Core77

Reporting by Temenouzhka Zaharieva. Photos by Mihail Novakov

The Ministry of Pleasure is an intriguing name for "a new platform uniting the international creative sector." The group was launched last year in Macedonia by Skopje Design Week. As the organizers explain, "Do not be confused by the word-play: it is about pleasure, indeed. Only it might be different...Instead of consumerist, instantly paid and devoured, instantly forgotten and replaced, there is another kind of interaction with the world around us—it is called creation, creativity. Although it seems extinct, the pleasure of conceiving and idea...of bringing it to life with one's own hands" is what this name is about. The idea is to make it an international platform showcasing the work of emerging and established artists, designers and architects from Macedonia.

Ministry of Pleasure's touring exhibition was presented at an equally interesting setting during Sofia Design Week 2012—at A:PART:MENTAL, a home-gallery situated in one of the old city apartments in the centre of Sofia with quite an unusual interior. As you can see from the photos, many of the walls are adorned with colorful drawings and numerous texts.

The exhibition includes prototypes and industrial products by young and upcoming Macedonian designers :

LIFE Lines collection from Zavar - designer radiators by Marta Naumovska-Grnarova

Multifunctional furniture Infinito by Slave Ristomanov, made of tube-shaped sponges that can be adepted to everyone's needs

Lighting by Annebet Phillips, a Dutch guest designer who recently started working in Macedonia

Jewelry by Emilija Damjanovic Noris

A chair made of polypropylene hose by Mario Shiplich which can be disassembled and assembled at any time, and is also very comfortable.