Designer Interview
13 Froen
Basically I started with documentary photography, working for artists and NGOs. This is an activity that I am still trying to pursue since the experience of meeting new people and different cultures inspires me a lot.
Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
Basically I started with documentary photography, working for artists and NGOs. This is an activity that I am still trying to pursue since the experience of meeting new people and different cultures inspires me a lot. But I guess I am primarily interested in conceptual work. Materializing an idea fascinates me as much as the process itself.
Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
There is no such thing yet but I do have wonderful artists surrounding me. At the moment I am envisioning more of a collective.
What is "design" for you?
Being a part of the society.
What was the first thing you designed for a company?
It was not a company but an NGO for which I designed a calendar project together with my brother to support a secondary school in Africa.
When do you feel the most creative?
When I’m trying to do nothing.
What makes a design successful?
I do have an idea about it, but I think starting a design with this question mostly leads to something boring.
When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
To me the idea and the concept are key but certainly quality and durability are important aspects as well.
From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
To figure out how to take this responsibility seriously, as there is almost nothing in our daily life that isn’t designed in some way.
How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
Mixed reality will be a highly evolving design field! We will experience a whole new spectrum of virtual and physical objects and technologies in our private life. We will be able to forecast and predict our thoughts and desires through algorithms and data analysis – the possibilities are limitless. A very interesting field with many opportunities but also many questions concerning our society.
When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
Most recently I took part in a group exhibition at the NRW FORUM in Düsseldorf curated by Mareike Föcking.
What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
Zassenhaus coffee grinder, Leica R8 Camera, Harper’s Bazaar poster, Sishu Nigiri scissors.
Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
I have great friends!
How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
In the best of all possible cases: as long as it takes, but always in time.
