What means “Design after Design”? Don’t expect to find ultramodern objects as the puzzling symbol, that advertises the 21Triennale Internazionale, (created by KesselsKramer, the Amsterdam based agency).
Today we see a return to crafts, “advanced Neocrafts” developed through new technologies to obtain industrial object offering innumerable possibilities. And often their design results from the very design of the technology requested to carry them out.
Homogenization and standardization are no longer the flags of Modern Design, replaced in all kinds of projects by customization, the possible, active involvement of the user, “human centered design” and the “option design”.
Emotiveness and empathy underlie the new “functionalism” and environmental sustainability is also taken into consideration.
Art and design are interconnected, as well as design and architecture, hand and machine, custom-made and current products. One hundred and fifty years ago, William Morris had a try, but the optimistic global/local. thinking/acting scenarios were not possible to get without adding digital technologies to “arts and crafts”..
There is now a new hybrid design, as shown a the over 20 exhibitions of the 21Triennale.
XXI Triennale’s Cult gadgets.
Compulsive trend-makers won’t give up the classic black T-shirt with the inscription of the exhibition, but unfortunately it cannot be bought together with the “mystery object” by KesselsKramer..
Also a Cult, the eco-friendly bottle in stainless steel by 24Bottles (bright Triennale yellow and black/white logo). Be green! is the imperative for the 21st century design.
Text by Renata Sias
