experimentadesign lisboa 09

EXD’09 / lisboa – ‘it’s about time’ image © experimenta design / photo by marco reixa

taking place in lisbon since 1999, and amsterdam (since 2008) experimentadesign (EXD) is an international biennale dedicated to design, architecture and creativity, fostering and analyzing contemporary culture through discussion and reflection. the opening week (september 9-13) features conferences with such creatives as konstantin grcic, alejandro aravena, peter saville and julien de smedt. there will also be open talks with paola antonelli and alice rawsthorn. you can read the full programme of events here.

this year’s biennale is themed ‘it’s about time’, looking at time as a material, resource and challenge: time to take action, time to collaborate, time to make, time to reflect. we value time, we save it, we manage it, we fight it. time is never enough, so we are forced to prioritize. EXD’09 lisboa proposes to translate the double meaning of its theme into a programme which makes us think about the way we use time in design. it will look at how time plays a role in creative disciplines and how they can address shifting notions of time and urgency.

designboom is an online media partner of experimentadesign lisboa 2009. here is just a sneak peek at some of the exhibitions and events which are included in the programme.

bottled spices – salt and pepper containers by joao sabino, part of the ‘timeless‘ exhibition image courtesy of experimentadesign

‘less’ can become an enlightening value instead of a restrictive fact. the ‘timeless‘ exhibition questions how less can be better and looks for ways in which we can redesign greed. bringing together a group of countries and their solutions to this challenge, the result is an experimental exhibition proposing new ideas, concepts and strategies addressing the motto ‘less is better’. material and immaterial, artifacts for the 21st century should require less resources, less complex production systems and use easier forms of distribution. hopefully they become ‘timeless’ pieces.

‘pace of design’ explores the subjective dimension of time and its impact on the design process. the exhibition looks at the work of designers and their studios in different parts of the world, focusing on time as a personal experience framed by social and cultural values. to what extent do local conditions still shape creative practices in a globalized market? how long is an hour in san francisco, tokyo or sao paulo? ‘pace of design’ brings to light how distinct cultural contexts translate into different uses, values and representations of time.

‘stop & think’ is an editorial project which calls upon architecture and lifestyle publications to place insightful criticism at the top of their agendas. the outcome will be two-fold: in september, a worldwide ‘critica wave’ will propel the biennale’s opening, as specially commissioned essays featured in participating magazines. later, the essays will be published in a compilation discussing current design and architectural criticism.

‘quick, quick, slow’, curated by emily king, is an exhibition on the alternative history of graphic design in connection to time and notions of motion, accelleration and progression. it explores the mutual influences between motion graphics and print and looks at graphic designs evolving relationship with digital media.

ian anderson is the creative director of experimenta design lisboa 2009. he is a self-taught, self-motivated creative agent, and was involved in the sheffield music and arts scene during his college years. he founded the designers republic (TDR) in 1986, which works as a branding and strategic consultant.

EXD lisboa 09 (13)