The Parallel Participant Program Events of the Istanbul Design Biennial Continue

“Parallel Participants” programme was organized for design focused companies and architectural design studios within the framework of the first Istanbul Design Biennial. Participants of the programme are planning a variety of events ranging from participatory and interactive workshops, to exhibitions, seminars, conversations, designers meetings and video screenings in their own venues, within the scope of biennial theme, “Imperfection” in order to present their own approaches to the biennial audience.

+D GROUP

Parallel Participant +D GROUP the Art of Living takes place at the Istanbul Design Biennial with three different activities.

RED PARTY: AGA cooking units, which he designed at the end of 1920s and has been shaped in the town of Coalbrookdale in England for about a century, are writing their own new story. The story of a domesticated industrial product was open to visitors on 17th and 18th November 2012 at the Kanyon Shopping Centre accompanied with a red installation.

WHITE PARTY: Can the main theme of a production line be culinary art? On 8th and 9th December 2012 from 10:00 – 18:30 a quick look at the cooking process with La Cornue meets the audience with a White Party concept and the experience, which has been maintained for three generations since 1908. Cooking and imperfection at the centre of the art of living…
On 2nd December Sunday Chef Didem ŞENOL and her team will conduct a three-session interactive conversation on the AGA cooking unit at Gram Restaurant.

ARZUM

Would things be a little different if the small home appliances that help bring out the creativity in women were designed by the very people who actually use them? On 13 November 2012 this pleasant topic was discussed by women who spend time with these appliances every day, in a cozy environment with the participation of General Director of Arzum Mr. Murat Kolbaşı and industrial designer Mr. Mete Mordağ. Ideas that were brought up in a completely different way than the ordinary revealed the user perspective with all of its aspects. With the participation of a user group consisting of 15 women in the design process; some basic design related decisions were questioned and new solutions were proposed.

BMS

Poltrona Frau and Herman Miller exhibitions carried out by one of Istanbul Design Biennial Parallel Participants BMS are open to visitors during the biennial.

HERMAN MILLER: Sitting is an imperfect act for human beings. It creates defects in the vertebra and muscular structure. Everybody is unique in the world, however, Herman Miller armchairs are suitable for %99 of the world population. They aim for the elimination of the imperfection, a simulation for sitting hanging in the air. On the other hand, the imperfect seats produced from re-cycled or used materials are respectful to the environment. “Seating for an Imperfect World” exhibition is at a special designated area at the Bilstore, where Herman Miller armchairs and explanations to various design principles are exhibited. At the introductory party of the exhibition which was organized by BMS, special guest Mark Catchlove from England made a presentation on “Changing Work Methods in the Re-Balanced World”.

POLTRONA FRAU: Can imperfection be an expression of beauty and uniqueness? Every small and invisible difference in Poltrona Frau products reveal the extraordinary craftsmanship that has been passed on from generation to generation. Celebrating its 100th year Poltrona Frau is exhibiting the structure of its Vanity Fair armchair which has become beautiful and comfortable due it its wrinkles, at the BMS Etiler showroom during the biennial. BMS held a special event for the exhibition, where a discussion was held with participation of Poltrona Frau Branding Manager Roberto Archetto and Designer Roberto Lazzeroni, during which a master craftsman from the Poltrona Frau factory showed the details of “100 year-old Handcrafts” with the invitees.

CAMHANE

Camhane is at two different venues with two different exhibitions within the scope of the Parallel Participant Program…
Installations and sculptures, on the subject of “Guardian Angel”, in a contemporary interpretation are reminiscent of Istanbul’s past civilizations. The volatility of time, the magic of past lives are reflected through natural materials such as glass and metal that integrates with the ‘SABI’ philosophy. “Guarding Angel” exhibition is welcoming visitors simultaneously in the Camhane’s historical Haliç (Golden Horn) building and Maçka Modern Gallery.

“Imperfection Perfected”, the joint work of Architect and Industrial Designer Ismail Oklugil and Glass Designer Yasemin Aslan Bakiri asks the following question by bringing a new ecological interpretation and consideration on the deformity of our current ecological imperfections through perfect object (newly transformed plants, design) narratives: “Can’t the doctrine, new admiration, my broken glass I cannot accept to be broken, my papers I cannot accept to crumple up, my new ecology which I fractured by banging on it, be my new object?” “Imperfection Perfected” exhibition can be visited at the historical Haliç (Golden Horn) building of Camhane.

CAMPER

The design director of Camper, Anuska Menendez Prieto, and the education director Eef Vicca organized a workshop on 8 November 2012 with the theme “A little better, never perfect” which is the brand’s fundamental slogan. At the end of the workshop which was joined by 15 students in total, 4 students’ designs were awarded and are showcased at the Camper Beyoğlu store until 12th December.

ÇEBİ

ÇEBİ is looking at the biennial’s main theme, Imperfection, and the irony that emerges between this theme and the industrial production through its own perspective with an exhibition named “Defect” between 5th and 18th November 2012. The results of this experience, in which the brand, with the aim to approach perfection through mass production, has gone through by reevaluating its decisions at every step of the process and searching the positive aspects of variability and uncertainty, was observed in the exhibition.

DHOKU

“Notations: An Exhibition of Kilim Recordings” featuring the designers Ayşe Birsel, Bibi Seck, Ela Cindoruk, Filip Pagowski Koray Özgen, Superpool, and “Kilim Alterations: Weaving an Exception” exhibition featuring the collective work of designers Ali Cindoruk, Aslıhan Demirtaş, Mine Özkar, Seçkin Maden are open at the Dhoku Store in Grand Bazaar with Dhokumasa reception! During the event which took place on 16th October the visitors sat around a table placed in the middle of a busy street in Grand Bazaar, and they found the opportunity to chat with and ask questions to the designers while being served treats. The exhibition can be viewed until the end of the biennial

DİLEK HANİF

Dilek Hanif points out the fact that couture works coincide with the “Imperfection” theme, she reasons that couture is so worthy and special due to its being hand-made one by one unlike mass production and therefore being unique, and states that the imperfection caused by this reason symbolizes this originality and difference. With this theme in mind Dilek Hanif exhibits her special project “Nakisa”, and opened the doors of her special creation workshop to the biennial visitors first time for a full day on 14 October 2012. Nakisa is open to visitors until the end of November.

ERSA

The concept of Box in Box Idea project by the team, Yalın Tan & Jeyan Ülkü targets to make the customer enjoy his stay while providing a creative, remarkable and dynamic space. At the event that will take place on 5th December 2012 at Ersa Terrace Showroom, all the processes of the Frame executive tables from raw material to handling and then finally the finished product will be showcased in the form of a timeline, while we listen to the design philosophy and production processes from their designer Ece Yalım.

KOLEKSİYON

“A Century of Istanbul” exhibition curated by Prof. Dr. Murat Güvenç and organized by Koleksiyon was opened with a conference entitled “Turkey should continue speaking about the urban transformation that went in effect” by Prof. Dr. Ilhan Tekeli. The exhibition touches up on themes like housing/residence (apartment building), transportation/infrastructure, entertainment/recreation/daily life, workplace, population and it provides its audience a rich, intellectual area in which a 52 m2 model of Istanbul, with its audio descriptions and interactive exhibition areas are installed.

MERİÇ AKAY

POP UP PARK!, provided service as a “design support unit” to the street peddler, selling chickpea-rice or corn. With an effective park simulation, the target of the design is not only to attract attention to the shortages and possible solutions but also to encourage the participation of the masses unfamiliar with the Design Biennial by solving one of their problems…
(With the contribution of Sancaktepe Municipality)

MİLLİ REASURANS ART GALLERY

“Lokman” exhibition curated by Bülent Erkmen organized by Milli Reasürans Art Gallery met with its audience between the 13th October – 3rd November. The exhibition focuses on a ‘printing house’ which by itself is a multi-layered world and this very same world is recreated in the gallery with the authentic materials of this multi-layered ‘world’. The materials emerge from the space within this world, and they join in the gallery in such a way that they won’t feel astranged.
Secondly National Reassurance Art Gallery hosts the “Finnish Design Unwrapped” exhibition from 14 November until 12 December. Curated by Jani Kaila, Contemporary Finnish Industrial Design exhibition held its opening event on 14th November 2012, and will consist of industrial objects of 19 outstanding Finnish designers. By exhibiting the design objects together with the photographs, the exhibition offers a unique insight into the current Finnish design.

MOZAİK

Mozaik Ortaköy Store, “Dimensions of Design – Vitra Design Museum” exhibition was opened to visitors until 12th of November. The miniature collection of the Vitra Design Museum which takes place in the exhibition, covers the period 1850-1990, an important part of the history of international design.
The chairs in the collection demonstrate the complex needs of industrial product design to produce solutions as well as providing an overview of the social, cultural and economic changes.
Mozaik also hosted Giulio Cappellini as a special guest who shaped the modern designs of today in the international arena within the context of the celebration of the 20th year of Cappellini, on the 8th of November in Mozaik Ortaköy store. Cappellini exhibition which began with the interview welcomed visitors until the 12th of November.
On the 4th of December, Mozaik is organizing another interesting event in which it will be hosting Marcel Wanders. A Moooi exhibition will be open to visitors after the interview until the 7th of December.

NORDIST

The “Imperfection” and “Adhokrasi” concepts which determine the theme of the biennial attracted the attention of artists, architects and producers in other creative fields throughout the history of modern design and different designs were made within the framework of these themes. Even though these products are not capable of meeting the demands of the modern consumer society, more importantly, they did not become widespread due to their unfitness to production lines, they continue to enrich our imagination. In the Nordist Selamiçeşme store, the video displaying the stages of production of the chair “THE Chair” designed by Hans Wegner as a dedication to the perfection can be seen and more information can be received on certain days and hours.

TAYFUN MUMCU

Experiments aiming to look at the defect/product relationship viewed over the imperfection pattern and the transform from imperfection to the product are presented in video, product and modeling. The form/product of Thorn takes place as one of the iconic home accessories within Tayfun Mumcu’s collection. This work, entitled “Thorn” is presented under the main heading of “Imperfection” in the Biennial as the leading product of the collection of Tayfun Mumcu.

TURKISH PATENT INSTITUTE

Aiming to make sure that Turkish designers and designs reach a position in which they are preferred in the world market, increasing the co-operation between designers and industrialists and establishing the “Turkish Design” image all over the world, the Turkish Patent Institute will inform the visitors about industrial property rights and the activities of the institution at the information point which will be set up in the Chamber of Architects during the Istanbul Design Biennial in order that the potential of Turkey in the industrial design field can be used more effectively and produce and sustain an added-value in the economic and social fields by achieving a formal structure.

ZEBRA DESIGN FACTORY

The first “paper t.AG magazine” is printed and distributed with the opening of the Istanbul Design Biennial. The designs of the magazine are displayed in the offices of ZEBRA and tAG throughout the biennial.