Arfex’2007. Press release. Results

Arfex – The Fest of Beauty and Design

Arfex’2007 exposition impressed its visitors with the variety of art objects, which decorate the interior and bring some charm to our entire life. The guests could find anything they needed here – from the project of an apartment or house, materials for its building and finishing, to furniture and style accessories.

ANTARUS (St Petersburg) introduced unique panels for fast-erectable buildings, materials and technologies for modern furniture production; ASTRAL DESIGN (Korolev), the glass manufacturer, demonstrated the products of plate glass, stained-glass windows and decorative elements; KRISTAL Ltd (Moscow) introduced sliding wardrobes of various configurations, interior partitions, and wardrobe rooms turned to genuine art objects. The visitors from Moscow, Murmansk, Vladimir, Tula, Ryazan and other Russian cities got interested in high-quality juvenile furniture for study and rest, demonstrated by the children’s design studio LIVE RAINBOW. ASSAMBLEYA demonstrated a series of ergonomic furniture for office; FURNITURE EMPIRE AMETIST, ELBURG introduced stylish and high-grade furniture for dining-rooms; RAISKY SAD demonstrated exclusive rattan furniture; RATTAN PREMIER showed the collection of unusual leisure furniture; FURNITURE OF SLOVENIA introduced original bar chairs and cushioned furniture.

A stylish booth of the company FIESTA MEBEL was in the centerpiece of the exposition. Red and white and silver sofas and arm chairs reflected in mirror panels. A bed with an extraordinary arch with the inbuilt lamps excited general admiration. The exposition of Fiesta, designed by Evgeny Vilenkin, proved that design is one of the most important parts in furniture production and promotion.

EMPIRE OF BOGACHO brought a rich collection of chest drawers inspired by love for classical music and luxurious bronze items. URAL BRONZE introduced a fine collection of sculptures and accessories.

Designer’s dolls, batik, unusual ceramics, pictures and forged products displayed at the booths of Elena Ishchenko, Anastasia Kazakova, Victor Reshetnikov and Mikhail Vorobyev excited constant public’s interest.

Stylish interior for stylish people. This motto comes up the spirit of the exhibition. Knitted clothes from MARIA ANDREEVA BOUTIQUE OF ORENBURG SHAWLS AND WRAPS keep the warmth of their creator’s loving hands and make their consumers feel comfortable at any environment. The exhibition introduced designer’s jewelry and bijoux of the best Russian artists; the company KOZHART demonstrated leather bags and accessories; fantastically beautiful hats by TATIANA MELNICHENKO, everything that helps people express their individuality and makes them look even more attractive.

After wandering about the exhibition the tired guests had a good rest in massaging armchairs produced by ALDO and ALFA BUSINESS COOPERATION.

Picturesque fashion shows, pleasant music coming from ACCORD booth, wonderful flowers of MOKSHANSKY GREENHOUSE COMPLEX, cozy café created the unique atmosphere of Arfex.

The 6^th round of Kreata young designers contest was held at Arfex’2007. Visitors and specialists could see houses, restaurants, trade and exhibition grounds interior designs worked out by the students of S.G. Stroganov Moscow State University of Art and Industry; National Institute of Design; Institute of Modern Art; National Institute of Modern Design and young specialists from Moscow and Yekaterinburg. 34 contesters introduced 44 works at. Grand-prix was bestowed to the project of Andrei Bedov, The Bench. The jury chairman Evgeniy Vilenkin was quoted saying that “…Kreata contest organized in the framework of Euroexpofurniture and Arfex is a good opportunity for the youth to make a statement, get a qualified estimation of their works and study the demands of potential clients”.

On September 21 there was organized an opened discussion: Design – Is It a Fashionable Hobby or Serious Advantage? The discussion involved Georgy Afanasiev, the Head of the Expert Club of the Ministry of Industry and Energy of Russia; Andrei Shnabel, the Deputy Director General of Russian Association of Furniture and Woodworking Enterprises; Yury Sidorov, the Chairman of the Industrial Artistic and Technical Furniture Committee; Vyacheslav Vassiliev, the Editor of Furniture Factory magazine; Sergey Shevchuk, Director of ANTARUS; Alexander Leskin, Director of furniture factory FIESTA-MEBEL; Evgeniy Vilenkin, member of Moscow Designers Union; Ludmila Merkulova, the President of the National Institute of Modern Design and some other specialists.

The mediator of the discussion was Tatiana Suslova, the Leading Research Worker of Russian Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics. They discussed the problems of realization of the Design Development Conception in Russia, burning problems of individual and industrial design development in furniture production, peculiarities of professional education in the sphere of design and other up-to-date topics. Georgy Afanasiev stated that the problems of design are not taken into consideration at the governmental level and suggested offering economically sustainable proposals on the design development to the Expert Club. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Energy together with its Expert Club actively work in this direction. For instance there were organized several sittings of the Expert Club concerning design development in various industrial branches. Yury Sidorov emphasized that the history of furniture design and interior started in Russia 100 years ago and it can have a decent future due to the professionals graduating from S.G. Stroganov Moscow State University of Art and Industry, Schtiglits State Artistic Industrial Academy, Russian Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics and other professional universities. Development and improving of industrial design is especially important in the period of Russia preparing for WTO accession. According to Evgeniy Vilenkin, “…nowadays there is no culture of designer’s brand in Russia, and the exhibitions can be very important for its development. Generally speaking, such exhibitions as Arfex are the only platforms for the designers and furniture manufacturers to meet and communicate at a high professional level”. “Our discussion can’t solve the problems of designers and furniture enterprises. But it is a good opportunity to share ideas and have a fresh look at the burning problems. The future of Russian design depends on us, on improvement of our professional culture. It is necessary to unite the attempts of all the interested parties to make our future profitable”, resumed Tatiana Suslova.

Exhibitors and visitors at one call Arfex a “live” exhibition. Among the peculiarities of its business program are non-stop consultations, master classes and shows. Every day all comers could get a free professional consultation on interior design from the specialists of Design Consulting Centre headed by Teymouraz Kuchava and Consulting Centre of Moscow Designers Union. For the first time this year the magazine Sovremenny Dom gave consultations on landscape design and suburban building.

Master classes on glass decoration, designer’s bijoux and doll making and floristics and phyto-design were very popular with the guests. Art boutiques where the artists and designers shared their professional secrets with the interested comers were one of the best findings of the exhibition.

Beautiful images created at shows didn’t leave anyone indifferent. Laced jersey models of Anna Vitinina, evening dresses of Ksenia Ponomareva, accessories of Irina Pchelina, luxurious hats of Tatiana Melnichenko, collection of youth clothes of Diana Shaitanova and East Is a Delicate Matter clothes collection based on ethnic images of Narine Arushnyan excited the audience’s imagination.

Variety of exposition and high-topical business program of Arfex are aimed at creative reorganization of the environment and human perfection. That is why we call it a new type exhibition bringing harmony to the environment and people’s hearts. The purpose of it is support and development of Russian design. At the closing ceremony Valentina Smirnova, the analyst of Empire of Bogacho, said: “…the exhibition has gathered creative people in one place, and it is necessary for us, its participants. We see that we are moving in the right direction. We have realized that Russian products are better than imported ones. We know that we can set tones. We are Russian manufacturers and we are proud of our products. We are looking forward to Arfex’2008 to demonstrate our new achievements!”

[Tuesday, January 22, 2008]