Jaime Hayon: Funtastic
The ability to blend diverse styles characterises the work of Spanish creative Jaime Hayon, a skill that has helped with his work for influential brands from around the world. An exhibition at the Gronginger Museum titled ‘Funtastic’ traces the past ten years of his work.
Hayon’s work issues from an irresistible urge to create his own world. It occupies a central position between autonomous art and design, where amusing, fantastic and narrative elements are combined with a keen eye for detail and finishing. Making use of all these other elements, Hayon translates craftsmanship and traditional techniques into emotionally influential objects and interiors that invite the viewer to be a part of them.
One such project is Hayon’s collaboration with his partner Dutch artist Nienke Klunder, ‘American Chateau’. The project plays on Klunder being born in America and reflects on the way that American culture can be perceived as excessive when viewed from European eyes. Icons of American pop culture such as hot dogs, doughnuts and cars are presented in a way that blends humour and the absurd.
Another piece central to ‘Funtastic’ is ‘The Tournament’, which is a unique work consisting of a life-size chess set made of turned wood and hand-painted ceramics. The piece was inspired by the Battle of Trafalgar and was created in 2009 for the Design Festival London. ‘The Tournament’s’ inclusion in ‘Funtastic’ is the Dutch première of the artwork and chess games will be scheduled throughout the exhibition.
‘Funtastic’ is on display at the Groninger Museum, Groningen, Netherlands until Sunday 30 March 2014.
