Faking Impossible Bottles…

I have hesitated for a while whether to share this cheap cheat bit here or not, because if you have ever dealt seriously with the subject of “impossible bottles” and its masters like Harry Eng, you will know that it’s an absolute no-go and a disgrace to temper with the bottle you are trying to stuff stuff into in any way!

Yet it is understandable that not everybody with just a passing interest in this matter has the means or know-how, not to mention the patience, to master this craft and art. (I have actually tried it, and it is both an arduous and satisfying experience. You can read a bit more about it here.)

So for those easy come, easy go folks among you, let me tell you that there’s a fake “bottle” out there (it’s not even made of glass) that you can easily fill with the biggest and most complex objects, which should make for a nice display on any shelf. This bottle I came across is produced by Peleg Design (they also produce other magic-themed paraphernalia), and its shabby secret is not actually designed to be hidden well:

ImpBottle_ch

Let’s consider this as a beginner’s ticket into the wonderful world of impossible bottles. But please do not trick yourself into believing that you have accomplished anything magical by filling and displaying this kind of bottle!


 

Magic Heinrich Does the Trick (15)

The other day, my eager apprentice, Heinrich the Magic Hare, learned about the interplay of inspiration and transpiration (to quote Thomas Edison): Putting a deck of cards into a bottle looks like an impossible thing, and it takes just a glance to admire it, but “half of eternity” (as we say in German) to get the #%§!% thing in!

HHImpBottle

 

 

The Meaning of Beauty

The other day, we went to see the fabulous exhibition “Beauty” by designers Sagmeister&Walsh at Frankfurt’s Museum Angewandte Kunst (Museum of Applied Arts). Design does present art in meaningful and aesthetically pleasing ways.

This wonderful exhibition examines the meaning, diversity, and value of beauty in historical context. It is also interactive in the sense that it gives you several opportunities to rate your favorite design (shapes, colors, etc.) and to then compare your taste with those of other visitors.

In addition, Stefan Sagmeister invites you to send him an image of the most beautiful object you have ever created; he may then feature it on his Instagram account.

Not that I have created an awful lot objects in my life, let alone beautiful ones; but this would be my choice:

Impossible Bottle_bw