Wieki Somers' Coat Rack Carousel

Working under the name Haunting Dogs Full of Grace, Dutch designers Jurgen Bey, Ted Noten, Wieki Somers, Bertjan Pot, Simon Heijdens and Frank Bruggeman have created works for the new entrance of art and design museum Boijmans Van Beuningen.

Rather than behaving as interior designers, the group took a conceptual approach. They were interested in visitors experiencing design, turning mundane situations like hanging your coat into a process to enjoy. In doing-so they were demonstrating how conceptual thinking can be integrated into everyday experiences.

For one of the pieces, Wieki Somers designed a coat rack carousel in place of a cloakroom, shown above. Visitors haul their coats up to the ceiling on a pulley, integrating their jackets into the exhibit.

Two things in particular attract me to this piece of work. The first is how beautiful it looks: the light and colour dance around to give it a chandelier-like quality, made all the more striking by its large scale. The second is the way in which the piece has been specifically designed for engagement and contribution by its audience. Rather than creating an installation which is precious, to be seen but not touched, an important part of its concept is its functional use. Visitors are invited to contribute to it by the addition of their own coat: certainly more engaging that passing your coat through a hatch!

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