Minimalist Awards
Welcome back to the Creative Awards London blog where we bring you the very best custom awards and trophies from our workshop. Design trends may come and go, after all they are trends, but truly exceptional designs and movements stand the test of time. Previously, we have covered the Bauhaus movement and its influence on design and architecture, the rigid lines and complex curves standing testament to the German movement. In today’s blog we explore five awards influenced by minimalism.
Minimalism emerged in the late 1950s when artists such as Frank Stella, whose Black Paintings were exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1959, began to turn away from the gestural art of the previous generation.In contrast to the previous decade's more subjective Abstract Expressionists, minimalists were also influenced by composers John Cage and LaMonte Young, poet William Carlos Williams, and the landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Minimalism, across art, design, music and fashion offered a purified form of beauty and can also be seen as representing such qualities as balance, order, simplicity and harmony.
The Black Rod Aluminium award features a monotone colour scheme showcasing the brilliance of clean, minimalist design. Precision engineered from aircraft grade aluminium, the anodised finish creates a matte tone resulting in an almost organic-like feel. The logo of the event was engraved into the top of the piece, and the winners' details are engraved into the upright shaft, cutting through the black layer and revealing the raw aluminium underneath.
The classic monotone colour scheme is repeated in the Acrylic H Award. A thick black letter H was CNC’d from acrylic Perspex in the font of helvetica for this custom made piece. The shiny h contrasts with the satin finished aluminium creating a counterpoint in both form and colour.
The Silver Carbon Molecule Encapsulated in Clear Acrylic Award pushes the boundaries of what an award can be. Equally at home in an awards cabinet as an art gallery, this incredible bespoke award is truly something special. To create this magnificent piece, a solid silver molecule was created from a digital master. Industry leading techniques were applied to encapsulate the metal piece into optically clear acrylic resulting in the arresting and impressive award. The award itself is something organic. The silver molecule distorts and moves depending on the viewing angle, creating an almost life-like and flowing piece. To finish, the bespoke award was hand polished and engraved creating a custom made award that showcases unique and thought provoking design.
Inspired by the classic designs of the cars that the awards celebrate, the Grand Prix Lasered Maple Award uses a modern form inspired by minimalism. Forgoing the traditional body and base design of an award, the single piece of FSC-approved maple is the entire award in and unto itself. The laser engraved details were inspired by the motifs of the race track and historic cars creating a contrast to the rigid shape of the body.
Instantly recognisable, The D&AD Pencils are the world's most coveted design awards, given to designers who exhibit the very finest examples of design and art direction. A stylised pencil, representing the power of thought, creativity and ideas uses a three way colour scheme to tastefully capture the power of the brand and awards.Hand crafted from the highest quality FSC-approved beech, the awards are finished in Pantone-matched paints and a high-build, high-gloss lacquer.
Minimalism, in all its forms, has left a lasting legacy on our culture and society allowing us to question the fundamentals of design and aesthetics. For more information on any of the awards featured, contact our teams sales@creativeawardslondon.co.uk or call 020 8159 2748.