Studio Project 1 Draft -- Caffe Reggio

PROJECT PLAN/SUMMARY

Cafe Reggio is a place that holds a great deal of history within it. It is unlike any other coffee shop in New York City. What makes this place so unique is the mix of history, detail, atmosphere, vibe, and aesthetics it holds. When we visited Caffe Reggio, we were in awe of the amount of detail the place has. Inside, the cafe was filled with paintings (some of which come from the renaissance era), wooden benches and chairs that don’t match, and even the ceiling made up of a mosaic. Every inch is covered with detail.

Nonetheless, Caffe Reggio holds both this extreme/detailed aesthetic while simultaneously having a laid back/relaxed atmosphere and vibe. It feels almost as if it is in the middle between being relaxing and overwhelming. In our project, we want to embrace this idea of “extreme” and “overwhelming” with the juxtaposition of what a coffee shop is normally set out to be; a relaxed environment to go work, have a chat with friends, people watching, read, or just lay back for a couple of minutes, all things that happen at Cafe Reggio.

We will begin with a single paper that will rotate between all group members. Each participant will draw, write, or sketch (and even glue) anything they want to, with their choice of materials. The result will be somewhat of an overwhelming piece of mixed media art. Then, that paper will be scanned and printed multiple times. We will glue the prints together to create a “pattern” that serves as wallpaper. In the Barney building, we will assemble the big piece of paper onto a wall. We will do a set for the space with a coffee shop or tea party theme (with props like a table, teacups, chairs, flowers), and we will take a picture as if we were sitting in a cafe that has this print as its wallpaper. We will then take a picture, which will be the final piece. With this collaborative work, we want to create a space that feels like a lot (or maximalist) and simultaneously feels relaxed and minimalist, just like Caffe Reggio.