samedi 24 novembre 2012

Cultivons nous même // Conference


Présents à la conférence “ Culture, état d’urgence” d’Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, et nous avons été captivé. Très bien dépeint, mettant d’emblée les points sur les i.  En articulant que la culture est vivante, qu’elle bouge et immigre, Poivre d’Arvor nous fait réaliser qu’il n’est pas de culture pure. Aussi bien, qu’il faut se situer dans le contexte actuel, ne plus renier notre présent  en croyant que le passé est mieux – ni l’avenir non plus. Vivons dans notre présent, crise économique ou pas.

Beaucoup d’exemples donnés n’ont pour but que prouver que le métissage ait toujours eut lieu ; le vol, l’emprunt, la curiosité de l’autre enrichi la culture. Mettant la culture globale, la globalisation de la culture sur un piédestal. Preuve à l’appui rien d’autre que des pays comme la France ou l’Amérique.

 Mais l’accroche de la conférence est rien d’autre que cette phrase que Poivre d’Arvor lance au début, comme un missile, elle retentit  comme un écho : «  la culture devrait être l’acteur salvatrice de la crise économique ». Réaliste ? Les conjonctures actuels n’ont pas vraiment freiné la culture, nous expose-t-il ; les livres sont publiés toujours et les studios hollywoodiens, ou pas, tournent encore.  Donc la solution type serait d’investir, plutôt injecter dans la formation culturelle ; surtout en France ou l’éducation artistique tertiaire coute. A l’instar de Maurice, dit-il, étant un melting pot de culture aussi bien que de formation de tout genre.  Alors la question locale se pose ; Maurice se réveillera-t-elle et s’élèvera-t-elle ? Pourrons-nous utiliser ce Soft Power qui fait tourner les révolutions silencieuses ?

A l’exception de quelques couacs- certains me rendent perplexe jusqu'à maintenant -, le sujet fut bien exposé malgré son unilatéralité, un chouia voici un extrait de mon bouquin mais pourtant nous nous demandons est-ce vrai ? Pouvons-nous émerger de la crise dans la grâce de la culture ? Comme une culture de bactéries pouvons-nous avancer plus fort ? 

vendredi 23 novembre 2012

In our streets// Miko

Spotted outside "la boutique", promotional stickers of the famous brand Miko, imitating street art and linear drawing revival! Attracting with their splash of colours and DIY like drawing those promotional items work.


Air balloon or heaven sweetness? 





dimanche 11 novembre 2012

Made ici // Mauritian Logo

We are living something huge right now; the creation of a Mauritian Logo, the imprint of your local savoir faire. To avoid the disaster of  Mauritius c'est un plaisir, the website Made in Moris has been created to give the citizens an opportunity to vote.

So France is striving to promote what they call produit du terroir;  the Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg even posed in a very cliché marinière, flag behind and Moulinex in hand, in Reunion Island, there is Nu la fé whilst UK works their Union Jack.

And what is bugging me in the MadeinMoris is the diametrical use of English and Mauritian Creole. Why didn't they made it all in Creole?

Weird for something fer dan moris?

Anyway, the advertising agency who did the job explained in a weekly newspaper they aim to make a statement and here comes my analysis:

Click to zoom
All three logo took their inspiration from memetic influences.

The first one is direct though truism yet will be noticeable scaled down?

The second one is supposed to be modern

The third one is copy/paste of social network statement.

My only question is why didn't they play on typography? This childish comic-sans like lettering do not communicate the willing to raise our nation, our products, our identity.

However, did you vote? Why did you vote 1? Why did you vote 2? Or 3?

Link to vote:

Facebook:
https://apps.facebook.com/made_in_moris/?fb_source=search&ref=ts&fref=ts

Website:
http://madeinmoris.mu/

Hope to have your comments,

Peri & L'éffrontée.

jeudi 1 novembre 2012

Linear Love // Arnaud Govinden

Do you remember the cover of Peri Meter Design Magazine, the second issue? Some terrific linear work done by our friend Arnaud Govinden (Greatest fan of Assassin's Creed I had ever seen !!!)?

Peri Meter Design Magazine. 2nd issue. Cover by Arnaud Govinden.


Crashed over his place lately and discovered those little treasures:

Adaptation of the world known Mona Lisa

Front side of his business card

Back side of his business card

Peek a look at one of his work




Awesome dude

mercredi 24 octobre 2012

Online boutique // fresh design

As designers, we know how hard it is to be independent, to have your own stuff and succeed. And in those crisis times, it is even more difficult to take a step forward in the business creation. But we see those guys abroad and everywhere, they launch their illustrator career, or even their tattoo parlor slash tea boudoir and claim aloud that if they succeed now then they'll carry on that success during the good days to come.

So in those names, there is Saskia Pougnet. Young designer, studies cocooned in Florence - yes not really cocoon we all know the hectic everyday of a design student! - she came back to Mauritius and simply launch Saskia P.

Beautiful.

Saskia P.


Minimal structure, diluted pastels tones, the perfect mix and match, a modern cut with macaroons features or how to be at ease and pretty. Virgin suicides lover here are the good addresses -

Take a look at her blog on :
http://saskiap.blogspot.com/

or even become gaga of her on:
https://www.facebook.com/saskiap.clothing

No! you rather spy her perfect taste so jump on her:
http://pinterest.com/saskiap/

The Saskia P woman is young, fresh and she knows what she wants and now she can shop online on :

http://www.etsy.com/shop/saskiap

Saskia P. - Etsy


Share the love

mardi 16 octobre 2012

Poster Winner // Asma Randera

Months ago, the NGO "Friends in Hope" launched a poster contest, did you hear about it?
No?
Well it was an interesting contest, published through the newspaper and posters. It was addressed to youngsters of 16-22 years old and has the aim of sensitizing the society about the leitmotiv of the association that is psychiatric disorders.
And the winner is..Asma Randera.


Asma Randera's winning poster.


So here is our little talk with the witty lucky winner:


Etc: Who is Asma Randera ?

Asma: I'm nearly 22, graphic designer and franco-mauritian. I did all my school days in Reunion island. I did a "baccalaureate Littéraire" with "arts plastiques option". After that, I went to Mauritius to do a diploma in Graphic design at Charles Telfair Institute. I did some freelance works, worked as graphic designer in a watch and jewerelly firm and now, I'm "maquettiste" in a publication agency.


 Etc: Why did you choose to do design?

Asma : I always wanted to work in an artistic field where i can express my creativity. When i was in college, we used to use photoshop and illustrator to do some art project and i find these software fun to work with. I knew i wanted to do design after.

Etc: So, congrats! You've won the first prize of the contest! Can you tell us a bit more about this contest?

Asma: Thank you. The contest was about to do a poster which have theme "Maladie mentale : Briser les Préjugés" for the association Friends in hope.

Etc: What was your concept for your poster?

Asma: When we judge people, we do it through our eyes. That's why i wanted to represent "briser les préjugés" by a broken eye. Besides, "Préjugés" can be shown by the dark colour around the broken eye. I wanted to do something simple, easy to understand and which will catch, at the same time, the attention.

Etc: We are happy that you've won, but are you deceived by the lack of motivation, as very few Mauritians participated?

Asma: I personally don't know how many of participants there were, but if there were only a few who participated; it might not be because of a lack of motivation but most probably because doing a poster is not that easy as we have to find a concept behind it and respect the theme.

Etc:  We would like to know how do you keep the flame alive?

Asma:  I try to cultivate my knowledge in everything I can see, watch, read, like and dislike.

Etc:  Do you have any personal design project that you want to achieve?

Asma:  I just bought a wacom tablet and i want to do some digital art and why not doing some stop motions. Moreover, I want to learn more about web design, as I find it's an interesting field as well.

Thank you Asma for your time


jeudi 11 octobre 2012

Spotted // in our streets

Street tags  in La Preneuse; with an unusual colour

Another Street art in La Preneuse. Note that pop of colour with basic black and white comes some transparent turquoise and vibrant fuschia.

Saw in Quatre Bornes, this beauty; a Peugeot with a  particularity; the driver side is the left!

Vintage beauty

We've stopped the car for this one in Albion, witty and inspiring!

mercredi 3 octobre 2012

Coup de gueule // what is design for you?

Hey!
So facing technical problems with a dead laptop, the only contact that him and I have with the online world is at work - obvious! And it is very difficult to have my dose with 50 mins of internet in the morning but I am not that kicking, in fact I miss writing. I miss it so much that I wrote emails to 4 persons yesterday!

So I am seizing the day, with all the technical problem, to explain you the essence of this blog!
In fact it started really in 2010, with the online Magazine Peri Meter Design Magazine! YAY!
I love it, in fact it was his idea. He. his and him is Peri. My partner in crime. He  is the mastermind behind many of our projects and I am the helping hands, the factory and magician.

We were in fact feeling so bad with the hiatus of Peri Meter. It was a decision taken and that's it.

But we love design.

We are the kind of persons who fall in love with a well mounted magazine, the kind who take pictures of graphical lines in shadows or even the kind who lose speech skills facing a terrific poster.

And we are Mauritians, like it or not, Mauritius is moving. So we try to focus the maximum on the Mauritian designers and artists.

When I was at university, I learn to make the difference between art and design and foremost graphic design and the other design. And one day I came up with this simplistic conclusion that graphic design was only to make things nice to the eye. Maybe people make you feel this way when you say that you are a graphic designer and that they are all OHHHH that fun and unofficial and all.

But in fact the design, graphic design is not that. No designer should be taken down to only that!

You Designer, You Graphic Designer, You are a Voice, a challenging step in all creation. Your imprint will be the one determining if a product will work or not, if your packaging, your logo, your typography will strike, will succeed.

We might not be nurses, surgeons, or firemen, we do not save lives, but we communicate. We communicate in the simplest form that humans does. Visually. As children who draw on wall, as minds who seeks catharsis, as people who do not know how to read or people who read all day. We communicate with images that make things move.

Long live to design

Etc  

lundi 24 septembre 2012

foutez nous la paix / video

Last Friday was the day of Peace;; to be remembered, celebrated and to be lived. As paradox as Earth Day or even Women Day, I personally think that those values should be implemented in the everyday life. People should open their mind, respect the other and be kind to his environment as the latter will last whilst Man will die. In 2012, those values are not observed everywhere on Earth and it is terrible to see bloodshed around the world.
To promote the World Peace Day, PUMAPeace produces film4peace, an annual short film commission. Contemporary young director adapted the concept of Peace visually and it is amazing to see how this simple notion is always different inside theirs shoes. This year 21 artists did 17 works, 21 artists from across the whole world adapting the theme " Peace Starts with Me". Their visions are often experimental and  challenging for the viewers.




Do find the 2012 offspring of PUMAPeace on:
http://peace.puma.com/us/en/

And thanks a lot to our friend Patrice Offman and Le Sapin for the local live screening of those short movies and the debate!

dimanche 23 septembre 2012

Touched / Advert

When advertising does not need any kind of technology, gadget or make up, Peugeot new advert reveals more one the hidden card of the magical world of advertising; create an emotion, an sensorial experience. Hands are used in it, as a metonymy of the person, a stretch out figure of the everyday man, who is bornt, live, love, hurt, wounded, experimenting, in blood, on skin, burnt and connected to the most complex of our senses; the touch. Meters of tactile power that are usually resumed in the hands. Beautiful semiotics. Enjoy the idea, the promotion of life through it not the consumerism playing on our senses and emotions.


Pop of colour / Street

Appeared on our streets lately, a stunning magenta flag displaying Shiva. The screen printing is sharp and the black - white - magenta popped out of the usual urban landscape. 


vendredi 21 septembre 2012

greenwashing / tryo eco clip

Tryo, the ecological music band has recently released their last animated cartoon clip for their song "Greenwashing", which can be heard on their new album "Ladilafé". The clip expresses the human obsession of consumerism, how we always ask for more and destroy the earth's raw materials for our wants, not needs. Using simple forms, lines, mix-media and a good story-telling, Tryo adds pinches of  humor in the video, which is really pleasant for the eyes of every ages. The references to some mangas and video games is obvious. The alternative of  bright colors, and neutral/mat colors, switch the viewer of atmosphere, to reveal an inner consciousness. Discover and have fun.



mercredi 19 septembre 2012

vida e caffe / the warm design

Sheltered amidst shops in Bagatelle Shopping Mall, Vida e Caffe opened shortly. Warm and cozy are keywords which are reflected through the couches and a long dining table. More than a coffee shop, a coffee lounge can we say? The interior is contemporary; a mix of wood, metal and leather reminiscence of Bauhaus workshops. The menu, bold and direct, the typography, loud and modern, the cover, caps, bold and sans-serif, aroused the curiosity, inspired any designer. The industrial lamps help to create an intimate atmosphere, forgetting that we are in a shopping mall. A real pleasure for the eyes and the senses, the place encourage productivity and creativity! Yeah, work outside the usual framework - outside the open spaces and cubicles. The energy flows on this red, black and wood. Kudos.

The open setting

Espresso. Warning: the abuse of espresso can cause excessive working !


This beautiful menu - we've stolen it!!!
Last but not least, the espresso and chocolate are really yummy!

mardi 18 septembre 2012

pâmoison / mika new vid

Vintage and love, or even vintage love, enjoy this new video of Mika, done in Santiago with a lovely handwriting like typography.



vendredi 14 septembre 2012

Pop What? / a real step

A POP UP store, an ephemeral shop. Yet it is not as simple! It is an opportunity, in fact it is a glow of hope within the economical crisis. A pop up store is the chance to be outrageously creative, within the perspective that it is ephemeral, it won't last.

Take a look at the Adidas Pop Up Store


Incredible huh? A shoe box shop! ( Take a look at the whole article on http://socialcommercetoday.com/adidas-pop-up-retail-strategy-what-social-commerce-can-learn/)

Last week end, such event took place at Ruisseau Creole under the initiative of Elizabeth de Marcy Chelin and Eloïse Maurel. The dynamic duo, full-fledged designers, are at the head of E&E// Visual Merchandising. They've seized up the opportunity to market young, starting and independent Mauritian designers. Because it is the secret weapon of a pop up store! The latter has a concept of unleashing creativity in the installation like a real artwork, along with the marketing concept of "if you are not buying now it won't last"!
So take a look at the event:

Inside of the Pop Up Store

Our coup de coeur!



The poster




Do you want more? Eloise and Elizabeth did not launch it as islet ! It is the beginning of a series of Pop Up store and while waiting just pop on their Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/240041426114403/?ref=ts

And enjoy

Striving / a new start

With the end of an adventure, another one comes alive! After Peri Meter Design Magazine in which we've put all our energy, we striped, tried and ran out of breath. But the will to be active in the Mauritian Culture, in the Mauritian Design, is there, everyday. We did not stop to think about a come back!

Yet it is difficult to make a living out of a free online magazine!
So we are trying a new formula!
A blog
An open space!
A place where exclamation marks echo !!

So do you remember us? We are the minds behind Peri Meter.. yeah the magazine.. and the Cultural Evening at the Institut Francais de Maurice on the 27 May 2011.. yeah we were the one on radio with Daniella Bastien!

Dunno know us?

http://free.yudu.com/library/50403/Peri-Meter-s-Library

and do you remember this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFH2LN1GVi0 ??

So yeah here we go again! The leftovers are sometimes better.. :)