Design criticism

Designing is one thing, but writing about design is another. While design criticism may come with negative associations, elitist downtalking, it too provides the means to reflect on material culture. This brings up the question of how we build up an environment for respectful reflections on the things we make or have been made in the past, that simultaneously aims to deepen our insights on our everyday and material culture. Yet where is that space for design criticism today?

Platform Pudding

Such questions were at the core of a new initiative, supported by the Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie, that investigated the current state of design criticism. Rather than remaining on the sidelines, the initiative has led to the launch of a new platform that creates space for cross-pollination of reflections from voices across the field, ranging from established authors to curators.

We will discuss the space for design criticism and the development of this new platform – including the first issue on Proof – with the initiators: Karmen Samson, an independent author and researcher in the field of fashion; Mijke Tonnon, freelance curator and editor at Blauwdruk Publishers; and Kylièn Bergh, researcher in design culture and lecturer at the Royal Academy of Art and Vrije Universiteit.

BNO Zefir7

BNO Zefir7 is a monthly designers’ café supported by the BNO and hosted by Stroom Den Haag. Send ‘keep me posted’ as a subject to this email address to receive announcements.