Core77

It's the year of Dangerous Minds at Gravity Free. Session 1 was kicked-off by presentations on fashion, fantasy, and fearless-ness.

Hailing all the way from Dubai, Charles White - often called the father of modern illustration - took us on tour of his evolution as a painter, "before" the world of Photoshop, to his modern-day role of mega-sculptor/environmental-designer. From his hey-day in New York as a skinny kid with long hair, White was known as the 'airbrush illustrator.' " I was always the 'airbrush illustrator'" he noted, " All my friends were illustrators, but i was the 'airbrush' illustrator."

Such specialization offered White the opportunity to become one of the foremost illustrators of our time. He pioneered paintings in chrome and depictions of famous floors, chock-full of flies and cigarettes (which he admitted were often a cover-up to splotches or mistakes). Success in the 2D world paved the way for his present day work as an environmental and experience designer on projects like Treasure Island and Atlantis. Most astounding is the power of White's pen, (er...airbrush?) translating an energy and life into these environments unlike any computer rendering we've ever seen. Could REAL drawings possibly be more REAL-life?

Super Cuties, Ryan Genz & Francesca Rosella took the stage next to present their work designing wearable experiences. Renown for their Hug Shirt, Genz and Rosella charmed the audience with a series of Fashion-cum-technology pieces that pushed the boundaries of Wearable Tech. Based on their 3 point process of 1) Feasibility (in terms of technology), 2) Sustainability (as a business and service model) and 3) Desirability (through user research), they presented the Cell-Phone dress, an On-the-move Skate Hoodie, and a series of kinetic clothing that does everything from change colors and pattern to send your loved one a secret message. Overall, the goal was to create intimate experiences through technology; for, as Ryan stated, "Portable does NOT mean wearable. Just because I strap a laptop to my belt doesn't mean I am wearing it." Proof that the technological revolutions really are, at heart, design revolutions.

Jaime Drake, a self-proclaimed society designer with a "dangerous" bent for color, closed out the first session with aplomb. Dressed in a stellar pink suit, Drake took us on a whirl wind tour of his latest, greatest (and loudest) interior designs. (Yes, that's him on the motorcycle above). Influenced by a painter mother and printer father, Drake was surrounded by color at an early age. Taking it to heart, he developed a signature style of 'mix', combining classic and modern details with vibrant colorways that led him to designing for the best of 'em (even NYC's very own Mayor Mike Bloomberg is one of Burke's clients). Ruthless direction and a strong artistic voice add to Burke's success. He offered advice on how to curate those hard-to-place "antiques":

"If it's your grandmothers, then fine we keep it; if it's something horrible you bought last week then it's GOT TO GO."

A totally OTT ('over the top', to quote Drake) romp that left us all remembering the point of design: experience experience experience.