Monday, 12 September 2005 | Levent OZLER
Utrecht Manifest 2005
Biennial for Conscientious Design
Utrecht Manifest 2005 is an international, two-yearly event centred on design and society. It will take place from 21-30 October in various venues in the city of Utrecht, including 'De Uithof', the Centraal Museum and the Pastoe furniture factory.
Utrecht Manifest is a new biennial event dealing with committed approaches to design and is organised by the Utrecht Biennial Foundation. Utrecht Manifest 2005 will be the first of a series of events that are already planned to continue in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013. One of the key aims of Utrecht Manifest is to question the role of the design industry, the cultural sector and designers in contemporary society. A society in which consumption and personal gain predominate, and where lifestyle, image and profit seem to be the cornerstones of society. Utrecht Manifest goes in search of alternative approaches. Utrecht Manifest puts socially committed design on the map with the aim of inspiring others.
The format for the event is a series of exhibitions, presentations, theoretical discussions and meetings to develop new visions and exchange ideas. The common threads are sustainability, quality and innovation, as well as doing business in a socially involved way. In the ten days at its disposal, Utrecht Manifest wants to kick up a fuss, bring about some in-depth thinking and set the pace for future editions of the event. We shall have to wait until the end of October to find out what this first edition of Utrecht Manifest has contributed to the debate.
The event will kick of with the first expert meeting on October 21, with Stefano Marzano (CEO Philips Design) and Dingeman Kuilman (director Premsela).
Exhibitions
Gerrit Rietveld: a presentation and architecture tour around the city and the province of Utrecht, birthplace of the renowned architect, to discover various aspects of his life and work. Curated by Ida van Zijl.
Humberto and Fernando Campana: A pair of brothers from Brazil famous for their versatility. As well as teaching and running workshops they design furniture in their São Paulo studio. Just as dedicated to producing furniture for internationally celebrated furniture companies as they are to working with the young population of the city's slums. Their work is all about being driven and committed to social change. Curated by Ida van Zijl.
Now & Again: This multidisciplinary exhibition will be spread over various locations in Utrecht. It looks at designers and artists who take a stance in the work they make and emphasize the need to relate to contemporary society. Curated by Gert Staal and Guus Beumer.
Maarten Van Severen: A retrospective of the work of this internationally renowned Belgian furniture designer and interior architect who passed away in the spring of 2005. The exhibition examines his personal legacy and his cooperation with such key figures as Rem Koolhaas. Curated by David Van Severen, Martin Van Severen's son.
Architecture in De Uithof: This neighbourhood of Utrecht was shaped by a series of master plans and chance events. The buildings are a reflection of a series of schools of architecture from the 1960s onwards.
Theory
Product Platform: Stefano Marzano selects a number of products to talk about that relate to issues of design and ideas about sustainability and innovation in an important way. Where are we heading? Which road should we take? This event places the questions at centre stage rather than the answers. The audience will be asked to play an active role.
Expert Meetings: Companies, designers and the public will take part in a series of discussions about the role of design in society. These meetings will feed into a symposium on the same topic, lead by Paul Schnabel and put together by Gert Staal.
Workshops: A series of workshops will present various elements of the long-term research programme (2005-2013) that is a joint project of the Utrecht School of the Arts, the Hogeschool van Utrecht (a university of professional education) and Utrecht University. Editorial staff is Henk Slager and Anke Coumans of the Utrecht School of the Arts.
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