ES Devlin awarded CBE, AI restores lost Gustav Klimt paintings but not without some scrutiny, and architects at SHoP plan to unionize. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
AI’s next frontier? Resurrecting lost paintings
Philosophy; left: Courtesy of Austrian National Library/Google Arts and Culture, right: Courtesy of Belvedere/Google Arts and Culture
Of the nearly 200 artworks Gustav Klimt created throughout his lifetime, Medicine, Philosophy, and Jurisprudence were lost forever. Destroyed in a fire at the end of World War II, the only evidence they ever existed is in a black and white photograph. A recent piece by the Washington Post profiles the attempt to discover what the paintings looked like in full color. Google’s Arts and Culture Lab team partnered with Belvedere to re-colorize Klimt’s lost art using artificial intelligence (AI). George Cann, cofounder of Oxia Palus, theorizes that AI “could give us this parallel alternative universe of art that we never really quite had.” The project is not without its critics, however, with some believing it to be inaccurate or unnecessary. While there is no way to prove that the re-colorized versions resemble the originals, the project signals the possibilities of AI and asks, what is its role in art and design?
Hotels cater to working vacations
One lesson many companies learned during the pandemic is that a lot of jobs can be done from anywhere. However, as people worked remotely, the boundaries between their personal and professional lives blurred, leading to longer hours and burnout. As companies adopt fulltime remote or hybrid work schedules permanently, the Wall Street Journal reports “paid time on,” is the latest trend in travel. Existing resorts like Hilton Head Health have added a “work wellness package” to help guests mindfully mix work and leisure during a trip. In other instances, rental experiences are opening to cater to remote workers. Now that people are untethered to an office building, they can restore some balance into their life by changing their scenery and enjoying amenities they don’t have at home.
Es Devlin awarded CBE
Designer Es Devlin was named Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), writes Dezeen. The highest-ranking award of the Order of the British Empire, it is given to those who “mark the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the UK.” Devlin is known for her large installations using nature, technology, and light. Some of her notable work includes Mirror Maze and the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. More recently, she debuted Five Echoes at Art Basel Miami, a labyrinth filled with more than 2,000 plants. Devlin was previously awarded the Office of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2015.
Architects are the latest white-collar workers to unionize
Long-festering grievances about workplace conditions and pay have come to a head, with workers across many industries challenging the status quo. In a recent article by the New York Times, architects are among the latest to do so. In a rare move for the industry, workers at SHoP Architects are looking to unionize, citing low salaries and 50-plus hour workweeks. More than half of the firm’s 135 employees have signed cards signaling their support of a union. Workers at SHoP are hoping to be one of the first firms to inspire action and reshape the industry for the better.
Submissions are now open for the HD/West Elm Student Product Design Competition
Now in its fourth year, the annual HD/West Elm Student Product Design Competition has returned. This year, the challenge is for students to design an upholstered occasional chair, usable in both hospitality and commercial spaces. All winners and finalists will be featured in the May/June issue of Hospitality Design magazine and celebrated at the 18th annual HD Awards ceremony in New York on June 7th. The winning designer will also receive a $5,000 prize and have their product produced by West Elm. The deadline for entries is Friday, April 8th, 2022.
