Intervew Karim Rashid

Newyorkelectronew. This release is the first in a series of CDs inspired by the world renowned designer, Karim Rashid. In 1993, Karim opened his own design practice in New York City. He has worked for numerous clients globally, such as Prada, Issey Miyake, Totem, Pure Design, Estee Lauder, Tommy Hilfiger, Giorgio Armani, Sony, and others. He has over 70 objects in permanent collections and his design work has been exhibited in various museums worldwide, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art; Museum of Modern Art, New York; The British Design Museum, London; Gas, Tokyo, and The Groningen Museum, Holland. Karim’s designs have appeared on MTV, Much Music, VH1, HGTV, Friends, MTV Europe, MTV Cribs, and MTV Russia. Music has always been an important part of Karim’s design style and these CDs represent music that has had a profound effect on his life and designs. Any fan of Karim Rashid will find that this music evokes the feelings found in his original creations. In Karim's own workds: "In the world of beats a new energy and genre of music has catapulted into the digital music age that is being heard in New York and globally in a few underground clubs. Obviously influenced from the early synth-pop era, it is part of the evolution of the early 80’s east village sound of Suicide, Talking Heads, Material, M5C, ESG, Man Parrish and others…. Now 20 years later, with a technological spin of the New York silicon alley, combined with the post disco beat, inspired by the automaton space disco (Space, Moroder, Cerrone, Bombers, Gary Numan, Human League), combined with a kick of ACID house and Kraftwerkesque minimalism. From Metro Area’s first 1999 12” record release of Muira, an incredible post disco track that has New York in a midnight dance trance, to the nudisco of Cerrone and John Carpenter, as well as the beautiful energy of Charles Manier, and the humor and urban conundrum that Crazy Girl and Plastique capture. This music is pure digipop energy that I try to engage in my physical objects and space". We chalked with Karim about this and that:

Hi Karim. How are you? Well it is 4am and I am working.

Design is the Whole Experience of Living. Is it a personal assertion? Or behind this adagio, do you consider it a "universal truth"? Is it the same for music? It is a universal heretic statement. Our entire built environment is designed - although most of it is bad. You cannot say the same for music - because it is part of sound- and sounds (man-made) include more than just music. Music is the celebrated sounds like good design is the celebrated part of pure physical world.

As you're a designer, it could be interesting to know if in your opinion new music technology implies a different way of living. Yes. Digital music is part of our entire digital universe, meaning that now music is becoming inseparable from all the other arts if they are produced digitally. In other words art and music are correlated if the are digital- when the were analog they were separable.

Related to the last question, what's the intimate relation between expression and perception in your viewpoint? Perception + intellect = expression

What are your favourite readings and listenings? Which of them are impressed in your soul and why? Baudreillard + Bowie, Lyotard + Herbie Hancock, Virilio + Cybertron, Proust+Alan Parsons, Bachlard + Moroder, Herssel + Metro Area, Ann Rand+Roxy Music, Buddism + New Order, spirualism+sparks, love+Vincent Gallo, Hal Foster + Human League, Sartre+ Hong Kong Counterfeit ; are all impressed in my soul - and music is phenomenological, meta physical, spiritual, emotional, experiential, and romantic too.

Hey. That Transblob in Soft polyurethan looks great. How much should I pay for it? It was an art piece for Trans magazine limited edition - only 5 were available so I am not sure.

I've listen newyorkelectronew. Nice selection! But.. that table on the backside looks like... a sanitary towel! :) That is the DJKREEMY Table I designed for pure Design - It is available at www.puredesign.com and I heard that some of the best dj's in the world have one and Susan Arquette uses it as a bar so maybe sanitary towels have beautiful forms - after all they go in beautiful places

I Want to change the world. Soraya [n.d.r.Rashid's sister] or you? I wrote the book - she wrote the song

Let's go into minute details of your production as a designer and a dj. Are there any pieces of your collection you take particular care? I am always thinking about my latest projects like a bicycle, a few hotels, a water bottle, some jewelry ,some watches, eyeglasses, floor cleaner, a dog bowl, a lamp, lots of funriture, a television, a kettle, a sushi bar, a restaurant, vases, ceramics, glassware, dinnerware, fashion, cosmetics, and the list goes on ......

Intellectual minds are in a ferment in this period in New York City. From your perspectives, what has changed from the intellectual side of the Atlantic Coast from 70's to our times? And what about their effects on musical and artistic production? Media, information, digital age, technology, money and speed all contribute to a deadening of intellectual mind's, the avant-garde, philosophy and art. Life now is distractive, seductive, and commercial- therefore within in the morass of 'a good life' and the seduction of living well, one must edit and concentrate on the beautification, evolution, and contribution of an original spirit of our new world. I love design, I love music, I love energy, I love newness, I love ideas, I love a world that is perpetually in motion , in flux, and creative. Consume to inspire.

Any work in progress? More compilations with Neverstop. I mentioned many projects but I am also working on my own original music that will be released in January 2004 along with a new book next year tentatively called "I am still trying to change the world". Stay Kool, Karim

Useful Links
Karim Rashid Official Site
Neverstop Recordings - Seattle
Are You Interested In DJKreemy's table?
03 Musical Services