ICFF 2011: Model Citizens Exhibition Promotes Emerging and Indie Designers

Beyond the Javits exhibition hall during ICFF week is a wide range of satellite gallery shows and special showroom exhibition dedicated to design. The third annual Model Citizens exhibition has grown to become one of the largest and most important shows to see during design week. This year the roster included over 90 designers presenting work ranging from furniture to jewelry. The show provides an opportunity for independent and emerging designer to get exposure during ICFF to international buyers, manufacturers, potential clients, collaborators, and the public.

One of the great aspects to the show is that the designers themselves are on hand to explain their work and answer questions. The environment is less about selling compared to Javits so you are likely to get more personal stories about the designers’ creative process. A portion of the exhibitors are usually students or recent graduates who convey a lot of excitement and energy about their work.

To really see and experience Model Citizens takes a couple of hours and we’re guessing next year’s show will be even bigger. We’ve selected a few projects that caught our eye and hopefully give a sense of the quality and diversity of ideas represented at the show.

EcoSytems – Snug-It!
A tool free collection of three aluminum connectors that allow for furniture to be created from standard 3/4″ think wood. EcoSystems sells kits to build specific pieces.

Mark Warren Studio
Somewhat hidden away were these post-historic sculptures created from plastic airplane model kits. Mark employed the old-school Star Wars ‘kit bashing’ technique to create some objects which represent a possible future reality.

Click Boom Pow – 2ndLife
Brooklyn based designers David Kim & Mike Seto take cast off furniture which gets cut apart and reassembled into new pieces with different functions. They aim to find unintended purposes for things that have an intended use.

Jin Ah Roe – K Chair
Currently pursuing a masters degree in Industrial Design at Pratt Institute, Jin Ah’s K Chair is formed from two matching steel sheets. A nice example of how a single part can be used to create an elegant shape.

Reclaiming Brooklyn – Branch Lamp
Created from a tree branch that fell during the fall 2010 tornado that hit Brooklyn, this lamp comes with the added ingredients of story and local value.

Build It Green! NYC – Water Barrel Tables
This is a fantastic project creating furniture from wood reclaimed from the replacement of water barrels on the tops of NYC buildings. The project trains and employs women in need of work and all of the proceeds go directly back to them. A great creative reuse of materials and platform for teaching craftsmanship skills.