exterior view of CONTAIN GALLERY
photo by Fabian Stuertz

Cologne added a new member to its exhibition // art and design scene which is no other than CONTAIN Gallery.  CONTAIN Gallery has selected design editions and is Cologne’s first gallery which has focused on young international designers. From now on there is a place in the heart of Cologne’s creative Belgian Quarter for exhibitions from the progressive world of young design.
 
The gallery dynamically opened on October 6, 2009 with the exhibition “Utopie jetzt! // Utopia now!”  The theme of this exhibition is the utopian perception of a supposedly refined society which is contra dicted by a cross-section of modern urban lifestyle.

Something for Everyone by Frank Plant
photo by Fabian Stuertz

CONTAIN Gallery’s mission statement is to create a forum for young and modern design.  The initiative of CONTAIN will allow up-and-coming artists from the international art and design scene to present their works.  Furthermore, CONTAIN Gallery with include a Gallery Shop which will carefully select art and design pieces for sale.  But above all they have created a meeting point for creative encounters and exchanges. 

interior view of CONTAIN GALLERY
photo by Fabian Stuertz

The creator behind this wonderful idea which supports young talents is no other than Ioanna Paraskeva who was formerly responsible for PR & Communications at www.DESIGNSPOTTER.com. For over three years she collected international contacts as well as gained a lot of expe rience in the world of design and exhibitions. Under the DESIGNSPOTTER label she organized three major trade exhibitions at the international furniture fair IMM Cologne and recently communicated with 52 young international artists. Paraskeva’s daily digital interaction with up-and-coming design talents led her to grasp the opportunity and create the digital “exhibition space” into a real exhibition space in Cologne’s Aachener Str 29.

video from the opening of CONTAIN GALLERY on October 6, 2009 // only for German speakers

Bansko Boo 2seat sofa by Mirko Tattarini
photo by Fabian Stuertz

The exhibited artworks in “Utopie jetzt! // Utopia now!” range from violent weapons to enlightened surveillance and is work by artists from Barcelona to Bulgaria.  The concurrence of these works if the reality which they portray; Manga figurines in golden and platinum hand-painted porcelain clothes; a super-sized Kalashnikov in admonishing red; a floor lamp with surveillance cameras as shiners.
 
As co-bloggers we really like the idea of Ioanna Paraskeva who supports the efforts of up-and-coming design talents through this creative approach of CONTAIN Gallery.

Die Figur +EYE® WHITE KNIGHT by André Fischer
photo by Fabian Stuertz

Surveillance Light by Per Emanuelsson & Bastian Bischoff
photo by Fabian Stuertz

interior view of CONTAIN GALLERY
photo by Fabian Stuertz

Gaudi stool by Bram Geenen

CONTAIN Gallery // a forum for young and modern design

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