BOLD dualities - Milan Design Week 2024
Baroness O. was asked by Belgium is Design, which promotes Belgian design around the world, to curate their exposition for Milan Design Week 2024. The task at hand: Envision a concept for the exposition that embodies the Belgian design landscape of twenty twenty four and make a selection of ten to fifteen designers to personify your vision. Challenge accepted…
And challenge challenged. Because immediately we knew that working within the regular boundaries would not work for the vision we have on design…
BOLD dualities
Titled BOLD Dualities, we wanted to show to the world the story of Belgium through the eye of design. Despite Belgium being a small country with a complex historical and political structure, its designers often exhibit humility, adaptability and ambiguity. We thought it was important to illustrate how designers adapt to the ambiguous identity of the country, navigate complex situations and engage with their surroundings. Above all, we wanted to highlight how this translates into their designs, how they stimulate and question the design industry, push boundaries within existing norms, and never shy away from challenges. This unique approach often distinguishes them from similar international profiles, allowing them to focus on a distinctive style of design that makes Belgian design truly unique.
Browsing the submissions on the open call noticed a common ground among designers in our divided country.
BOLD
In the selection we made we found this typical Belgian modesty in use of material or design, or the other way around. We found that each of the pieces selected break the boundaries of ordinary design with a twist to what is known as good or common design. Extrusions, unconventional use of materials, objects with no function at first sight, … make that these designs might look sober or even plain but if you look beyond that first sight, you discover more than meets the eye.
This selection shows cold and hard colors and materials such as metal, reflective materials, stone, plastics, ... The designs are often large pieces such as furniture, large deco objects, mirrors, ...
COLOURFUL
But we wouldn’t be Baroness O. if we didn’t went one step further and discovered an even stronger duality.
Because next to the common thread we found in the selection of designers, we noticed a group of designs that are less subtle. The 'Colorful' selection is small but brave, like our country. The objects are bold, extroverted and striking. Unlike the 'BOLD selection, these designs are smaller objects in size, such as vases, tableware, wall objects, etc. The colors used are bright and cheerful, the materials such as ceramics and textiles are warm.
The expo
Wanting to make the most out of our vision and tell the story as strong and elaborate as possible we decided to take not fifteen but thirty Belgian designers and studios. The wider selection gave us the opportunity to give the contradictions that mark Belgian design a more detailed body, perfectly envisioned by scenographer Karel Burssens and photographer Lydie Nesvadba.
Colofon
curated by @_baronesso
for @belgiumisdesign at @baranzate_ateliers
scenography by @karel.burssens & @10adk
photography by Lydie Nesvadba & Marek Swoboda
exhibition sound by @wietlengeler