they do last a lifetime.  Hence we never see it crop up on our travels - it's all still in use!

Matthieu Mategot

Matthieu Mategot

Artist, Architect and designer of the 1950's. Hungarian Mathieu Matégot's (1910 - 2001) focus when it came to furniture was on materials and in particular, pierced metal paired with tubular steel. This became the aesthetic that characterised his style as well as very organic and playful lines. He dedicated one decade (1950's) to design for interiors and those pieces now go for a terrific amount. There's always a scramble at an auction or a fair if spotted.

 

Jacques Lipchitz

Jacques Lipchitz

Cubist sculpter Jacques Lipchitz has caught our eye this week. Lithuanian and Jewish, he left home after school, moved to Paris and started to mix with the likes of Picasso and and Juan Gris in the early 20th century. The interaction with this crowd at this period in Paris influenced his style. After much success he later cemented his status as one of the influential cubist sculptors.

He became a resident of France in 1925 and ended up living in a house he commissioned Le Corbusier to build. Forced to flee France in the second world war because of his Jewish heritage, Lipchitz relocated to the USA. There he moved away from his cubist style and started working on more organic figures in bronze, incorporating the themes of Judaism and persecution. You can find such work at Frank Lloyd Wright house, Fallingwater.

Shop Sounds: Jonny Trunk

Shop Sounds: Jonny Trunk

A new but regular feature. We'll be asking our favourite music people to provide us with a soundtrack to shop and work to. First up library music man Jonny Trunk of Trunk Records puts together a Scandinavian selection from mid-twentieth century. Perfect!

Vending Music - Johnny Trunk

Recent highlights for us from Trunk Records have been The Britxotica compilations as well as the regular and very generous 50p Fridays, which entertains every Friday morning.

Rex Appeal

Hello.  Lets take a moment to take a look at this fine looking chap.  His name is Niko Kralj and he is sat on the 'Rex' chair.  

The Rex chair was a folding chair designed by Niko, a slovene designer in 1952.  It was the first chair to be massed produced in Solvenia, over two million pieces were sold and it still remains a chair of cult status.  In 2004 there was an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) dedicated to the Rex chair.

Niko Kralj is to Solvenia what Aalto is to Finland and Eames is to America; and to mid-mod enthusiasts the Rex chair is right up there.  The influences on this bent ply wonder come from a Scandinavian modernist school of design.  Its formed ply makes for an ergonomic and comfortable design.  It folds up and has perforated slatts  making it lighter and easier to ship.  Most importantly its an absolute beauty.  Put it where you want, its gonna look great.  As garden furniture, a desk chair, at a dining table or as a lounge chair.

If only we had a few here at The Peanut Vendor.

Oh wait!

And here's another shot of that old charmer.