PROGRAM 2002 (JUNE 12 - NOVEMBER 25, 2002)
DESIGN, ART, FILM, FOOD, BAR, CLUB

Uglycute's concept was formed by their motto of 'respecting by ignoring' and resulted in furniture and self-service by automatic vending machines for the kitchen's gourmet food. The automatised self-service restaurant with its ongoing exhibitions was a kind of self-propelled eco system, a culture-nature. The design of the room surrounding this automaton culture was to be a tilted diner: two rows of tables along the two long walls of the dining room; the row at the windows at right angles to the outer wall, and the row at the inner wall tilted diagonally. With their working method, uglycute wanted to point to different production forms and invoke feelings like, "But I could have done that myself!" On each table there was a unique ceramic piece, a conversation piece for salt, pepper and toothpicks. These objects were produced by a group of ten people during a weekend.

Excerpt from Uglycute's project description:
"Djurgården, as well as Djurgårdsbrunn, is cultivated nature, a laid-out English park, the canal was dug and paved by man, as was the well.

The self-service restaurant is also cultivated nature, a kind of rough landscape in which the guests gather their own berries. Thus the interior functions as a surrounding for the gatherer with the small difference that the vending machines replace the berry plants and the electricity replaces the photosynthesis. From a design point of view the ambivalence between the artificial and the natural presents a rich source for exploration. Material with various degrees of processing and human interference can be mixed, met and collided.

The automatised self-service restaurant with its ongoing exhibitions is a kind of self-propelled eco system, a culture-nature.

The design of the room surrounding this automaton culture was to be a tilted diner: two rows of tables along the two long walls of the dining room; the row at the windows at right angles to the outer wall, and the row at the inner wall tilted diagonally. For the tables: benches. With their working method, uglycute wanted to point to different production forms. The furniture may invoke feelings like, “But I could have done that myself!”, in the user.

On each table there is a unique ceramic piece, a conversation piece for salt, pepper and toothpicks. These objects were produced by some ten people one weekend.

The actual act of bringing together people who create something with their own hands while discussing and conversing is an act in which theory and practice become one.

Respecting by Ignoring

A practice which always relates to history may lead to timeworn and misunderstood ideas about architecture and design.

The iconic modernism of today’s design often feels like an expression for a lazy attitude towards social progress and new thinking. Public and social places could be designed in such a way that one understands that, “The ceiling is high in here”.

In order for something to be perceived as flexible and influenceable, it is important to treat history with laid-back respect. Sometimes the best way of respecting the old may be to ignore it completely. What is important is to respect one’s own age and the possibilities of the future, with the firm belief that one is a product of one’s own time; a time which of course is a product of history but which one also can influence.

Sometimes one has to rub up certain buildings the wrong way. A building which is important from a culture-historical point of view is not necessarily shown respect by tactfully extending it, but can, on the contrary, appear in a better light if the new extension clashes with the old.

To a large extent, Uglycute builds their work on ideas of collisions and clashes, which is implied in the name: ugly and cute. Uglycute envisioned a comfortable place where one would like to spend some time, and which is the actual goal of the walk on Djurgården, but which, on closer inspection, turns out to challenge certain ideas about the design of our environment, our age and the future. An interior which rests in comfortableness but which does not induce sleep. Clashes of styles, novel juxtapositions of material and mixed references keep the visitors on their toes. The unknown shapes the new."

"The Influence Machine" by Tony Oursler was the first full-scale art project at Magasin 3 Projekt Djurgårdsbrunn. In the work, which was shown during three evenings in September (20 - 22/9 - 2002), Tony Oursler mixed fragmentary voices from the history of technology, images of heads, a hand knocking, projected in darkness on clouds of smoke, trees and surrounding buildings. He used the landscape as a stage for blown-up text projections of SMS messages and e-mails sent in by the local crowd.

Read more about "The Influence Machine >

The second art project was another outdoor piece which, during the period of October 19-26, changed the site again with its 150 square meter rug "Allemansrätten" ('Legal right of access to private land') by the artist group Raketa. The work functioned as a portable park, a mobile room, and has previously been shown in San Francisco and Kaliningrad.

For the opening, Richard Julin, curator Magasin 3 Stockholm Konsthall, put together a film program, focusing on art, architecture and design. The first installment consisted of historical films about the World Exhibition at Djurgården, young Nordic video art, and the classic film, "Power of Ten", by the designers Ray and Charles Eames. Another three programs were produced and screened non-stop at Projekt Djurgårdsbrunn's Screening Room.

The film program in August-September dealt with the borderland of music, fashion and art. The following contained a selection of earlier video works by Tony Oursler. His work "Nine-Eleven" was screened non-stop on the first anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, on September 11, 2001, as was a documentary on "The Influence Machine" Projekt Djurgårdsbrunn in 2002. Documentary footage of the locations where the work "Allemansrätten" has been placed around the world, was also shown.

Download the film program (PDF) >

The restaurant, led by the chefs Johan Skogh and Thomas Omfors, offered gourmet food in the self-service café. Dishes such as pâté de foie de gras, lobster, homely fare, sandwiches, pannacotta, tiramisu and other delicacies were all served in the vending machines designed specifically for Djurgårdsbrunn by uglycute. The outdoor soup kitchen by the open fires on the front courtyard was opened in conjunction with the launch of Raketas art installation "Allemansrätten" in October 2002.

The music and art club "Tomtar på Loftet" ('Bats in the Belfry') visited Projekt Djurgårdsbrunn every second Thursday. The club was arranged by Trollets ljud- och spritsystem ('The Troll's Sound and Drink System'), with Matti Kallioinen, Fredrik Söderberg and Roberto Peyre-Nordberg, who invited different guest artists and guest DJs every night. Among others: Reala, Bella Rune, Jacob Boeskov, Sara Lundén, Blood Music and as guest DJs: Marina Schiptjenko, Magnus Bärtås, Marianne Lindberg De Geer and Jan Eriksson together with a performance by Nils Edvardsson.