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Flos, the renowned Italian lighting design company, is hosting PUBLIC WORKS, a poster exhibition created by PUBLIC, a design based bicycle company with a mission to improve the quality and character of our cities and public spaces. The exhibition will kick off on Thursday, October 18 (with an invite only reception) and run through Thursday, October 25th in Flos’ SoHo store at 152 Greene St., New York City. The exhibit coincides with [ arctober ]
paul sahre
Posters will be shown from renowned graphic designers, illustrators and cartoonists including: Dana Arnett, John Bielenberg, Roz Chast, Frank Chimero, Milton Glaser, Eric Heiman, Kit Hinrichs, Maira Kalman, Michael Mabry, Geoff McFetridge, Jeremy Mende, Jennifer Morla, Jason Munn, Stefan Sagmeister, Paul Sahre, Paula Scher, Ralph Schraivogel, Jason Schulte, Michael Schwab, Skolos-Wedell, Erik Spiekermann, Jennifer Sterling, Niklaus Troxler, Rick Valicenti, Michael Vanderbyl, Frank Viva and Henning Wagenbreth.
The group of 27 international designers were challenged to interpret the concept of “public” in their own voice and style with the below criteria:
Public Goods are the best measure of the success of our democracy. They form the bedrock of civilization, and we often take them for granted.
We would like to alter the perception of the bicycle in our culture. They are viewed primarily as recreational sports objects rather than as tools that help us connect and engage in our public lives.
Through the posters, PUBLIC WORKS’ vision is to reclaim urban streets, sidewalks and spaces for walking, biking and eating – all activities that foster closer human interaction and conversation.
paula scher
niklaus troxler
rick valicenti
As part of the kick-off event on Thursday, October 18, ten posters from each designer and an exhibition book will be available for sale. Two PUBLIC Bikes and a FLOS lamp will be raffled off, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Transportation Alternatives, New York City’s leading transportation advocacy organization that works to revitalize the city’s neighborhoods with a robust scope of transportation choices.
“Flos is pleased to work with PUBLIC to present these works in the New York area”, stated Jan Vingerhoets, CEO, Flos North America, “Being an avid biker myself, I hope that these kinds of events put more people in the saddle. Using a bicycle is not only good for your health, but it gets you around town more quickly and it’s good for our environment.”
“New York has earned an international reputation for innovative city design with examples that range from the expansion of bike lanes to the conversion of Times Square to a pedestrian mall to the High Line,” said Rob Forbes, founder of PUBLIC. “It is consistent that a design leader such as Flos is part of this modern movement.”
PUBLIC WORKS will also hold exhibitions in San Francisco and other cities in the United States and Canada starting in October 2012. A percentage of proceeds from each exhibition will be donated to a specific non-profit within each host city.
Founded in 1962 in Merano, Italy, [ FLOS ] is an international company that offers a range of lighting products and systems for residential and architectural applications. Known for its creative and innovative lighting solutions, the company can boast a rich catalog of iconic products created by legends of design like Achille Castiglioni, Philippe Starck, Antonio Citterio, Marcel Wanders, Konstantin Grcic, Jasper Morrison, Patricia Urquiola, Ron Gilad, and many others.
