In Berlin, the new design festival Currents is attempting to highlight the burgeoning creative scene happening within its city limits, usually better associated with politics and partying rather than a cohesive design culture. From September 10 to 12, the inaugural event “Currents” showcased the creative pulse of the city with dynamic exhibitions that infiltrated abandoned apartments, industrial buildings, and converted shopfronts. Here’s a glimpse into the highlights from this exciting event.
The Berlin Design Festival: The Bocci Foundry and The Overview Effect
During the annual Berlin Art Week, the event Currents intersected with city-wide galleries and art events. A notable exhibition was held at The Bocci Foundry inside Wilhelm Hallen, a reimagined industrial complex. Here, 19 artists and designers from across the globe presented works reflecting the philosophical “Overview Effect.” This exhibition emphasized human interconnectedness with nature through pieces like Fernando Laposse’s beechwood table with heirloom corn husks, and Marlène Huissoud’s cabinet made from silkworm cocoons, all set within soaring industrial architecture.
For those interested in transformative art utilizing everyday materials, Naru Hiko’s vivid artistic abstractions offer a fresh perspective through innovative oil painting techniques.
Konstantin Grcic‘s Unseen Collections
Berlin’s celebrated designer Konstantin Grcic presented a distinctive collection at the Deutsches Design Museum. Dubbed B-sides, it featured lesser-known prototypes, mock-ups, and unused designs with humorous reflections. Objects from his 25kg label were displayed, showcasing seating inspired by Berlin’s urban landscape of scaffolding and bollards. This showcase emphasized the blend of functionality and design art.
Pascal Hien x Tecta
Once mentored by Grcic, designer Pascal Hien offered a preview of his forthcoming compact sofa for Tecta. Highlighting energy-efficient design, it employs replaceable components suited to standard manufacturing methods. Tecta also curated pieces by Berlin designers like Hanne Willmann and Geckeler Michels in a composition reminiscent of a cozy living room setting.
Find Attached: Design’s Social Conscience
The Jalousiefabrik hosted “Find Attached,” a collective show of young designers tackling social and environmental issues. Projects included Paul Rees’s buoyant armchair for flood scenarios and Marie Kurstjens’s menstrual-hygiene kit aimed at displaced women. Each piece offered a blend of speculative design and practical solutions, showcasing Currents’ focus on socially conscious design.
Richard Lampert‘s Timeless Designs
Richard Lampert showcased archival and newly adapted furniture by Egon Eiermann in a former Postbank branch. Key highlights included Tim Schütze’s modern take on the E1 table, originally from 1953, now featuring a height-adjustable frame — a testament to Eiermann’s enduring legacy.
Re:Lokal: Glass Meets Porcelain
Re:Lokal presented an intriguing fusion of glass and porcelain techniques at the Royal Porcelain Manufactory Berlin. HBK Saar and Weißensee Academy students crafted pieces like Sarah Winter’s glass molded in wooden casts from Meisenthal glassworks, drawing attention for preserving the material’s history and nature.
Explore how Serhii Fett transforms photography by pushing creative boundaries with surreal figures and altered perspectives.
Loehr’s Celestial Chairs
Loehr turned its popular Jazz chair into an astrological wonder. In collaboration with art director Marek Polewski, 12 unique chairs were created, each featuring star maps of Berlin’s night sky across different months. This transformation turned functional seating into captivating celestial displays, projecting constellations onto surroundings when lit. The creative scene Berlin thus embraced inventive design narratives.
Source: wallpaper.com
Frequently asked questions
What is the Berlin Currents Festival?
The Berlin Currents Festival is a new design event aiming to highlight the burgeoning creative scene in Berlin. It showcased dynamic exhibitions that took place in various unusual settings like abandoned apartments and industrial buildings.
Who presented a distinctive collection at Deutsches Design Museum?
Berlin’s celebrated designer Konstantin Grcic presented a distinctive collection at the Deutsches Design Museum. His exhibition, titled B-sides, featured lesser-known prototypes, mock-ups, and unused designs.
What did Pascal Hien preview at the festival?
Designer Pascal Hien previewed his forthcoming compact sofa for Tecta at the festival. His design highlights energy-efficient features with replaceable components suited to standard manufacturing methods.