28 May 2016

#10 Shadow Friends


Preparing an expo on a very tight budget definitely restores ones faith in humanity. People can be both total assholes or great friends. They can also be there for a while when it's needed and disappear again. While preparing the Art in the Box expos I met mostly the last ones. And it was a great feeling just to let them know for a moment.

That's why today and because #10 is a good reason for it, we would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to all our SHADOW FRIENDS who supported us during the preparations of our expositions.


Photo: Aga Gansiniec

THANK YOU for the distribution of the posters!
THANK YOU for the help by arranging the boxes!
THANK YOU for the language translations!
THANK YOU for all the kind words and comments!

YOU are GREAT!


Photo: Aga Gansiniec

Photo: Aga Gansiniec


Written by Sabina Stachnik

More crazy stuff on:
My Art in the Box story
http://art-in-the-box.be

24 May 2016

RECYCLED by DESIGN


The DESIGN we presented IN our BOX
during the Strawbeery Fields - Recycling Design exhibition,
for Lodzkie House, Brussels 2015



Photo: Dominika Zientek


Photo: Dominika Zientek


Photo: Aleksandra Guz


Photo: Joanna Podkowa





More crazy stuff on:
http://art-in-the-box.be/


20 May 2016

Photo-Story #9 Right in the middle of the joy



Do you know what really is the best thing about Art in the Box?
The joy of playing with the expo stuff OR EVEN getting it for your birthday!


So, since one picture is worth a thousand words, 
with the few pictures displayed below we've got a pretty good story.
Have fun!




Setting up the exposition
Photos: Vzor, Aga Gansiniec



Bubble birthday skate drive
Photos: Bubble, Aga Gansiniec



Picnic time
Photos: Agnieszka Chowaniec, Alice Cornelis, Sabina Stachnik



Beginning of the folly with Ania Kanicka
Photos: Paweł Napieraj, Sabina Stachnik



Sledge with wheels test drive
Photos: Jędrzej Stelmaszek, Aga Gansiniec




Written by Sabina Stachnik

More crazy stuff on:
http://art-in-the-box.be


14 May 2016

POSTER YOUR WALL


Art in the Box Posters 
designed by Krzysztof Iwański



Crazy Polish Communist-Inspired Design, 2014


Magic Box - Polish Design, 2015





More crazy stuff on:
http://art-in-the-box.be/


11 May 2016

Story #8 Is the budget nightmare over?





A great idea and enough money for it to be realized never go together. How well do I know that!

I do not remember any more how many times we adapted the expo budget to reach the clients needs but still to be able to cover all of the costs. But I do remember very well that right after the budget had been approved I couldn't look at any excel tables for months.

Knowing that, you can imagine that I wasn't all that eager to cover the money topic here. But as usual… a Something wanted me to write about it and I decided to go for it. This time however in a bit of a different way. We made a deal - me and Mr Something. I write a post about money and he gives me some extra fun in exchange.

Papers signed! Hands shaken! Snap off! Snap on! Quick change of the fairy tale AND... for the first time in the Art in the Box studio welcome to Ms Marie la Money who is ready for an interview regarding the nature of money!


Saba: Hello Ms Money. Thank you for coming. I must say that to have you here feels almost like dating Yeti!
Marie la Money: I'm not heading in that direction yet, but who knows! Thank you for your invitation.

Looking at you it's actually obvious but I have to ask this question. Is money really female?
Most of the time I feel like a woman, I have to admit.

And the rest of the time?
You don't really want to know that, baby!

Hmm... right, then maybe we'll move on to the next chapter - the Art in the Box unfulfilled financial needs. Why has the Art in the Box so many problems finding money for the expo?
You see, everything about the Art in the Box is crazy – the boxes, the design, the team… so that the way of getting money for your project must simply be crazy as well. In that way you maintain your role. It would be a real shame if you received the money you need just like that, without any obstacles.

To be honest, we wouldn't mind some easy money at all.
You have to understand, the expo and everything around it must be tasty. It must have this
special unforgettable flavour, financial issues included. It's all a part of the game. Got it?

Almost. Any hint on how to get money for this year's expo?
Look out all around the area or even further and who knows what’s hidden right round the corner. And maybe change a bit of the financial strategy. Money sometimes flies almost from heaven.

Thank you very much for this little piece of clarification but honestly I was counting on something more concrete. While for now the only concrete thing is that we will have to work out the problem by ourselves.
Ironic smile on Ms Money's face. No reply.

I  can see we have exhausted the Art in the Box money subject. So, unrelatedly, do you like playing jokes?
I love it!

What would you do then if you had the chance to play a money joke on people?
He he he, just in the middle of the Christmas shopping period I would disappear from everyone's pockets, wallets, bank accounts, stinky socks, sewage pipes or any other hiding places.

And why would you like to do this?
Simply to see how people react. I would like to see what kind of crazy ideas they come up with to explain my mystery disappearance. And whom would they blame for it.

Is there something important that people do not understand about money?
Indeed, there is.

Could you tell us what it is?
Actually I could but don't blame me afterwards for turning your world upside down!

I will take that risk.
Money, although it might be difficult to understand, has her own life and sometimes wants to decide herself how she wants to be spent. People however don't understand this concept and this subsequently leads to a lot of confusion and sudden money losses. When Money gets upset with a person because of they way they spend her, she takes a quick decision to change the environment and move. People call this kind of situation: bad luck, theft or rip-off while all of these situations are nothing else but a simple financial emigration. Money chooses someone else's pocket to live in. That's all.

So, all the traffic fines I've received recently were because My Money was upset with me and my way of managing it and decided to leave my pocket?
Finally you got it, baby!

I think that's enough even for me! Anyway, thank you for the conversation.
Thank you to you too. And wait a second! A surprise is coming!






Looks like it's time for a strong beer or even two!
Don't forget to drink a toast to me, as well!



Written by Sabina Stachnik

More crazy stuff on:
http://art-in-the-box.be/


04 May 2016

Story #7 A well designed chicken soup


Ever since I can only remember I have kept myself far away from the kitchen. My mum generously respected this deviant behaviour of mine and (apart from a few exceptional bad days) did not force me to expand my cooking skills. As a result I am now a mentally healthy woman but a totally crappy cook. But today and only for you I will turn myself into an exemplary house wife and serve an exemplary house wife dish.

On Today's menu: Art in the Box chicken soup. Before we however move to the cooking part I will give you some explanation so that you can prepare yourself mentally for the coming pleasure.


       Psycho-chicken-soup-context

The first most important thing about a good chicken soup I have observed is that it needs a good base. A good base means a good taste. And a good taste besides a good look is all that we want from a proper chicken soup. Right? 
So, run fast and catch me a fat chicken!
The second important thing I have realized about a good chicken soup are ingredients. More precisely a right blend of ingredients. Even more precisely a right blend of contradictory ingredients. 
Remember! A right balance of good and evil makes the essence of the soup.
The third and the very last most important thing I have realized about a good chicken soup is the serving. A well designed course on the serving plate is the one-stone-birds-killer that gives you a full access to the gizzards and the psyche of the victim. 
Newton's third law of motions: Hungry eyes eat first!
Once all these three simple rules are clear and learned by heart we can start producing our very special chicken soup.


Ready? Off we go!

Art in the Box chicken soup
good for body and soul


Makes 2 servings

Ingredients
bunch of responsibility & double bunch of thoughtlessness
strong sense of organization & friendship with chaos
bottle of seriousness and two bottles of craziness
rather on time but not necessary at right place
beauty & ugliness right next to each other
lots of care & plenty of not giving a shit
done on purpose or by chance
nerve and politeness
hope plus courage
salt & pepper


Preparation
Combine the chicken, 8 cups of water and all ingredients in a soup pot.
Put it on the stove over high heat and wait for a sexy explosion.
Enjoy the very special buum-buum-sound-effect.
Contemplate the freshly created mobile design on your kitchen walls.
Appreciate the present moment and be grateful to the universe for this experience.


After-Serving-Recommendation
go for two ice cold shots of VODKA
or create your own unique cooking explosion.



Bon appétit!





Written by Sabina Stachnik

More crazy stuff on:
http://art-in-the-box.be/