Tokyo Designersblock 문서들 모음

1968 Revolutions #

Oct. 7th thu. – 11th mon., 2004

Main Areas:
At galleries, boutiques, vacant land, in Aoyama, Shibuya, Harajuku, Daikanyama

1968 was the year that reflected the period of revolutions and turbulence.
Music transcended the time and design reflected the period. Political movements such as May revolution in Paris and Shinjuku riot in Tokyo left impact on people’s life.
The impact of this year grows to become the hope for people to be able to change the world by themselves.
But if we look back at those days, questions proposed at that time may remain unsolved.

The unsolved question sparked Nationalism and Globalization.
New waves of incidents happened: Short board surfing was born in Australian coasts.
Young people putting on jeans pants showing part of their hips were wandering on the streets.
The Beatles’ White Album created new phase of musical culture.
These changes were revolutions in 1968 that opened up people’s desire to answer the fundamental questions.
SURF REVOLUTIONS LIFE REVOLUTIONS

This year, 2004, has the similarity in terms of desire for changes.
It is now that we question the fundamental questions once again from universal views.
What was the question that was asked all around the world in those days?
What are the questions we are asking ourselves this year: What is the design? What is the space design? What are life and living?
DESIGN REVOLUTION

We once again question the cultures born in 1968.
We create new values regardless of concepts that have already been made.
Now, what truly changes the world is the design that possesses the essential of living.
We are convinced of the power of the design.

Producer of Tokyo Designers Block

Teruo Kurosaki

* 저자 / 출처 : http://www.tokyodesignersblock.com/2004/designer/

[edit]
tokyo designers block #

oct. 7 – 11, 2004
http://www.tokyodesignersblock.com/2004

most pictures by janine parker, some by mno design.

1968…

‘1968 was the year that reflected the period of revolutions and turbulence. music transcended the time and design reflected the period. political movements such as may revolution in paris and shinjuku riot in tokyo left impact on people’s life. the impact of this year grows to become the hope for people to be able to change the world by themselves. but if we look back at those days, questions proposed at that time may remain unsolved.

the unsolved question sparked nationalism and globalization. new waves of incidents happened: short board surfing was born in australian coasts. young people putting on jeans pants showing part of their hips were wandering on the streets. the beatles’ white album created new phase of musical culture. these changes were revolutions in 1968 that opened up people’s desire to answer the fundamental questions.

SURF REVOLUTIONS LIFE REVOLUTIONS

this year, 2004, has the similarity in terms of desire for changes. It is now that we question the fundamental questions once again
from universal views. what was the question that was asked all around the world in those days?

what are the questions we are asking ourselves this year: what is the design? what is the space design? what are life and living?
DESIGN REVOLUTION

we once again question the cultures born in 1968. we create new values regardless of concepts that have already been made. now, what truly changes the world is the design that possesses the essential of living. we are convinced of the power of the design.

text by teruo kurosaki


the producer of this five-day event ‘tokyo designers block is teruo kurosaki. he started an international empire of interior innovation through his idée and sputnik furniture lines. kurosaki wants now, via the staging of the fifth tokyo designers block, to exhibit the virtues of japanese design culture to the rest of the world. though not himself a designer, kurosaki has been called the ’terence conran of japan’ and become synonymous with a new wave of lifestyle design that is, first and foremost,
born out of tokyo’s peculiar urban milieu.

he studied physics and was supposed to be scientist or an engineer but decided that he wanted to work with interiors, architecture and the environment. in the 1980s, kurosaki opened a small interior design workshop in tokyo’s aoyama district and began making the acquaintance of the then still unknown designers philippe starck and marc newson. he exhibited his line ‘sputnik’ in the london designers block and could relate with those people, with their more edgy, alternative ways of showing design.

london designers block was the initial inspiration for the TDB. ”

* Author / Gathered from : http://www.designboom.com/snapshots/tdb04/1.html

[edit]
Tokyo Designers Block Registration Overview #

1968…..is the concept coined for Tokyo Designers Block 2004.
We are looking for participants to join us in creating designs that flow from the “happy chaos” which permeates the city of Tokyo.

Tokyo Designers Block Registration Overview

Date

Oct. 7th thu – 11th mon 2004

Period of Registration

June 1st tue – July 31st sat 2004
Individual entry
Corporate or group entry

June 1st tue – July 1st thu 2004
Sponsored entry

Conditions

Tokyo Designers Block is open to any and all designers, artists and creators, professionals and non-professionals.

*The entries, after being exhibited, are scheduled for publishment in a TDB official publication.
In this case the applicant does not receive any payment. The applicant is deemed in compliance with the above mentioned regulations, once the entry is submitted.

Details

There are three ways to participate in TDB.
Individual entry, Corporate or group entry, and sponsored entry.

1. Entry for individuals

This is for individual entry, but is not limited to a single product by an individual. The details are shown below.

The designer will automatically be eligible for the TDB Award and any other awards.
TDB committee will help in finding the exhibition spaces.
Designer will be introduced through the TDB official media outlets, (booklet and the website)
Blog(Weblog system) account will be distributed.
TDB tools will be distributed. (1 TDB flag / 1 official booklet / 1 name plate / invitation for official party / designers kit….)

2. Entry for Corporate or Group

This is for corporations or groups wishing to participate in TDB, exhibit their work, and jointly submit entries.

The designers will automatically be eligible for the TDB Award and any other awards.
TDB committee will help finding the exhibition spaces.
Designer will be introduced through the TDB official media, (booklet and the website)
Blog (Weblog system) account will be distributed.
TDB tools will be distributed. (1 TDB flag / 1 official booklet / 1 name plate / invitation for official party / designers kit….)
3. Sponsored entry

TDB will support individual designers and creators who present work that the TDB committee feels is new and unique. You may note your desire to be a sponsored entry when you submit your application.

Possible number of sponsored entry
10 designers (about)
Detail of sponsored entry
Designers will be exempt from entrance fee. TDB will assist in the exhibition of these works, logistics, and related PR work.
Registration Procedure
Please enter by registering for sponsored entry. After the entry is done, please fill in the application format and send it with other materials indicated by the TDB committee.
Deadline for the registration and submition
July 1st 2004
Announcement
July 15th (Will be posted on this website)
Things to submit
+ Entry sheet
+ Concept sheet of the exhibition
+ Portfolio (will not be sent back)

Entry Fee

for individual designer 105,000 JPY (tax included)
for corporate or group 525,000 JPY (tax included)

* Bank account and other details on the payment of entry fee will be sent to you as an invoice format after your registration is completed. (We will ask for the entry fee to be transferred to the appointed bank account)

Flow of Entry

Please register through this website.
To register, please click on the “To registration procedure” button and go to the page that reads, “TDB Terms & Conditions”. If you accept the terms and conditions, please follow with the registration procedure.
Deadline of registration: July 31st 2004
(Deadline of sponcered enry is July 1st)

After you have completed your registration, the invoice for the entry fee will be sent to you. It should be sent to you within about a week. Please transfer the entry fee to the appointed bank account.

Your registration will be fully completed after we confirm your payment. Then we will e-mail a password to you, and this is what you will need to access information about your exhibition and other such details.

Please register your exhibition details; such as exhibition location and the exhibition contents, through the website. What you input here, will be what is written about you in the booklet and the official website.
Deadline of registration: August 10th 2004

* 저자 / 출처 : http://www.tokyodesignersblock.com/2004/designer/en/tdb.do

[edit]
2003 #
[edit]
Tokyo Designers Block 2003 #

Tokyo, is an intriguing and interesting city.
Addresses certainly exist, but unlike Western countries where they are based on streets, numbers are appointed to areas making it difficult to find your destination at first glance. Funky cafes, and hip stores are hidden on the back streets, rather than main streets and avenues.
Inspired by Designers Block in London, I have tried to emanate the spirit in which designers collaborate and express themselves. What makes London Designers Block distinctive is that young designers rely very little on commercial enterprises and do not use conventional means of exhibiting their work. Instead they collaborate and rent old brick warehouses, creating a more individualistic and interesting approach to express themselves.

Reflecting on the landscape of Tokyo, we see a situation in which many different aesthetic tastes and expressions of design co-exist. Right before our eyes a new cultural appreciation is being born and is re-shaping our society. Designers use aesthetics as a weapon to cut through societal restrictions and conventions; to recreate and redesign society.

In this way the landscape of Tokyo is changing slowly, bit by bit, and this is what we desire and hope to achieve through TDB.

Producer of Tokyo Designers Block
Teruo Kurosaki

* 저자 / 출처 : http://www.tokyodesignersblock.com/2003/designer/

[edit]
TDB 2003 Competition #

In 1950, Edgar Kaufman Jr. wrote a book called, Introduction to Modern Design: What Is Modern Design & What Is Modern Interior Design, (published by MOMA Publications). He was a curator at the Museum of Modern Art in NY, and was the co-founder of the GOOD DESIGN? competition with Charles and Ray Eames, and Eero Saarinen. “Good Design” quickly became a coin word for product design that was both excellent and endurable. The revived awareness of “Good Design” in a contemporary landscape catapulted into a pursuit for products that were considered to be well-designed. This consciousness of design excellence was pivotal in paving the way for design today.

Now, 50 years later, more and more people have begun to doubt the concept of a solitary meaning of “good design”. Originally, the concept was an effective way to develop design based on function and aesthetic appeal. In the process of globalization and diversification of values among people in the modern world, however, defining one standard of design, that is considered to be ‘good’, proved to be a difficult task. Of course, what we have developed in the process and pursuit of good design cannot be denied, but the questions of how these standards are decided and judged must be re-addressed.

With the Tokyo Designers Block competition titled, “Bad Design in the Worst Spaces”, we are challenging this concept of ‘good design’ and suggesting a reevaluation in the way design is judged. This is by no means, a call for badly designed products, but more of a call for people to open their mind and let go of definitive standards of design excellence.

As I mentioned above, in accepting diversified values among people, good design has a direct correlation to when, where and by whom it is used, in order for it to be judged as good. If bad design is used in the ‘worst’ space, it could be a viable choice for the designer. In considering the product, what is considered the ‘best’ design is between the designer and user of the product, not an acceptance by general opinion.

For this competition, it is really important to consider the space and environment in which the product will be used, considering the specific user, not consensus of what type of design is considered to be ‘good’. We are really looking forward to designed furniture and interior products based on a more free way of thinking about design!

* 저자 / 출처 : http://www.tokyodesignersblock.com/2003/designer/en/competition.do

[edit]
2003 #
[edit]
Introduction of TDB 2002 #

lf you get in a taxi in Tokyo, tell the destination to the driver. Or, you can hardly get there. There is certain adress, but it’s just difficult or vacant understandable to reach the exact adress here. If you go to the back streets around Harajuku or Aoyama, you can walk around safely, and you will find some small trendy cafes, shops, galleries, and even pretty flower shops. There, it exists that some senses of the design. but, it’s not easy to tell you what it is.

We want to spot light and emphasize this approch to the beauty of the city. Tokyo Designers Block is not a design event nor a trade show of products designs. We are willing to make fun of design and try the best how design can do to the society in Tokyo city.

Dear my friends designers, let’s play with Tokyo City with us. Design has no Boundaries
Tokyo Designers Block Producer
Kurosaki Teruro

Event
Tokyo Designers Block 2001
Period
October 10th (Thu.) – 14th (Mon.), 2002

Areas
Aoyama
Harajuku
Shibuya
Daikanyama
Roppongi
Ebisu

Sponsor
Tokyo Designers Block Committee

* 저자 / 출처 : http://www.tokyodesignersblock.com/2002/about/index.php?page=about

Tokyo Designers block 2004

oct. 7 – 11, 2004 http://www.tokyodesignersblock.com/2004

most pictures by janine parker, some by mno design. (디자인 붐 웹진의 실제 링크에 클로즈업한 사진자료 다수..)

1968…

‘1968 was the year that reflected the period of revolutions
and turbulence. music transcended the time and design reflected
the period. political movements such as may revolution in paris
and shinjuku riot in tokyo left impact on people’s life.
the impact of this year grows to become the hope for people to be
able to change the world by themselves.
but if we look back at those days, questions proposed at that time
may remain unsolved.

the unsolved question sparked nationalism and globalization.
new waves of incidents happened: short board surfing was
born in australian coasts.
young people putting on jeans pants showing part of their hips
were wandering on the streets. the beatles’ white album created
new phase of musical culture. these changes were revolutions
in 1968 that opened up people’s desire to answer the fundamental
questions.

SURF REVOLUTIONS LIFE REVOLUTIONS

this year, 2004, has the similarity in terms of desire for changes.
It is now that we question the fundamental questions once again
from universal views. what was the question that was asked all
around the world in those days? what are the questions we are
asking ourselves this year: what is the design?
what is the space design? what are life and living?
DESIGN REVOLUTION

we once again question the cultures born in 1968.
we create new values regardless of concepts that have already
been made. now, what truly changes the world is the design that
possesses the essential of living.
we are convinced of the power of the design.’

text by teruo kurosaki

the producer of this five-day event ‘tokyo designers block is
teruo kurosaki. he started an international empire of interior
innovation through his idée and sputnik furniture lines.
kurosaki wants now, via the staging of the fifth tokyo designers
block, to exhibit the virtues of japanese design culture to the
rest of the world. though not himself a designer, kurosaki has
been called the ’terence conran of japan’ and become synonymous
with a new wave of lifestyle design that is, first and foremost,
born out of tokyo’s peculiar urban milieu.
he studied physics and was supposed to be scientist or an
engineer but decided that he wanted to work with interiors,
architecture and the environment.
in the 1980s, kurosaki opened a small interior design workshop
in tokyo’s aoyama district and began making the acquaintance
of the then still unknown designers philippe starck and
marc newson. he exhibited his line ‘sputnik’ in the london
designers block and could relate with those people,
with their more edgy, alternative ways of showing design.
london designers block was the initial inspiration for the TDB.

* 저자 / 출처 : 디자인붐 http://www.designboom.com/snapshots/tdb04/1.html

We’ve got no money: Designersblock

“We’ve got no money.” That’s what Piers Roberts and Rory Dodd – aka designersblock – say when you ask them why they live and work in a dilapidated former pub in a shabby backstreet off Kingsland Road in East London. But the building is the perfect base for a company that is the raw antidote to the slick commercialism of much of the contemporary design scene. We’ve got no money: Designersblock 더보기

문화관광부의 ‘새예술 정책’ 시안

컬쳐뉴스 [기획] 새예술 정책 미리보기 / 4. 시각예술부문

citizenk00_20040211203336.jpg

▲ 과천현대미술관 전경. 시민들의 접근성이 떨어진다는 비판이 꾸준히 제기됐다.

문화관광부는 문예진흥원의 한국문화예술위원회(가칭) 개편 등 새로운 예술환경에 발맞춘 ‘새예술 정책’을 2월말에 발표할 예정으로 현재 의견수렴 중에 있습니다. 이에 본지는 ‘새예술 정책'(시안)의 내용을 요약하여 소개합니다. 독자들의 많은 관심과 향후 이 정책에 대한 각계의 의견개진을 기대합니다.(문화부 정책토론방 바로가기)

이 기사는 컬쳐뉴스의 기사를 갈무리했습니다.

글 싣는 순서
1. 총론 -①
2. 총론 -②
3. 문학부문
4. 시각예술부문
5. 공연예술부문
6. 전통예술·지역문화부문

4. 시각예술부문

(1)환경변화와 수요 전망

시각예술분야에 있어 가장 중요한 환경변화는 지식정보와 사회로 인한 디지털 문화의 확산이다. 첨단매체의 활용이 증가하는 것과 함께 장르 해체와 복합화 경향이 증대하고 있으며 미디어 아트가 새 장르로 급부상하고 있는 것이 이를 보여주고 있다. 일반적인 환경의 변화로는 △주5일제 확대와 소득증대로 인한 삶의 질 추구 가치 확산 △민주주의 발전과 시민사회 성장 △지방자치제의 정착과 지역분권을 통한 지역문화 활성화 요구 증대 등이 꼽힌다. 이밖에도 새예술정책은 지자체와 민간이 주도하는 각종 국제미술 행사가 증대하는 등 세계화 및 동북아 지역의 블록화가 진행됨에 따라 해외미술시장 진출 가능성이 증대되고 있다고 전망하고 있다.

(2)기존 정책의 문제점

새예술정책은 시각예술분야 기존 정책의 문제점을 대략 다음의 여섯 가지로 파악하고 있다. 이는 1)순수미술 위주의 지원정책으로 인한 사진, 디자인, 공예 등 장르간 지원 불균형 초래 2)창작스튜디오 개념 미비, 문예진흥기금 절대액 부족 등 창작지원의 문제 3)국립현대미술관의 접근성 문제, 공립미술관 절대량 부족, 사립미술관 지원 미비 등 인프라 조성의 문제 4)건축물 미술장식제도 시행상의 혼란 등 예술향수 부문의 문제 5)미술시장의 장기침체, 해외미술시장 개척을 위한 지원, 사진에 대한 진흥책 미비 등 미술시장 문제 6)국제비엔날레 참가 및 이론적 학술적 교류를 포함하는 국제교류 지원 부족 등이다. 추진전략 및 정책의 방향은 이 문제점들을 기반으로 하고 있다.

(3)중점 추진과제

과제1. 국립미술관 체제 개편 및 운영 활성화
국립미술관의 운영 활성화를 위해서는 ①국립현대미술관 서울 시내 이전 추진 ②국립현대미술관 조직개편 및 전문인력 확충 ③덕수궁 분관의 근대미술 연구 및 전시 기능 강화 ④국군기무사 부지 활용방안 마련 등이 과제로 꼽혔다. 시민들의 접근성이 떨어지는 현재의 국립현대미술관을 서울로 이전, 전문인력 확충을 통해 조직구조를 개편하는 것은 물론, 덕수궁 분관을 이용한 근대미술연구를 강화하고 사간동 기무사 부지에 국립21세기 미술관을 설립하여 미디어아트 분야의 활성화를 도모하겠다는 것이다.

과제2. 등록미술관 확충 및 운영 활성화
등록미술관 운영활성화 항목에는 ①공립미술관 확충 및 운영활성화 ②사립미술관 확충 및 운영활성화 ③학예사 제도 개편 및 미술관 전문인력 양성 등이 과제로 선정됐다. 현재 절대량이 부족한 공립미술관의 확충을 위해 1시도 1미술관 사업을 지속적으로 추진하는 한편, 규모에 따른 운영기준을 강화하는 것과 함께, 수적으로 절대다수를 차지하고 있으나 운영의 어려움을 겪고 있는 사립미술관에 대한 실태조사와 지원이 필요하다는 것이다. 여기에 전문인력 양성을 위해 학예사 제도를 개편하는 것과 함께 연수프로그램 확대, 전문인력간 네트워크 구축, 인턴제도 확대 등이 제시되었다.

과제3. 젊은 미술가의 실험적, 대안적 창작 지원
신진작가 지원을 위해 ①마로니에 미술관을 영국 ICA나 프랑스 팔레 드 도쿄와 같은 지원센터로 육성하는 동시에 ②대안공간에 대한 지원기준을 정비하고 지원의 다각화를 통해 민간 비영리 미술공간 지원을 확대하는 방안이 제시됐다.

과제4. 창작스튜디오 확충 및 레지던스 프로그램 도입
작가들의 창작활동지원을 위해 ①창작스튜디오 설치 근거법 제정②국립창작스튜디오 운영개선 및 국제창작스튜디오 조성③공립 창작스튜디오 확충 및 운영 활성화④개인 및 민간 창작스튜디오 지원⑤전국 창작스튜디오 네트워크 구축 등이 과제로 꼽혔다.

과제5. 공공부문의 미술품 활용 증대
미술품 활용을 통해 공공기관을 문화적으로 리모델링하는 동시에 신진작가의 작품 구입을 통해 창작을 지원하는 방안이다. 구체과제로 ①미술은행 제도 도입 ②공공기관 대민서비스 공간 개선 시범사업 실시 등이 선정되었다.

과제6. 건축물 미술 장식제도를 공공미술제도로 전환
건축물 미술 장식제도는 제도 도입의 취지를 살리지 못한 측면이 많았다. 이의 해결을 위해 ①미술장식 개념을 공공미술로 확대 ②민간건축주 미술장식비용 기금출연시 할인혜택 부여 ③국가 등 공공기관의 미술장식비용을 1% 이상으로 환원 ④제도의 투명한 관리를 위해 공공미술 데이터베이스 구축 ⑤공공미술 중개업체 등록제도 도입 및 중개수수료 양성화 ⑥공공미술센터를 설치하여 시행 평가 및 감리기능 강화 등의 대안을 제시하고 있다.

과제7. 문화도시 조성을 위한 건축의 역할 증대
도시의 문화경쟁력을 제고하고 문화공간을 조성하기 위해서는 건축의 역할이 필수적이다. 이를 위해 ①문화공간정책을 추진할 수 있는 문화부 내 조직체계 일원화 ②문화공간 인증제도의 도입 ③가로, 공원, 광장, 어린이 놀이터 등의 문화적 리모델링 사업 추진 ④도시문화 거점공간 조성 ⑤도심 내 사용하지 않는 공장, 발전소, 공공시설 등을 문화시설로 전환 ⑥도시 역사문화 회복과 근대건축물의 보존 및 지속가능한 활용 등을 과제로 선정하고 있다.

과제8. 디자인의 문화적 가치 확산
디자인에 대한 문화정책적 접근은 사회 전체의 문화 수준과 삶의 질에 직결되는 문제이다. 새예술정책은 이를 위해 ①디자인 문화원 설립 ②국공립미술관 디자인부 설치 ③디자인미술관 개편 ④공공디자인 및 디자인 교육 전시회 개최 ⑤각종 공공사업에서 디자인 실시를 위한 제도적 장치 마련 등을 제시하고 있다.

과제9. 공예의 예술적, 산업적 가치의 조화발전
관광기념품 개발 정도의 인식에 머물러 있는 공예의 예술·산업적 가치를 제고하기 위해 ①한국공예문화진흥원 확대 개편 및 예술산업과로 이관 ②공예미술관 설립 ③인증 및 공모전 통합관리 시스템 지원 ④공예산업 클러스터 조성 등이 제시되었다.

과제10. 사진문화 진흥
이미 주요 예술형태로 등장한 사진문화 진흥을 위해 ①사진아카이브 설립 ②국가 및 지자체 공공건설 및 공공행사시 사진기록 의무화 ③젊은 세대 사진작가의 창작활동 지원을 위한 사진센터 설립 ④국립현대미술관 사진영상 콜렉션 체계화 등이 과제로 선정됐다.

과제11. 미술품 유통구조 개선 및 시장 활성화
작년 말, 미술품 종합소득세법이 폐지되었지만 미술시장의 침체는 여전하다. 불합리한 유통구조를 개혁하고 시장을 활성화 하기 위해 ①법인의 미술품 투자 규제 철폐 ②개인의 미술품 구입 우대방안 마련 ③미술품 감정연구소 설립 지원 ④화랑의 전속작가제도 운영 지원 ⑤미술품 경매 참여자의 신원 보장 ⑥해외시장 진출 화랑 및 경매사에 대한 융자지원제도 도입 등이 과제로 제시됐다.

과제12. 국제미술교류 확대
국제교류가 활성화되지 못해 세계 미술계에서 인지도·지명도가 낮은 한국미술의 현황을 타개하기 위해 ①국내 국제비엔날레 운영 효율성 제고 ②해외 국제비엔날레 참가 지원 ③외국 주요미술관 전시 유치 및 전국 순회전 지원 ④미술인 펠로우쉽 도입 등이 과제로 제시됐다.

[ATHⓒ컬처뉴스] 2004-02-11 오후 8:33:37

구축된 공간

한국에서 금속공예를 전공하고
미국 로체스터공과대학RIT 에서
가구디자인을 전공한 류수현씨의 개인전

2월 10일- 23일
금산갤러리

사진; 구축된 공간 Constructed Space1- Chest of drawers
물푸레나무, 알루미늄
높이 142cm

류슈현
1968년 서울생
서울대학교와 대학원에서 금속공예전공
미국 로체스터 공과대학 가구디자인과 MFA
동대학에서 강의
로체스타 NTID 다이어아트센타에서 개인전

국민대 전용일교수 홈페이지에서 옮김

Designersblock Milan 2004 Previews

Designersblock’s edgy experimentalism is always a magnet for international design newcomers. As they weave plans for their latest Milan show, Fiona Sibley caught up with Designersblock’s two visionaries, Piers Roberts and Rory Dodd (left), at work in their semi-derelict pub down the road…

FS: What’s your philosophy?
Piers Roberts: We just create an open platform to allow people to present their ideas. We don’t have a philosophy or an aesthetic.
Rory Dodd: We like brave people. We were trying to think of a name for the Scottish show we are taking to Milan and I was impressed by how brave they are to stay in Scotland and do things for themselves there.
Piers: Attitude is important. So is money – it is a commercial show.

Fiona: How do people get to be part of a Designersblock show?
Piers: We don’t canvas people much. It works through word of mouth.
Rory: It’s a nice and organic selection process. People come to us. They generally know why they want to do Designersblock and most we end up putting in our shows. We do chase some people if we like their stuff – that how it started with Sam & Dan and Norway Says. People like our London spaces – it’s either us or 100% Design. The difference between our exhibitors is greater and not so directly competitive.
Piers: We want people in our shows to communicate with each other. There’s an enormous loyalty around Designersblock and a huge loyalty from the audience. A lot of people choose us to launch but they also come back to do more things.
Rory: Yeah – Olav Kolti has done nearly all of them.

Fiona: As you’re active at both, do you participate in the Milan versus London debate?
Piers: There are different traditions. Milan’s is long and very fantastic.
Rory: You can’t knock Milan – 43 years and going strong.
Piers: You can say that Milan is suffering from the downturn in the German economy and increased competition from elsewhere. But it’s a more obvious career path. The British tradition has not been creatively a very encouraging environment. But you get energy and drive from that frustration and lack of opportunity and having to do things for yourself.
Rory: London definitely has the capacity and the competency to justify the hype. But the industry needs more weight behind it. The London Design Festival is a brilliant start. We are totally convinced that if you put good design in front of the public they respond well to it. We used to get away with murder with the things we sold in our ?Brick Lane shop. People would buy the strangest things because they were good – and they understood it.
Piers: There are lots of cities across the world that want to stage big creative weeks now. Milan is like Cannes – it’s traditionally where the concepts are coming from.
Rory: Also the debate is far more sophisticated there. Milan’s design press is unrivalled and people think about things in a much better way. It’s the best place to make an impact. If you’re bold in Milan you are going to get noticed, particularly now as less money is being spent by the companies who used to put on lavish presentations. It’s probably still the best window to be seen through.
Piers: The important thing is that we understand the mindset of the people doing the shows themselves – we are very typical of a developing creative business, fighting against the same problems. That’s why are shows are linked to advice and training. We offer a shoulder in a real environment. We have analysed how creative businesses develop and came up with Risk It so that we are in a position to advise people.

Fiona: What excites you both at the moment?
Rory: Not London – that’s exciting. The whole area around the north-west of England – Liverpool, Manchester – is growing.
Piers: Preston in particular really gets what we are talking about with Risk It, our model for understanding how creative businesses develop. They have only just become a city and the regeneration initiatives are really well devised. We are looking forward to working more with them.
Rory: I’m really exciting about taking the Scottish show of 10 people to Milan. We want more people with an ambition to do things themselves. We’ve ordered our kilts.

Designersblock Milan 2004 is at Via Friuli, South East Milan. Nearest station: Lodi from April 13-19. The party – April 15.

www.designersblock.org.uk

February 2004

* 저자 / 출처 : ?HiddenArt http://www.hiddenart.com/news/interviews/designersblock