- 26th International Biennial of Graphic Design Brno 2014
- Graphic Design, Education & Schools
- 19.6.–26.10.2014
- 20.6.201416:00–20.6.201417:00Lecture
Åbäke (GB)
Seriously Forks X, a talk about talks
the principles of which are explained in this ‘Note to self’ as: “Thank the hosts, look at the audience. Never assume they know. Never assume they don’t. Answer questions clearly. Find contextually sound jokes. Improvise new things to say, check reactions. Pace yourself.”
Åbäke (GB)
The first time Francesco Spampinato heard the word Åbäke dates back to 2002, associated with electronic music label Kitsuné, which is also a quintessential parisienne fashion brand. In fact Kitsuné is just one galaxy – collateral and not even representative – of the Åbäke universe, a London-based design studio behind which lurk Patrick Lacey, Benjamin Reichen, Kajsa Ståhl and Maki Suzuki. Active since 2000, the Royal College of Art alumni count clients like the British Council and the Serpentine Gallery, and collaborations with fashion designers such as Hussein Chalayan and Maison Martin Margiela, artists such as Ryan Gander, Johanna Billing and Martino Gamper, and bands such as Air and Daft Punk.
As the term Åbäke suggests, however, the Swedish word for a large and cumbersome object, Francesco suspects that the group supports the burden of design on commission only to learn rules and conventions that it is happy to deconstruct at other times. Åbäke, indeed, is also responsible for meta-design projects, independent, transdisciplinary, strictly collective and often participatory: the dialogical digital platform for architecture Sexymachinery (2000–2008), the relational culinary events of Trattoria (2003), the publishing project Dent-De-Leone (2009), the propaganda for the imaginary Victoria & Alferd Museum (2010), and the spy agency Åffice Suzuki (2010).
For Åbäke constantly attracts the attention of the art world: most of its projects do not certainly meet criteria of functionality, but raise questions about how design conveys the forms of transmission of culture. Publications, curatorship, talks and workshops, indeed, are integral part of their activities. So when Spampinato invites the group to be part of his book on art collectives, Åbäke agrees to contribute if Francesco writes in exchange this biography, inserting himself, “so it isn't authorless,” in third person, putting thereby in crisis the role of the critic and the conditions under which he normally associates intellectual values to cultural phenomena.Related articles
Biennial Talks
20.–22.6.2014
The Biennial will open on 20 June 2014 with three days of lectures and presentations by world-famous designers and design theoreticians.
This symposium will provide an opportunity to become acquainted with some of the leading figures in international graphic design, their work, and their opinions. There will also be space for personal discussion and critical debate. The official languages are Czech and English.
Moderated by James Langdon (designer, GB)James Langdon is an independent designer. He is one of six directors of the artist-run gallery Eastside Projects in Birmingham, UK; and founder of the itinerant School for Design Fiction. In 2012 he received the Inform International Award for Conceptual Design, presented by Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst, Leipzig, Germany. He has worked as a designer for numerous artists, and for institutions including Book Works, London; Sternberg Press, Berlin; Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver; and OCA, Oslo. Curatorial initiatives include ‘Arefin & Arefin: The Graphic Design of Tony Arefin’, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, UK (2012); ‘Construction School’, Kunstverein, Amsterdam, Netherlands (2012); Norman Potter’s ‘In:quest of Icarus’, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands (2012); and ‘Book Show’, Eastside Projects, Birmingham, UK (2010). He has lectured internationally at institutions including Konstfack, Stockholm, Sweden; Camberwell College of Arts, London, UK; Werkplaats Typografie, Arnhem, Netherlands; HFG Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Germany; and Jan van Eyck Academie, Maastricht, Netherlands.
Fri 20.6.2014
- 20.6.201410:30–20.6.201411:00Lecture
introduction by the director of the Moravian Gallery in Brno
introduction by the curators of the 26th Brno Biennial 2014
- 20.6.201411:00–20.6.201412:00Lecture
Radana Lencová (CZ)
Comenia Script – a script not only for children
- 20.6.201412:00–20.6.201413:00Lecture
Barbara Steiner (AT)
Intricate Relationships
- 20.6.201415:00–20.6.201416:00Lecture
Rostislav Vaněk (CZ)
Graphic Design | Type Design
- 20.6.201416:00–20.6.201417:00Lecture
Åbäke (GB)
Seriously Forks X, a talk about talks
Sat 21.6.2014
- 21.6.201411:00–21.6.201412:00Lecture
Nina Paim (BR) with Emilia Bergmark (SE) and Corinne Gisel (CH)
Taking a Line for a Walk
- 21.6.201412:00–21.6.201413:00Lecture
Kurt Finsten (DK)
A Utopian Idea
- 21.6.201415:00–21.6.201416:00Lecture
Sulki & Min Choi (KR)
Off-White Talk on the Brno Biennial and Education
- 21.6.201416:00–21.6.201417:00Lecture
Mevis & Van Deursen (NL) with Moritz Küng (CH)
Our Art
Sun 22.6.2014
- 22.6.201411:00–22.6.201412:00Lecture
Tom Vandeputte (NL)
Beyond the Institution
- 22.6.201412:00–22.6.201413:00Lecture
Koenraad Dedobbeleer (BE)
Exhibit A: An Associative Travel Through Learning from a Formatted Space
- 22.6.201415:00–22.6.201416:00Lecture
Fraser Muggeridge (GB)
Typography with Words
- 22.6.201416:00–22.6.201417:00Lecture
Vladimír Kokolia (CZ)
Design = Crime
- 22.6.201417:00–22.6.201417:30Presentation
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