Icup II_Synthetic Landscape / APHIDoIDEA

Jul 2010

By Karen Cilento — Filed under: Art , APHIDoIDEA, California, Installation, Los Angeles

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Using 4,000 paper cups and 15,000 staples, APHIoIDEA’s newest installation is gracefully suspended from the ceiling, creating a new spatial experience in previously un-utilized storefronts. The architectural installation is part of PHANTOM GALLERIES, an organization that places temporary installations in vacant storefront windows throughout LA to instantly form a new public art gallery.

A video, more images/diagrams and more about the installation after the break.

Using a mundane material, the installation transforms the ordinary paper cup into the principal design component responsible for creating this almost other worldly object. The abstract landscape gently cascades and tumbles across the space due to its motion system – a motion/heat sensor that activates the crankshaft to rotate the cups.

Early Sketch © APHIDoIDEA

The installation calls attention to the paper cup, a disposable entity that last an average of 10-15 minutes, and fosters a new relationship between user and object. “This installation seeks to counteract the ordinary relationship between the user and the object through challenging assumptions and ideas regarding inconsequential consumption and invisible waste by shedding light on the throw-away paper cup,” explained the designers.

: © APHIDoIDEA

: Streetview into Gallery © APHIDoIDEA

: © APHIDoIDEA

: © APHIDoIDEA

: Storefront © APHIDoIDEA

: © APHIDoIDEA

: © APHIDoIDEA

: © APHIDoIDEA

: © APHIDoIDEA

: © APHIDoIDEA

: © APHIDoIDEA

: © APHIDoIDEA

: © APHIDoIDEA

: © APHIDoIDEA

: Early Sketch © APHIDoIDEA

: Diagrams © APHIDoIDEA

: Diagrams © APHIDoIDEA

: Diagrams of motion © APHIDoIDEA

: Diagrams © APHIDoIDEA

: Sections © APHIDoIDEA

: © APHIDoIDEA

: © APHIDoIDEA

: © APHIDoIDEA

: Crankshaft Detail © APHIDoIDEA

: Crankshaft Detail © APHIDoIDEA

Art / Architectural Installation Title: Icup II_Synthetic Landscape

Installation By: APHIDoIDEA : Jesus Magaña / Andrew Hernandez / Jackie Muñoz / Paulina Bouyer / JJ Paredes

Curator: Efren Luna / Phantom Galleries Opening / Released : 07-10-10 / Open now @122 E. 3rd Street Long Beach, CA 90802

Special Thanks: Jarod Allen, Carlos Hernandez, Alma Muñoz, Andre Bouyer

Cite:
Cilento , Karen . "Icup II_Synthetic Landscape / APHIDoIDEA" 21 Jul 2010. ArchDaily. Accessed 10 Feb 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/69734>

Comments (9)
Tweets (30)
Links to this entry (2)

INawe says:

Nothing new, this has already been done before in 2006 by Tara Donavan:

http://www.designverb.com/2006/09/09/tara-donavan/

# July 21, 2010 at 17:07

soap says:

exactly what i was thinking… but maybe they haven’t explained how they are different in any way.

# July 22, 2010 at 12:25

Correction on Tara Donavan work. Its older than what I posted:

Untitled, 2003
Styrofoam Cups, Hot Glue
Dimensions Variable
Ace Gallery Los Angeles, 2005

# July 21, 2010 at 17:09

sam says:

there are two main differences. this is mechanized, donovans are not. and donovans are much more elegant.

# July 21, 2010 at 18:43

SLAM says:

even though they look alike, it’s a completely different proposal…

# July 21, 2010 at 20:37

Mark says:

“This installation seeks to counteract the ordinary relationship between the user and the object through challenging assumptions and ideas regarding inconsequential consumption and invisible waste by shedding light on the throw-away paper cup,” explained the designers.

i.e. we are architects, sometimes words can provide the smokescreen when we unabashedly steal ideas from people more interesting than us.

# July 22, 2010 at 09:37

LLP says:

Perhaps a next step from Donovan’s work, but did they credit her at all with this?
And according to the description about recycling waste materials into unexpected uses, it seems to be the exact idea behind her work. I agree with Mark’s response to you. Tara has a more sensual, delicate aesthetic, and she doesn’t waste energy motorizing anything.

Give the lady some credit!

# July 22, 2010 at 11:50

arc_213 says:

from their website, there was an “iCUP_1.0 version” originally installed at a coffee shop (http://aphid.tumblr.com/post/409763782/project-icup-4000-cup-installation-vees-cafe).

it seems much more appropriate to use CUPS here than a museum. Perhaps they even JUSTIFIED it more so than her installation.

# July 22, 2010 at 15:16

Taz says:

The plastic cups used by Tara Donavan are much nicer and act as a better lighting element. I am not sure how the motion improves upon the original idea. Perhaps a next step would be to use different size cups to make other kinds of shapes. What about plastic bottles or wiffle balls? Oh yeah, and architect need to stop writing descriptions of their projects. How are the strings attached to the cups?

# July 22, 2010 at 17:47

4:00 PM Jul 21st

Bocetos Digitales

Icup II_Synthetic Landscape / APHIDoIDEA: © APHIDoIDEAUsing 4,000 paper cups and 15,000 staples, APHIoIDEA’s newes… http://bit.ly/c4KoFE

spencer chan

Icup II_Synthetic Landscape / APHIDoIDEA: © APHIDoIDEAUsing 4,000 paper cups and 15,000 staples, APHIoIDEA’s newes… http://bit.ly/b6BBvE

4:01 PM Jul 21st

rental_watanabe 2.0

【archi info】 Icup II_Synthetic Landscape / APHIDoIDEA http://dlvr.it/2t5WC #Art (archdaily) #rental_archiinfo

4:08 PM Jul 21st

Leila Tomaselli

Icup II_Synthetic Landscape / APHIDoIDEA via ArchDaily – © APHIDoIDEA Using 4,000 paper cups and 15,000 … http://tinyurl.com/36zy967