L&G Studio NYC Design Week Shows 2023

D E S I G N E D I N D I A L O G U E

 After 3 years of reflective hiatus, we return to NYC x Design Week with a new sense of awareness around the roles designers can play in today's world. 

For us, NYCxDesign has always represented an opportunity to celebrate the spirit of new ideas and exploration. This year, we're curating and taking part in exhibitions that prompt a discourse about the potential for design to expand and evolve. 

Join us in exploring: 

What does it means to be a designer in America today?
How design can be practiced with greater care for our communities?
The roles our individual experiences play in the greater design world context?

Our three NYCxdesign exhibitions speak to these ideas and more through new work and meaningful conversations.  

We hope to see you in NYC!   

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L&G STUDIO EXHIBITIONS INFO

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May 21-23

AT THE CROSSROADS OF AMERICAN DESIGN: Celebrating the Established and the Emerging 

We are excited to be participating in "The Crossroads", an immersive installation bringing together more than a dozen designers to offer a snapshot of American design in its many shapes and forms.

ICFF + WDM @ Javits Center
429 11th Ave, NYC 10001

SEE EVENT INFO HERE
SIGN UP FOR APPOINTMENTS HERE 

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May 18 - June  3
PUBLIC ACCESS @ HEAD HI  & @NAVEL CEMETERY LANDSCAPE 

This debut installment of "PUBLIC ACCESS" curated by Jean Lee of L&G Studio, featuring works by 37 designers across 12 countries, poses a foundational question to the design world: How can we expand our creative practices through acts of care and empathy? 

Head Hi: 140 Flushing Ave. Brooklyn, NY (indoor location)
Naval Cemetery Landscape: 63 Williamsburg St W. Brooklyn, NY (outdoor location) 

SEE EVENT INFO HERE 

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May 20 - 25
UPON FURTHER REFLECTION

In partnership with AAPIDA and the FDC, co-curators Andrea Hill and Lora Appleton Hill, has put together a dynamic mix of female-identified creatives within the AAPI community to both investigate and respond to the core idea of "Reflection" and how this charged concept of mirroring and self reflection continues to shape our perceptions of identity within a historically white-centric USA. 

3.1 Philip Lim Flagship Store
48 Great Jones St, NY 10012

SEE EVENT INFO HERE 

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L&G Recommendation Series No. 10: Natural Engagement

Seed Library by L&G Studio. Photo by David Brandon Geeting for MOLD Magazine

During a year+ in quarantine, we gained a new appreciation for spending time in nature. From simply taking the time to experience Spring blossom and rejuvenate the landscape to noticing migration patterns of birds passing by, these moments in nature helped balance our temporary unease towards what the future held.

As everyone begins to re-emerge and the floodgates of social interactions spill open, we think now is the perfect moment to share the past year's activities we most enjoyed with a wider group of friends and family.

To continue these daily rituals started in isolation, is something we can all do to feel more connected. Whether it be a daily walk around the neighborhood to observe the trees or a taking off our headphones and listening to the birds on the way to the train station, when we share that experience with others around us, we believe it helps foster a stronger, caring, and invested community as we all learn to become more present together.

We hope this curated list of recommendations will provide inspiration for you and your loved ones to go out and engage with the world in meaningful ways.

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L&G RECOMMENDATIONS SERIES NO. 10:

NATURAL ENGAGEMENT

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Photo by David Brandon Geeting for MOLD Magazine

L&G RELATED
SEED LIBRARY FOR MOLD MAGAZINE

As part of their most recent issue, MOLD invited us to create a seed library for their latest issue focused on the theme of Seeds. Our piece (pictured above) was conceived as a mini architectural shrine to the wonder of seeds and envisioning a more abundant community.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE
READ OUR ARTIST STATEMENT HERE

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READ
MOLD MAGAZINE ISSUE 5: SEEDS

This issue features compelling articles exploring the magic and the value of seeds and what plant intelligence can teach us about creating a deeper connection with the natural world and cultivating for the future.

GET THE LATEST ISSUE HERE

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WATCH
BIRDERS: The Central Park Effect

A delightful and poetic documentary about the fabulous assemblage of birds that come through Central Park during their migration north as well as those who make the Ramble their home. Next time you go out, grab a pair of binoculars and explore which birds are in your region!

WATCH DOCUMENTARY HERE

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DO
GUIDE BOOK FOR NATURE

Spotter's guides of Trees, Birds, Flowers, Shells, The Night Sky and many more. Each book's beautifully-produced guides with colorful illustrations helps you keep track of your sightings. Something about the analog experience of these makes getting out and exploring so enticing.

PURCHASE THE BOOKS HERE

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Courtesy of FOGO Podcast

LISTEN
FEAR OF GOING OUTSIDE

Hosted by avid indoors-woman Ivy Le, FOGO is a nature podcast that is determined to ensure its listeners are prepped and ready to camp no matter what their actual experience is with the great outdoors. Start here if you are unsure exactly what you should bring on your next adventure and what to do when you get there and most importantly, what to type into google to get the right gear.

LISTEN PODCAST HERE

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"Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else."

- Leonardo DaVinci

Design Fundraiser - #DesignForATL

C O M M U N I T Y I N I T I A T I V E

D E S I G N F U N D R A I S E R

We are heartbroken by the recent tragedy that took place in Atlanta. It's not new news that there has been a gross increase in hate crime incidents against Asians since the onset of Covid 19. In just one year alone, there have been nearly 2,800 cases in which Asian people and elders have been verbally and physically assaulted and even killed. While each and every one of these unprovoked incidents have been extremely hurtful to the AAPI community, the heinous hate crime that took place in Atlanta is the straw that broke the camel's back.

As we're navigating through our emotions, we've found solace in solidarity with our Asian friends & colleagues in the design community. Together with our non-Asian allies, we decided to stepped up and do something to help turn feeling of despair and hopelessness into something positive and constructive.

We're incredibly proud and grateful to be a part of @DesignForATL, an Instagram-based fundraising program spearheaded by Jenny Nguyen of @hellohuman.us , Arati Rao of @tantuvi and Jean Lee of @ladiesandgentlemenstudio, three AAPI business founders in the design space.

Community is one of the most important aspects of our studio's practice. For us, it's humbling to be part of a community as means of creating a deeper sense of connection to a collective consciousness that's way bigger than ourselves.

@DesignForATL, is a proud example of this - a together of 90+ designers & makers to raise funds directed to the Atlanta victim’s families and children via the non-profit organization @advancing_justice_atl We are humbled by the love and solidarity of the independent design community and hope you'll join us in your support.

For the @DesignForATL giveaway, we're donating one of our Lightscape Candle Light.

We chose this particular piece to help bring a glimmer of light and hope in these dark times. This piece focuses on one of the most elemental of human-made illuminations: the flame. While mundane and familiar, the candle occupies a special place in the human psyche and we set out to better understand why and how its qualities can create engaging intimate experiences of presence.

1. Follow @DesignForATL to see participating designers and giveaway products.

2. Read the caption on each product post for detailed instructions on entry prices and info. Each giveaway entry prices ranges from $5-$20/entry with no limit to number of entries.

3. To enter the giveaways, go to Advancing Justice Atlanta to make your donation. You MUST enter in the notes field: #DesignForATL [ enter STUDIO NAME you like to enter for]

4. Fundraiser will END ON 3/28 SUNDAY, midnight EST

5. Winners will be announced on 3/30 TUESDAY

IMPORTANT NOTE:

• Please remember to enter the giveaway info specified in step 3. If you do not add the special note when you donate, your donation cannot be counted as an entry.

• You can donate as many times you want if you’d like to enter multiple giveaways.

• All giveaways ships to US domestic locations only.

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@DesignForATL now have 100+ participants from all over the US who generously donated their work to help with this cause. There's a wide selection of products from incredible AAPI & non-AAPI designers, makers, and stores from small things like jewelry, bags, artwork, accessories, to even bigger items like furniture, lighting and design services. This is a way to donate for a good cause and get a chance to win some incredible things for yourself and your loved ones. Good luck!

List of some contributors: Herman Miller, Noguchi Museum, The Future Perfect, Dims, Coming Soon, Alex Proba Pat Kim, Kaarem, Karl Zahn, Building BLock, Object Totem, Juju Made, Sophie Lou Jacobsen, Eny Lee Parker, Rosie Li Studio, Egg Collective, Chiaozza, Kaarem, Chen & Kai, Aja & Blanc, Fort Standard and MANY MORE!

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ABOUT THE ORGANIZER
JEAN LEE of L&G STUDIO

Jean Lee is one half of Ladies & Gentlemen who's born in in Taiwan and moved to the US at the age of 8 without knowing a word of English. She learned to adapt and pave her own path in pursuing her passion for design and working collaboratively with the design community and beyond.
@ladiesandgentlemenstudio

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ABOUT THE ORGANIZER
JENNY NGUYEN of HELLO HUMAN PR

Jenny Nguyen is the founder of Hello Human PR. A new PR collective she formed since COVID of last year. As an Vietnamese immigrant growing up in Australia and now lives in NYC, she believes that representations matters, and devotes her practice in amplifying the AAPI and BIPOC creative communities.
@hellohuman.us

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ABOUT THE ORGANIZER
ARATI RAO of TANTUVI

Arati Rao, the founder of Tantuvi is a South Asian American who was born in Brooklyn NY. As an Indian descent, she founded Tantuvi as a way to further embrace and reconnect with her own culture by working directly with artisans in India to elevate and amplify her heritage in the design industry.
@Tantuvi

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"To be hybrid anticipates the future. This is America, the nation of all nationalities. For us to fall into the Fascist line of race bigotry is to defeat our unique personality and strength."

- Isamu Noguchi

L&G Recommendation series No. 7 : In Light of Hope

Like so many creative business owners, 2020 has ushered in an opportunity to look both inward and outward to re-rethink how we, as a small, but impassioned studio can contribute towards greater social impact - to be part of building a brighter, more evolved future.

It's been a year of reckoning and realization that we can all do more for our neighbors, community, society, and the environment. It's become clear that by shifting our focus to care for others and things outside of our bubbles, we'll intrinsically begin to do better for ourselves.

In this spirit, L&G spent the past 6 months getting involved volunteering, fundraising, donating, and doing pro-bono design work for local non-profit organizations (see list below). All were deeply rewarding and only the beginning of what will be a regular part of our studio's evolving practice.

These experiences have also prompted a deeper introspection upon the implications of the objects we create. If objects are the facilitators between our intentions and actions - we must increasingly ensure that our intentions are thoughtfully and holistically eliciting greater presence and care for the physical world. Above all, we're committed to earnestly diving deeper into this idea as a means to deploy design as a catalyst for change.

We believe this design effort should start with the basic and elemental of what we know and practice - beginning with the idea of light. To start, we've focused on one of the most elemental of human-made illuminations: the flame. While mundane and familiar, the candle occupies a special place in the human psyche and we set out to better understand why and how its qualities can create engaging spatial experiences while celebrating elemental properties and forms.

We began with a reexamination of the humble flame's inherent qualities - gaining new appreciation for its warm visual temperature, dynamic movement, and dramatic castings of glow and shadow on its surroundings. Inspired by the principles of Moholy-Nagy's "Light Modulators" we conceived of an intersecting composition of perforated and polished metal shapes which house a simple candle. The assembly's surfaces reflect, refract, and obscure the subtly flickering candlelight to create a complex interplay of highlights and shadows which cast onto nearby architecture to create a rich, dynamic spatial experience.

Produced as a limited edition series, Lightscape Candle Holder is offered by L&G directly with 50% of proceeds donated to Soul Fire Farm, an organization committed to addressing the generational racism embedded in US agricultural practices. Their mission aligns with L&G’s belief that the world can be made better through an elemental engagement with the physical world. Like a flame, food represents hope and vitality simply and honestly - representing a beacon of light for a more connected way of living.

Photos by Charlie Schuck

As seen in recent features in: NYT / Sight Unseen / Design Milk

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LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS L&G HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH:

Learn more & support these wonderful organizations.

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Courtesy of Vogue

Food Justice
SOUL FIRE FARM

Soul Fire Farm is a BIPOC*-centered community farm committed to ending racism and injustice in the food system. We feel deeply aligned with their mission of empowering one another by gaining a deeper appreciation and understanding of the world through physical engagement and community.

LEARN MORE HERE AND SUPPORT 

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Courtesy of Design Advocates

Safe Shelters
DESIGN ADVOCATES

Design Advocates is a platform for architects and designers to share resources and collaborate on efforts to serve the public good through pro-bono projects, research, and advocacy. L&G Studio teamed up with NY-based architects to design a framework for homeless shelters to offer a safe and welcoming space for the community.
SEE PROJECT HERE

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Courtesy of Heart of Dinner

Food Access
HEART OF DINNER

Since Covid, this grass-roots organization has been providing weekly meals to thousands of Asian elders throughout Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens who have been suffering from food isolation, Covid health risks, and xenophobic racial threats. L&G has been helping deliver meals and handwritten notes. As the winter season approaches, they need even more support.
LEARN MORE HERE & SUPPORT

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Voting Rights
FLORIDA RIGHTS RESTORATION COALITION
Back in October, we participated in a collective fundraising effort to #freethevote for Floridians, which raised $731,372 to help pay the fees for formerly convicted citizens to regain their rights to vote after serving their time. You can continue to support the end of this discrimination and promote a more regenerative prison reentry system.
LEARN MORE HERE AND SUPPORT

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"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, Do better."

-Maya Angelou

L&G Recommendation series No. 6: Learning to (Un)Learn

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R E A D

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The Color of Law

by Richard Rothstein

Owning property is a way in which families acquire and build intergenerational wealth. In Rothstein's book, he aims to highlight how a specific generation of African Americans were robbed of an opportunity to create and pass down such wealth by their own government. The New Deal, beginning in 1933, promised to raise an entire country devastated by the Great Depression. Rothstein shows us how the local, state, and federal housing policies introduced in the New Deal actively perpetuated segregation in America, and hurt black families’ access to economic progress.. Through policies like "redlining", the Federal Housing Administration directly furthered segregation efforts by refusing to insure mortgages in African American communities, while, simultaneously, subsidizing mass housing projects for Whites with the special requirement that none of these houses be sold to Black people. These policies ensured that African Americans and other POC were left out of suburban developments and pushed into urban housing projects. The link takes you to a NPR interview with the author, Richard Rothstein, a must listen!

The Purpose of Power - How We Come Together When We Fall Apart

by Alicia Garza

From the co-creator of Black Lives Matter and one of the country's leading organizers, The Purpose of Power encompasses over two decades of lessons Alicia Garza has had to learn and unlearn regarding organizing, especially focusing on how we can make room for those who are still awakening within the woke and how that effort can lead to even more inspiration and activism that can create a better world for all.

Race-ing Art History

by Kimberly N Pinder

Who gets to define art? What is art? What is low art and what is high art? Composed of 22 essays, divided into four parts, this book aims to retell art history through the lenses of race, gender, otherness, and blackness, highlighting the ways in which race has been acknowledged or ignored in art history. From essays like "Making a Man of Him": Masculinity and the Black Body in Mid-Nineteenth-Century American Sculpture,” by Michael Hatt, to “The Other Immigrant: The Experiences and Achievements of Afro-Asian Artists in the Metropolis,” by Rasheed Araeen, this book provides a framework for an interdisciplinary approach to analyzing and discussing race within art and our culture, introducing fascinating and useful new perspectives from which to decode cultural issues.

What Does It Mean to Decolonize Design?

by Anoushka Khandwala

Decolonization vs. Diversity: Two terms we increasingly seen today in ways that are often used interchangeably, but are they interchangeable? Khandwala argues that, though the terms are linked, they are not the same. This must-read article provides a clear framework around what it means to decolonize design and design history, as well as offering a long list of resources on Further Research and (un)Learning Resources. He distinguishes these useful terms brilliantly, identifying decolonization as the process of changing one’s way of thinking, and diversity as the natural result of opening one’s thinking to that which is new and different.

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W A T C H

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The Black Power Mixtape (1967-1975)

A documentary film directed by Göran Olsson,

Featuring found footage shot by Swedish journalists in American between '67 through '75, the documentary investigates the evolution of the Black Power movement in America through interviews and commentaries from leading African-Americans including Dr. Martin Luther King, Angela Davis, Louis Farrakhan, Stokely Carmichael, Bobby Seale, Huey P. Newton, and many other artists, activists, and scholars of the time. Cut into nine chronologically presented sections, the film touches on topics from the Black Panther Party to the Vietnam War and the War on Drugs.Did I mention it also features additional voices from contemporaries such as Erykah Badu, Questlove, Harry Belafonte and many more? A must watch!

Teach Us All

A Film by Sonia Lowman

Teach Us All is a documentary and social justice campaign on educational inequality set against the backdrop of the 1957 Little Rock school crisis. Sixty years after the Little Rock Nine faced violent resistance when desegregating Central High in Arkansas, America’s schools continue to represent the key battleground of the Civil Rights Movement. Teach Us All demonstrates powerful lessons from history within a timely context, emphasizing the need for unity and collective action to rectify the disparities among America’s children. The Teach Us All social justice campaign seeks to build the capacity of students and educators to take leadership in carrying forth the legacy of the Little Rock Nine while activating broader community engagement in today’s urgent need for educational equity. Teach Us All is written and directed by Sonia Lowman.

13th

A documentary film directed by Ava DuVernay

In this critically acclaimed documentary, DuVernay contends that the criminalization of behavioral issues continues to enable police to arrest disproportionately large numbers of poor Black people. Those imprisoned often work long, hard hours for incredibly low wages. Their labor benefits the state and private contractors immensely. To DuVernay, this practice replicates some of the worst abuses of slavery. re. This economic injustice, coupled with the war on drugs and many other targeted policies which heavily affect minorities, leads to the extremely high numbers of people of color imprisoned today. 13th offers viewers a thorough education on the prison-industrial complex and how private corporations benefit from such incarcerations. A solid case study on why the privatizing of prisons should not be seriously re-evaluated. Further reading: The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander.

The Central Park Five

Documentary by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon

Documentary follows the five boys who were wrongfully convicted of raping a jogger in Central Park in 1989. The five young men spent6 to 13 years in prison, until a serial rapist confessed to the crime. At the time of the crime, Donald J Trump took out an entire page in the newspaper urging the boys receive the death penalty. The troubling documentary shows the sequence of spectacularly serious errors in policing and prosecuting, and urges its viewers to consider the terrible wrongs such errors can cause.

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L I S T E N

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Still Processing -

A New York Times podcast with hosts Jenna Wortham & Wesley Morris. This incredibly thoughtful culture podcast offers fascinating discussions on books, TV, movies, current events and history. A perfect mix of education, pop culture, and intriguing topics and guests..

The Michelle Obama Podcast

Hosted by Michelle Obama herself, the series bring listeners the former First Lady's most candid and personal conversations, showing us what's possible when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, to open up, and to focus on what matters most.

The podcast centers on the relationships that shape us, from siblings and close friends to partners, parents, and mentors to our relationship with ourselves and our health.

Code Switch Podcast

The podcast explores how race impacts society from politics and pop culture to history, sports and everything in between.

Episode Recommendation: Unmasking the “Outside Agitator”

1619 Podcast

.Part of a larger ongoing New York Times Magazine project called the “1619 Project”, the audio series from The NY Times observing the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. The project as a whole aims to re-contextualize and reframe American history through slavery and the contributions of African Americans.

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D O

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The Great Unlearn curated by Rachel Cargle

Sign up For Rachel Cargle's THE GREAT UNLEARN via Patreon. The Great Unlearn is a self-paced, self-priced learning collective. The membership program provides monthly syllabi, reading lists, and lectures on history of Race, eco-feminism. etc. to continue learning beyond school and have critical discourse with a diverse community.

Photo: Courtesy of Rachel Cargle’s Instagram

Read the Guide to Allyship

An open source starter guide on how to be a more thoughtful ally.

Support Black-Owned Book Stores: Here is a list provided by Well-Read Black Girl

Photo: Courtesy of Well-Read Black Girl: sign up for their newsletter to receive monthly book club reads!

Join the Colloqate Design Network

Colloqate Design multidisciplinary Architecture + Design Justice practice focused on expanding community access to, and building power through the design of social, civic, and cultural spaces.

L&G Recommendation series No. 3 : Rediscover

Inside L&G Studio space, shelving system from Vitsoe / Photography: Charlie Schuck

As society's dialog begins to recenter around "rebuilding", we continue to reflect on how the elemental values of design can help foster meaning, intentionality, and help in people's lives going forward.  This is in mind, we're reminded of one of our favorite design heroes:  Dieter Rams.

During the intense rebuilding process following World War II, Dieter presented a novel new vision of clarity through his mantra of "Less but More".  This notion has always rung true to us - a timeless beacon encouraging design to distill the essentials of function and experience in ways that allow people to feel present and free in their lives.  The "more" is significant because it implies a value that's human-centric not object-centric.  With all the complexities of life today -  this mantra is ever resonating:  How can our surroundings bring us peace and focus on the truly important things in life?  

As we spend more time reflecting on everything, we are reminded of the value to continue to rediscover the things that have inspired us and still continues to do so. Ever since we were students studying design years ago, Dieter's ethos has formed the core of what we believe as designers and try to instill in our everyday practice.  In honor of that, we'd like to share our genuine admiration for Dieter Rams and what makes him so inspiring.

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L&G RECOMMENDATIONS SERIES NO.3: REDISCOVER

Studio
OBJECT SHRINE

Dieter's 606 Universal shelving system installed in our Red Hook studio serves as a 3D inspiration board that holds our experiments, books, and collections from friends and travels.  It's our shrine and a daily reminder to always stay curious and explorative.  See how L&G arranges things  HERE!

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Courtesy of Vitsoe

Book
THE POWER OF GOOD DESIGN

We love this perfect pocket-size book from Vitsoe that shares Dieter Rams'  10 Principles of Design.  It's still just as relevant today as it was 60 years ago.  Read or print the digital version HERE!  

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Courtesy of Gary Hustwit

Watch
RAMS: A FILM ABOUT DIETER RAMS

Starting this week, Film director, Gary Hustwit is streaming Rams film about Dieter Rams for FREE!  It's a beautifully shot film that highlights his philosophy and reminds us how we always learn and strive to better as designers. Watch the whole film for free HERE.  (until April 21st)

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Courtesy of Vitsoe

Discover
VITSOE SHELVING

VItsoe is the company that has been producing Dieter Ram's shelving and furniture design since 1960.  Still to this day the design has stayed true to its original vision since day one....60 years ago!  It's no mistake why the system is named 606 Universal Shelving.   See this incredible universal system HERE. 

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L&G Recommendation series No. 2 : Light & Darkness

(Photo Collaboration with Robin Stein for Vignette Jewelry collection)

We'd like to continue to share some recommendations on building resiliency mentally, physically, and creatively in these uncertain times.  

It's an understatement to say there's a lot of darkness in our world right now. It is feeling like an all-encompassing cloud.  However, with any darkness, there's a counterforce of lightness.  However dim it may seem now, it's important to recognize these two things always exist in tandem and essential in bringing true harmony physically or mentally.  

This week, we dive into the duality of opposites as a means to understand our current position and our future.

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L&G RECOMMENDATIONS SERIES NO.2: LIGHT & DARKNESS

Photo by Robin Stein, a collaboration with Giancarlo Valle

Product
NEGATIVE  SPACE

There is a powerful force at work in negative space, it's the space we exist in with our rituals, actions, and thoughts.  Our Myrna wall mount light operates in concert with the space around it - creating an inviting intimate canopy to exist under.  

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Book
IN PRAISE OF SHADOWS

In Praise of Shadows by Junichiro Tanizaki, is an essay where Tanizaki shares his philosophy and perspectives on the value of finding harmony by embracing the contrast between light and darkness. 

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Courtesy of Noguchi Museum

Podcast
FINDING BEAUTY THROUGH DARKNESS

This 99% Invisible's Play Mountain episode focuses on Isamu Noguchi's life-long endeavor to create open sculptural playgrounds and not giving up on his vision to bring beauty through adversity and hardship.

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Talk
ON BEING ALONE

People In Places, a new lecture series about the interconnectedness between people and spaces. Organized by our close-collaborators from Office of Tangible Space, join this week's online discussion on what it means to be alone.

Watch the recorded session HERE and also extra recommended reading materials related to that topic.

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