museum für kunst und gewerbe asks designers if they believe in the future at new exhibition

MK&G presents ‘Ask me if I believe in the future’

From 1 July to 23 October, 2022, the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (MK&G) presents ‘Ask Me If I Believe in the Future’, where a group of international designers is asked to reformulate their hopes and aspirations for the future. Curated by Maria Cristina Didero, the exhibition invites Greek design studio Objects of Common Interest, Israeli designer Erez Nevi Pana, Carolien Niebling from Switzerland, and Italian multidisciplinary design studio Zaven to showcase a series of works, from inflatable PVC tubes and multifunctional coats, to a futuristic space-inspired installation and macro photographs of algae and edible plants printed on textiles.

The Milanese curator allowed the designers and studios full creative control over any new works produced exclusively for the MK&G exhibition. The ideas put forth by these designers speak to an extraordinary coherence —a shared trust in the future— despite the fact that they choose quite different techniques and have varying perspectives on the difficulties presented by global problems.

ask me if I believe in the future at the museum für kunst und gewerbe hamburg

all images by Henning Rogge, unless stated otherwise

‘Teahouses for domesticity’ by OBJECTS OF COMMON INTEREST

The installation ‘Teahouses for Domesticity’ by Objects of Common Interest examines an existential realization that the coronavirus pandemic has brought into relief: our need for connection and closeness as individuals. Spectators are invited to engage with a sensory landscape as they walk through three inflatable oversized PVC tubes, and experience a unique sense of space, time, presence, and absence.

The Greek studio has used recyclable silver film to isolate the interior from the outside world, while an iridescent holographic foil changes its colors depending on the viewing angle, and malleable memory foam leaves visible traces of every movements. All the different materials play a special role in this participatory installation that aims to offer a positive outlook on the future by introducing guests to fresh formats and innovative conceptual approaches for sharing space with others.

ask me if I believe in the future, installation view, objects of common interest: teahouses for domesticity (detail), 2022, works: © objects of common interest

‘Homecoming’ by EREZ NEVI PANA

In his installation ‘Homecoming’, Erez Nevi Pana depicts a futuristic world in which people, animals, and the environment coexist peacefully on Earth. The Israeli designer was motivated by astronaut Neil Armstrong’s well-known comment that the Earth appears to be the size of a pea when viewed from the Moon.

Pana’s work invites guests to look at the Earth from above, as a planet that humans have fled in quest of the unknown, but also as a world to which they may always return, not as refugees but as inhabitants. The installation His setting includes, among other things, a swimming pool that serves as a metaphor for life energy, a landing strip for make-believe spacecraft, and a flag that represents the idea of the living Earth as a single, cohesive whole.

ask me if I believe in the future, installation view, erez nevi pana: homecoming (detail), 2022, works: © erez nevi pana

‘why not?’ by ZAVEN

In their ‘Why not?’ installation at MK&G, Zaven focuses on the concept of collaboration which is what gives them hope for the future. For this project, the Italian studio has worked mostly with local expertise, including a young ceramist who works with natural clay and a neighborhood tailor. Together, they are able to transfer knowledge and create new forms and methodologies that draw on ancient craftsmanship.

A lamp to provide light into the darkness, a bowl to contain food and drink, a multifunctional cloak to provide warmth and protection, and a chair to sit and relax on are just a few of the typical items that make up the final installation. ‘Why not?’ present viewers with the opportunity to examine things differently, encouraging them to take action and help shape the world around them.

ask me if I believe in the future, installation view, zaven: why not? (detail), 2022, works: © zaven

‘Future-Proof Plating’ by CAROLIEN NIEBLING

Self-proclaimed food futurist Carolien Niebling has created ‘Future-Proof Plating’, an installation that reframes the way we think about natural foods that aren’t a regular part of our diet yet. Macro photographs of algae and edible plants printed on textiles beguile the eye with their striking textures and shapes. Meanwhile, wild plant arrangements in stylized configurations are cast in relief or etched on ceramic plates. The designer’s installation makes an artistic plea for us to consider an alternative future for food and for the world rather than taking on a moralizing tone.

ask me if I believe in the future, installation view, carolien niebling: future-proof plating (detail), 2022, works: carolien niebling

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carolien niebling (b. 1984), puntarelle - image by lorenz nugin

carolien niebling (b. 1984), dulse - image by lorenz nugin

carolien niebling (* 1984), kombu plate with irish moss - image by carolien niebling

zaven, one two, 2022, multifunctional coat, mixed fabric - image by zaven

objects of common interest, standing stones, installation view, adam – brussels design museum, 2020 - image by mathijs labadi

ask me if I believe in the future, installation view, objects of common interest: teahouses for domesticity (detail), 2022, works: © objects of common interest

project info:

name: Ask Me if I Believe in the Future
location: Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (MK&G)
dates: 1 July until 23 October 2022