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In 9 days the Toronto Offsite Design Festival will begin, and once again Coolearth is hosting a window installation.  See our previous years installations here, and here.
 


We’re happy to be hosting MAGICBOX, and installation exploring how the world of “smart devices” still remains in an old paradox of flat, rectinlinear screens and boxes, as opposed to the shapes of the body.

We are hosting the opening reception as part of a Junction-wide event on Wednesday January 20th, 7-9pm.  Swing by to see the work, meet the artists, and enjoy snacks and refreshments!
 

MAGICBOX presents a collection of models for smart devices created by young designers based in Toronto alongside proposals for their intended function.

Electronic devices have become ubiquitous aspects of our daily lives and are some of our most-used tools. The form of these objects continues to reflect the architecture of flat circuit boards and screens, rather than that of the body. The scale and complexity of the components driving many of these devices means Arthur C. Clarke’s oft-quoted proclamation that “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic,” rings true. We expect our various devices to work with little understanding of how they function and there is a tendency towards disconnect between the appearance of an object and its use.
 
The exhibition aims to investigate the potential of form to engender specific ways of interacting with these objects. By showcasing the models separately from their proposed functions viewers are asked to consider the relationship — or lack thereof — between form and function in the context of the electronic object.

 
Check out the Toronto Offsite Design Festival’s site to learn more.