Ten designers or design studios revisit the history of Belgian design through the Design Generations exhibition, which is part of the Intersections Biennial event. A timeless journey encompassing both imagination and realism …
One of the aims of this exhibition is to give the world of design a fresh opportunity to explore new and unfamiliar paths. Laure Capitani, co-organiser of the event and Coordinator of Wallonia-Brussels Design Mode (WBDM) describes it as a great chance to have a more open dialogue to facilitate artistic inspiration at a deeper level. This prompted a practically unbounded flow of ideas in a variety of genres and formats – which sounds very much like the ENGEL & VÖLKERS concept. This in turn helped everyone to understand the diverse domains in which each of the contributors are active. Industrial design was naturally involved alongside graphic design, and textiles, for instance, have always had a close affinity with artistic design. Thus, whether it is viewed as a curiosity or as a distinctive aspect of design in its own right, fashion was also included in the exhibition. Indeed, this has given Olivia Borlée and Élodie Ouedraogo, athletes and creators of the brand 42-54, an opportunity to reveal their work and also their history to the public: a story of courage, conviction and hard work in which the Olympic gold medal they each won has been a key component. The brand name 42-54 is inspired by the time they ran the 4x100 metre relay at the 2008 Olympic Games. This event is much more than a crossroads, it’s a timeless encounter …
Giovanni Massini has the stimulating job of curating this truculent exhibition. The artistic director of the Triennale Reciprocity Liège set the tone for the individuals involved by creating a common narrative of shared feelings and emotions. Far from locking these 10 designers and studios in a rigid straitjacket, she gave them free rein to fully immerse themselves in Belgian cultural expression. This invitation from the ADAM Museum has allowed different artists time and space to draw inspiration from different objects, colours, shapes and textures. The gamble has paid off handsomely and led to a most seductive results: unique outcomes from each genre, all connected by a perennial flow of light and energy. Reconciling the different sensitivities has not been an easy task, and likewise, it has been equally tricky to reconcile the objectives of the various protagonists: the ADAM, the general public, WBDM, etc. But the impressive results shows this arduous reflection has sparked works of haunting charm expressing common passions and individual aspirations.
Ten designers each have their own stand to display their works. These ten virtuoso artists are: 42|54, Alain Berteau, Damien Gernay, Alain Gilles, Hoet & Hoet, Kaspar Hamacher, Luc Druez, LoudorDesign Studio, IOL, Sylvain Willenz. And without being overly modest, let’s acknowledge straight away that this is a wonderful array of talent. Each has a story to tell (his own and that of his world) through the colour, tone and form of his work. The realisation is magical and gives us much food for thought about our humanity, its past, present and future. As is the case with ENGEL & VÖLKERS, our lives and our opinions are revealed in the process of creating shape and form. Each artist understood the part his own talent would play in building the final matrix, the very quintessence of this exhibition: The past is there to be channelled, to inform the present and to inspire the future. This is a call for dialogue and discovery, a plea to nurture and value every creative impulse …