Bowwow WOW! Congratulations to Inhouse Brand Architects: their decorated Magis puppy, Caste-Aside, has been judged top dog in the South African leg of the Bowwow Contest! Own your favourite pup by bidding in the online auction now.
Bowwow is an international competition and exhibition that commissions designers to unleash their imaginations on iconic Magis Puppies. The original Magis Puppy was created for the contemporary Italian design brand by designer Eero Aarnio in 2005, and to date over 60 000 thoroughbred plastic moulded canines have found homes worldwide.
ID Solutions and the Design Indaba Trust selected 50 South Africans with impeccable design pedigrees to participate in the South African leg of the 2009 Bowwow initiative. The command? Groom and coiffure the dogs to showcase South African design spirit to the world.
The dressed up doggies were on show at this year’s Design Indaba. The competition was adjudicated by award-winning French design team, 5.5 designers, highly regarded for their accessible consumption alternatives that transcend the ordinary, while maintaining a sense of humour.
Great news is that you have a chance to own one of these unique showdogs! They are being auctioned online. 50% of the proceeds will go toward bursaries awarded to design students through the Design Indaba Trust, and 50% toward the commissioning of a public sculpture for the Greenpoint Stadium Precinct. See details of how to place your bid below, and hurry, because there’s no time to waste!
Our South African champion, Caste Aside, is now on his way to represent the country in the international Bowwow competition, contested by 32 nations. We are confident that he’ll represent South Africa’s complexity faithfully. According to his creators, Inhouse Brand Architects:
“Our puppy loosely symbolises a coexisting First and Third World environment, almost invisible to each other, yet so interdependent that both worlds support each other creatively, financially and structurally, and are seen by the rest of the world as one.
“The First World is represented as a highly polished, shiny surface without any visual cracks and illustrates Caste-Aside’s tag line, 'Every Dog Has Its Day', in all 11 official languages. The surface is engraved using structural lines representing the South African flag and the boundaries of the nine major provinces.
“The Third World is more obvious and transparent. Made up from a skeletal frame, creatively decorated using local brands’ logos and hand-crafted panels utilising local crafters’ skills, it’s as if a street kid had pieced together his/her own puppy using immediately-available materials.
“Caste Aside’s collar and chain represent the boundaries we place between each world, trying desperately to protect ourselves from each other when, in fact, there’s no need.”
To bid on Caste Aside, or any other Bowwow Puppy that has stolen your heart, hurry to http://www.bowwow-sa.co.za. Bidding closes on 31 March 2009. Going… Going…
