Telling Tales: Fantasy and Fear in Contemporary Design
V + A
" The fairy tale, which to this day is the first tutor of children because it once was the first tutor of mankind, secretly lives on in the story. the first true storyteller is, and will continue to be, the teller of fairy tales."
Walter Benjamin
I went to see this exhibition after the Teach-in in the V + A. It was a selection of furniture and product design based on fantasy and fairy tale. I found it a fascinating exhibition; disturbing and bizarre, but enthralling. Topics ranged from classic fairy tales referring to childhood and good vs evil to more sinister and adult fears and fantasies. The exhibition was split into three sections; The Forest Glade, The Enchanted Castle and Heaven and Hell. Some designs which really caught my attention were 'princess Chair', 'Witch chair', 'Petit Jardin chair' and 'Fig Leaf wardrobe' all the work of Tord Boontje; I felt his work really captured the inspiring and magical essence of the fairy tale, which I personally find inspirational and have used as a concept in a Landcsape project for a childrens playground (Hampton Hill Junior School, Adult Learning Facility 2008). I especially liked the complete contrast between the child like innocence and fairy tale- princess- magic evoked in 'Princess chair' and the cynisism and evil refelected in 'Witch chair'. I found it interesting that you, viewing the object, can form such a strong emotional response to an inanimate object based purely on preconceptions conceived at childhood. All of the objects and furniture in the exhibition seemed to be created to make people question their perception of everyday objects.
