R/A/P is a studio for experimental design creating clothing, accessories, and interior objects.
Situated at the intersection of art and design, R/A/P explores the dialogue between the two disciplines and their complementary nature. R/A/P approaches design through conceptual and procedural methods. The abbreviation R/A/P stands for Radical Adults Productions, and is inspired by a song title from the experimental rockband Sonic Youth.
All pieces are crafted by hand. The studio is run by visual artist Johannes Buss
Buss decontextualizes forms that were never intended to function as design. Technical patterns and grids originating often from architecture and the public sphere are extracted, and subsequently digitally reconstructed as laser-cut stencils and stamps.
The application of these created tools onto fabric, paper, and wood is a central part of the design process. This manual practice adds an additional layer of design by leaving room for imperfection and unexpected outcomes. Misprints and mistakes are not necessarily discarded. Depending on their results, they can be the starting point for a new idea or a way of production. Embracing these unforeseen elements is an integral part of Buss’s experimental design practice.
Johannes Buss studied Visual Arts at the Academy for Art & Design AKI in Enschede, the Netherlands, and at Emily Carr University of Art & Design (ECUAD) in Vancouver, Canada, from 1994 to 1999. He has been based in Berlin since 1999.
His practice moves across visual art, spatial design, and scenography. His work has been presented in exhibitions and realized in a variety of contexts, including music festivals, clubs, and theatre productions
Selected presentations include Luzerner Theater (1999); Barbican Art Centre, London (2001); Johannesburg Art Gallery and Goethe-Institut Johannesburg (2004); Exit Art, New York (2005); Badischer Kunstverein, Karlsruhe (2008); Münchner Kammerspiele (2009); Städtische Kunsthalle Lothringer 13, Munich (2010); German Embassy, London (2011); Schau Fenster, Berlin (2015); Uckermark Festival (2016); Kunsthalle am Hamburger Platz, Berlin (2018); Willem Twee, Den Bosch (2018); and Pavillon am Milchhof, Berlin (2020)
Selected assignments and projects include the Bag Factory, Johannesburg (2004); Haus der Kunst, Munich (2007–2013); Jeu de Paume, Paris (2008); Medienschule Babelsberg, Potsdam (2012–2013); Berlin Festival (2013); Anta Helena Recke (2015); Ballhaus Ost, Berlin (2016); Aua Wir Leben Festival, Bern (2016); Münchner Kammerspiele (2016); and Lollapalooza Festival, Berlin (2017)
