Karim Rashid is a designer, visionary, pragmatist and professor at the Philadelphia University of the Arts. He launched approximately 3, 000 designs. These include lighting design projects, fittings, packaging, fashion accessories, dishes, furniture. Karim was also involved in installations, interiors and other architectural projects. But most of all he is known to people as an industrial designer. In this article, we will briefly talk about this creative person.
Biography
Rashid Karim was born in Cairo (Egypt) in 1960. The boy was brought up in two countries - Canada and England. In addition to him, the family had two more children. Karim’s artistic taste was developed by his father, who worked as a theater decorator. He was very fond of taking his son to studies. When Rashid grew up, he went to Canada for admission to Carleton University. In 1982, he received a bachelor's degree. Karim continued his education in Naples, and then in Milan, where he completed an internship in the studio of Rudolfo Bonetto.
After that, he got a job at KAN Industrial Designers, where he worked for seven years, gaining significant experience in this area. Since that time, Rashid began to work closely with companies such as Sony, Citibank, Issei Miyake, etc. Step by step, Karim entered the close circle of the most authoritative, fashionable and successful representatives of his profession. In 1993, Rashid opened his own studio in New York, the main activity of which was the development of interior design. But he also dealt with other types of orders with pleasure. For example, created a packaging design.
Creation
Today Karim arranges restaurants in Tokyo and New York, hotels in Los Angeles, Athens and London, as well as designs interiors for exhibitions, boutiques and studios of top television channels. With each of his actions, Rashid demonstrates interest not only in individual objects, but also in the general environment. He advises not to be limited to narrow specialization and to expand his creative arsenal. If Karim did not adhere to this principle, then the Golden Gramophone figurine (its new design) would be developed by someone else.
Rashid does not focus on style, but convenience. In the first place for him is not a material luxury, but the luxury of freedom. This is the key to understanding the essence of the worldview and creativity of Rashid. Soft and simple outlines, glossy smooth surfaces, carefree bright and pure colors … Many years ago, Karim excluded black from his own wardrobe. Also, he practically does not use it, developing the design of packaging or accessories. Now Rashid's favorites are pink and white.
Karim prefers to use not traditional natural materials, but modern ones on a synthetic basis. To make the item cheap, convenient and practical, you need to use the latest technology. The designer is sure that only the rejection of nostalgia will help change the world for the better.
Awards
Karim Rashid, whose works are exhibited in many museums around the world, has more than three hundred awards and prizes. Among them: Industrial Design Excellence Evod (1998), Daimler Chrysler Design Evod (1999), George Nelson Evod (1999), Silver Idia Evod (1999), Esquire Magazine award for the best restaurant design "(2003) and many others.
Teaching
Karim gives lectures, holds presentations and workshops around the world. Rashid likes to sit on the jury of various design competitions. He has also taught industrial design for 10 years, teaching this craft at Ontario College of Art, the Rhode Island School, and the Pratt Institute. Concoran College of Design and Arts even awarded the hero of this article the honorary title of doctor.
Sensual minimalism
This is the name of the direction that Rashid Karim introduced into architecture. In this case, the interior becomes a kind of sphere on the verge of a virtual world absorbing a person and a reality filled with phenomena and objects that have long been studied physical properties. Karim’s interiors are not science fiction; he tries to fully adapt them to the needs of modern man. According to Rashid, people are now increasingly moving into virtual space, and therefore the physical world has a different meaning. Surrounding objects turn into technological objects. The high-tech style cannot be denied, because it is a vivid expression of the modern lifestyle.
Futurism
Many Karim’s designs are distinguished by the presence of this art movement. He is trying to connect the real world with the virtual, nature with hi-tech, social with the physical. As a result, out of Rashid’s creative hand came out: a touch board (used in hotel rooms to type any text), plastic chess (they never fall, as they are inserted into the holes), a rubber TV remote (as if cast from pure gold), a computerized pavilion (each step of a person walking along it is accompanied by certain musical chords, and any mortal can feel like a composer).
Abandonment of the usual
Karim is sure that any of the people who have lived for some time in the interior he has invented will never return to the traditional setting. After all, his “internal design” will forever change. He will think that multifunctional furniture, a special ceiling height or properly incident light are vital things. On the other hand, Rashid is well aware that the final transition to the environment he invented will take place in the distant future.
Constant movement
Karim is usually never satisfied with what has been done. He needs constant change and movement! Almost every week, the designer moves furniture in his own house, removes and adds items. All the things he develops, Rashid tries first on himself. One of his commandments is: "Addition by subtraction." Its meaning is as follows: if a new object appears in the house, then a similar one should disappear. For example, when you purchased new socks, you need to get rid of old ones. Thus, the house will always have the same amount of objects and nothing extra will accumulate. This is the beauty of Balance.
Music
Karim often compares this type of art with design. By the way, he has a special relationship with music - for more than ten years Rashid worked as an amateur DJ. Moreover, the designer likes not one, but several different genres. All three of his iPods (each with 30 gigabytes) are packed with tracks to failure. Karim compares the creation of each design project with writing a song. To get a hit, you have to work hard.
Plus
Design, like music, has its own directions. Rashid has his own - plus. The hero of this article believes that beautiful, high-quality things should be available not only to the elite of society, but also to ordinary citizens. This concept of democratization passes through all his work and is reflected even in the name of the objects. For example, high-heeled shoes are High (English high), the mat for the door sill is Step (English step). And the names of the wastebasket and the umbrella stand do not even need to be translated - Korzina and Zontik.
Writer
Rashid Karim is the author of several design books. He also wrote the commandments (some of which are presented below) and the manifesto on this subject. According to the latter, modern design is the result of the interaction of a number of factors: the political and economic situation, social behavior, personal experience (internal and external). But the most important thing is an accurate understanding of the trends of modern culture.
The commandments of Rashid
Many of them can be used in your daily life:
- There is no point in the past.
- All that we have is now and here.
- Not a brand creates products, but vice versa.
- The most important life component is experience. The essence of existence is human communication and the exchange of ideas.
- Continuously improve!
- Before making a final decision, having carefully considered and calculated everything, do it again.
- The world will not change itself, you must make an effort to this.
- Love conquers everything.
- Thoughts are not intense, but relaxed.
- Do not doubt: your life is work.
- There are three types of people: some spit on the culture, the second buy it, and the third produce it. Always stick to the last two.
- You always have to pay for your bills. Learn from others.
- Think primarily about work, not glory.
- The three main components of success are perseverance, consistency and perseverance.
- Never rest on your laurels.
- Even if you cannot apply new technologies in your life, always treat them with respect.
- Instead of dreaming about something, just take it and put it into practice.
- Thoughts are not deep, but wide.
- Add addition by subtraction.
- Sensual minimalism is not as boring as ordinary.
- Understand that the very concept of “pleasure” and its meaning do not refer to the field of physiology, but rather to the field of psychology.
- Avoid the following words both in written and spoken language: “masses”, “ugly”, “boredom”, “class”, “taste”.
- Set yourself several tasks and do six things at once. This will not let you get bogged down in everyday life.
- Acquire not objects, but experience.
- In the fight against depression, it is better not to resort to the help of shopping or gluttony. Know, this is the lot of housewives only.
- Try to eat as little carbohydrates as possible. Do not go to pastry shops and pizzerias.
- Remember: the Antichrist is your laziness.
- Do not carry cash. Always pay by credit card only.
- Keep thirty pairs of socks and as many sets of underwear in your wardrobe. With such a quantity, there will never be problems with selection. Have a wash once a month.
- Work for fun, not reward. Or do not bother at all.
- Get out if you don't like the job.
- Avoid hoarding. Having bought a new thing, immediately get rid of the old one.
- Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Work to ensure that the latter become the first.
- Be aware that not every project can be promising.
- If you and your comrade have fundamental differences of opinion, then do not count on fruitful cooperation.
- Reveal the reality of "phenomenological" actions and surprises.
- Know fate is on your side!
