Golden Ticket - NYTimes.com Julie Ho and Nicholas Andersen of ConfettiSystem transform simple materials like tissue paper and foil into something unexpected (like piñatas you'd never want to break). For the March 18 issue of T, the duo created a ""lush, textural landscape from which the T would subtly emerge,"" Ho says. ConfettiSystem began as a rock band but found designing backdrops for their shows even more rewarding. They've since collaborated with fashion lines like Creatures of the Wind and nightspots like Candeleria, in Paris. Where did you get the idea for this T? Our "Gold Fringed Wall" is one of our favorite pieces! It is a large canvas covered in thousands of strips of hand-cut gold fringe, creating a textural, fluid metallic landscape. We envisioned the "T" subtly emerging from this lush golden landscape. We were inspired by the contrast between classic architectural lettering and our simple materials. How did you design and execute the project? We built a large three-dimensional T and carefully covered it in gold fringe. It is such a beautiful form, we wanted to accentuate the lines and curves with the fringed surface. It's amazing to see the solid letter form covered in delicate foil, and brought to life with light. We are in love with the animation our photographer Leonard Fong created. It's mesmerizing! What became of the T? Where is it now? We are in the midst of creating a frame for it to be shown at the T Magazine party in Milan for Design Week in early April. Why is gold such a big part of your practice? In our work we love experimenting with the idea of the permanent and the ephemeral, and transmitting a mood and energy to the viewer. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny and malleable metal, and associated with a variety of symbols and ideologies. We enjoy the play between these strong connotations and our love of transforming simple everyday materials. Fill in the blank: T stands for ____________. Transcendence.