Reykjavík Grapevine - 14.03.2014, Blaðsíða 42

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There is something incredibly alluring
about the month of March: sometimes
it’s the fresh and crispy scent of spring
that lingers on the streets on sunny
afternoons; other times it’s the lack of
any sign that summer is approaching.
One thing is certain though: the days are
getting longer and brighter and it’s this
time of year that Reykjavík starts to fill
up with events that make it impossible
for us not to shrug away our stale winter
torpor. One of the first events on the list
is the much anticipated DesignMarch
festival taking place this year on March
27–30.
Conceived in 2009 a year after the
Icelandic Design Centre opened, the
festival boasts about 100 openings,
exhibitions, lectures and workshops that
give us the chance to connect with the
emerging local design scene. Although it
grows bigger every year, festival director
Greipur Gíslason says he intends for
DesignMarch to be more akin to a town
fair than a big expo. “We never wanted
to create an event of huge magnitude
such as Airwaves,” Greipur says. “Nev-
ertheless, the impact DesignMarch has
on Icelandic design is quite important:
we attract ten percent of the nation
and a fair number of tourists who are
interested not only in design but also in
experiencing Icelandic food, nature and
culture.”
Pushing Professionalism
Ultimately their ambition is, as Greipur
says, to push Iceland to a more profes-
sional environment. “The work that is
done at the Iceland Design Centre has
been very important for designers and
the promotion of their work, in both a
social and a business perspective,” af-
firms Guðný Hafsteinsdóttir, a ceramics
furniture designer and project manager
of the Society of Icelandic Ceramics
Artists. “Yet, the event is also vital for the
community as it helps people to get in
touch with design and makes them more
aware of it.”
Indeed, educating the public on the
status of Icelandic Design is something
that DesignMarch strives to accomplish
every year. At the festival’s DesignTalks,
whose theme this year is “Dealing with
Reality,” prominent thinkers, business-
men and designers of our times discuss
the role of design in present-day society,
the challenges emerging artists have to
face in the contemporary world and the
importance of strategies and collabora-
tions when building a creative business.
“We want to explore the idea of design-
ers as strategists and teach people how
strategic thinking can work on different
levels and contexts, from working in ar-
chitecture to creating a new company,”
Greipur explains.
This is a crucial and heartfelt topic
for younger generations in particular,
who will have the opportunity to listen to
established and outstanding personali-
ties such as Marco Steinberg, a former
professor at Harvard University and
consultant for the Finnish government,
who will talk about design thinking
in a non-design environment such as
politics; Robert Wong, who will discuss
cooperation between designers and
international companies such as Google,
where he currently works as chief
creative officer; and legendary fashion
designer Calvin Klein, who will present
various strategies used by designers at
different stages of their career, including
the search for a suitable replacement.
Connecting With The
Community
Of course there is no design festival
without exhibitions and DesignMarch
will be chock full of them for four days:
from an ongoing auction organised by
Guðný Hafsteinsdóttir and her colleague
Unnur Gröndal to individual presenta-
tions by Hanna Whitehead, Austurland:
Designs from Nowhere and Staka that
all seem to draw inspiration from Icelan-
dic history and tradition. Hanna White-
head will, for instance, be presenting
a collection inspired by the Stone Age;
Staka will show unique leather accesso-
ries inspired by famous characters of the
Old Sagas; and Designs from Nowhere
will present the result of workshops in
which local and international designers
focused on using local materials such
as seaweed, stones and fishing nets.
Finally, there’s also the annual Reykjavík
Fashion Festival, attracting journalists
and fashion enthusiasts who eagerly
await new collections by established and
emerging Icelandic fashion designers
such as ELLA, JÖR and Magnea.
DesignMarch is all in all about taking
a moment to observe things, to discern
the bonds between objects, nature,
history and reality. It’s about celebrating
creativity and the endless struggle of
human beings to create. But most of all,
it’s about realising that the best way we
can learn who we are or who we want to
be, both as individuals and as nations,
is by interacting with each other, shar-
ing ideas, inspirations and meaningful
unique stories. “We feel we can make
an impact,” Greipur says. “We want to
educate the public but also help people
to connect in a familiar and intimate
environment—not only the professionals
but also the general public, together as a
community.”
And celebrate creativity
at DesignMarch 2014
By Alice Demurtas
Shrug Away The
Stale Winter Torpor…
On The Cover
Left to right: Þórunn Árnadóttir,
winner of Best Product for her lovable
yet eerie melting kitty PyroPet; Guð-
mundur Jörundsson, winner of Best
Fashion Design for JÖR, Kristín María
Sigþórsdóttir, winner of Best Project
for her and her group’s Story Deli-
cious food experience; Sigga Heimis,
Best Product Line for her glass organs
which she made with the Vitra Design
Museum.
Cover by: Nanna Dís