Karim Rashid is a designer, visionary, pragmatist and professor at Philadelphia University of the Arts. He launched approximately 3,000 developments into production. These include design projects for lighting fixtures, fittings, packaging, fashion accessories, dishes, and furniture. Karim also worked on 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 personality.
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 sketches. When Rashid grew up, he went to Canada to attend Carleton University. In 1982 he received his bachelor's degree. Karim continued his education in Naples, and then in Milan, where he completed an internship at the studio of Rudolfo Bonetto.
After 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 such firms as Sony, Citibank, Issey Miyake andetc. 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 was happy to deal with other types of orders. For example, I created packaging design.
Creativity
Today, Karim designs restaurants in Tokyo and New York, hotels in Los Angeles, Athens and London, and also designs the interiors of exhibitions, boutiques and studios of top TV channels. With each of his actions, Rashid demonstrates an interest not only in individual objects, but also in the general habitat. He advises not to limit yourself to a narrow specialization and expand your creative arsenal. If Kareem hadn't followed this principle, the Golden Gramophone figurine (her new design) would have been designed by someone else.
Rashid prioritizes comfort over style. In the first place for him is not material luxury, but the luxury of freedom. This is the key to understanding the essence of Rashid's worldview and creativity. Soft and simple outlines, glossy smooth surfaces, carelessness of bright and pure colors… Many years ago, Karim excluded black from his wardrobe. He also practically does not use it when developing the design of packaging or accessories. Now Rashid's favorite colors are pink and white.
Karim prefers to use not traditional natural materials, but modern ones - on a synthetic basis. To make an item cheap, convenient andpractical, 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 Drive (1998), Daimler Chrysler Design Drive (1999), George Nelson Drive (1999), Silver IDEA Drive (1999), Esquire Magazine Best Restaurant Design Award (2003) and many more.
Teaching
Karim lectures, gives presentations and master classes around the world. Rashid likes to sit on the jury of various design competitions. He also taught industrial design for 10 years, teaching the craft at the Ontario College of Art, the Rhode Island School and the Pratt Institute. The Concoran College of Design and Art even gave the subject of this article an honorary doctorate.
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 that absorbs a person and a reality filled with phenomena and objects that have long-explored 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 the virtual space, and therefore the physic althe world carries a different meaning. Surrounding objects turn into technological objects. Hi-tech style is undeniable, because it is a vivid expression of the modern lifestyle.
Futurism
Many of Karim's designs feature this artistic direction. He tries to connect the real world with the virtual, nature with high-tech, social with the physical. As a result, from under the creative hand of Rashid came out: a touch screen (used in hotel rooms for typing any text), plastic chess (never fall, as they are inserted into the holes), a rubber TV remote control (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).
Abandoning the Ordinary
Karim is sure that any of the people who lived for some time in the interior invented by him will never return to the traditional environment. After all, its “internal design” will change forever. He will begin to think that multifunctional furniture, a special height of the ceiling or the right falling light are vital things. On the other hand, Rashid is well aware that the final transition to the habitat he invented will take place in the distant future.
Constant movement
Usually Kareem is never satisfied with what he has done. He needs constant change and movement! Almost every week, the designer moves furniture in his own home, removes and addsitems. Rashid first tries all the things he develops on himself. One of his commandments says: "Addition by subtraction." Its meaning is as follows: if a new object has appeared in the house, then a similar object should disappear. For example, when you get new socks, you need to get rid of the old ones. Thus, the house will always have the same number of items and nothing extra will accumulate. This is the beauty of Balance.
Music
Karim often compares this art form to design. By the way, he has a special relationship with music - Rashid worked as an amateur DJ for more than ten years. Moreover, the designer likes not one, but several different genres. All three of his iPods (30 gigabytes each) are jam-packed with tracks. Karim compares the creation of each design project to writing a song. It takes a lot of work to be a hit.
Poplux
Design, like music, has its own directions. Rashid has his own poplux. 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 runs through all his work and is reflected even in the names of objects. For example, high heel shoes are High (English high), door sill mat is Step (English step). And the names of the wastebasket and umbrella stand do not even need to be translated - Korzina and Zontik.
Writer
Rashid Karim is the author of several design books. Also on this subject, he wrote commandments (some of them are presented below) and a manifesto. 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.
Rashid's commandments
Many of them can be used in your daily life:
- There is no point in the past.
- All we have is now and here.
- The brand does not create products, but vice versa.
- The most important part of life is experience. The essence of existence lies in human communication and the exchange of ideas.
- Continuous improvement!
- Before making a final decision, carefully considering and calculating everything, do it again.
- The world will not change by itself, you have to make an effort.
- Love conquers all.
- Thinking not tensely, but relaxed.
- Don't hesitate: your life is work.
- There are three types of people: some spit on culture, others buy it, and still others produce it. Always stick to the last two.
- You always have to pay your bills. Learn from those around you.
- Think about work first, not fame.
- The three keys to success are persistence, consistency and perseverance.
- Never stop there.
- Even if you can't apply new technology to your life,always treat them with respect.
- Instead of dreaming about something, just go ahead and make it happen.
- Thoughts are not deep, but wide.
- Addition and subtraction.
- Sensual minimalism is not as boring as usual.
- Understand, the very concept of "pleasure" and its meaning do not belong to the field of physiology, but rather to the field of psychology.
- Avoid in both written and spoken language the following words: "masses", "ugly", "boredom", "class", "taste".
- Set yourself multiple goals and do six things at the same time. This will keep you from getting bogged down in everyday life.
- Don't buy items, get experience.
- In the fight against depression, it is better not to resort to shopping or gluttony. Know that this is exclusively for housewives.
- Try to eat as few carbohydrates as possible. You should not visit pastry shops and pizzerias.
- Remember: The Antichrist is your laziness.
- Don't carry cash. Always pay by credit card only.
- Keep thirty pairs of socks and the same number of sets of underwear in your wardrobe. With so many, there will never be a problem with the selection. Do laundry once a month.
- Work for fun, not reward. Or don't work at all.
- Quit if you don't like your job.
- Avoid hoarding. When you buy a new thing, immediately get rid of the old one.
- Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Work on turning the second into the first.
- Be aware that not every project can be promising.
- If you and your friend have fundamental differences of opinion, then do not count on fruitful cooperation.
- Reveal reality with "phenomenological" deeds and surprises.
- Know that fate is on your side!
Conclusion
Rashid Karim rarely rejects orders because he is interested in absolutely everything. The hero of this article believes that any subject is worthy of attention. And it doesn’t matter if it’s the design of fittings or a huge house. And to the question: "What is your favorite creation?" he always answers "Woman!"
