From April 17-22 Belgrade hosted Design Week, a new and important event that infused Belgrade and participants with a charge of creativity and a stepped up rhythm that will long be remembered.
By Maja Vidaković
Photo by Milan Melka |
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For the first time in Belgrade and in this region of Europe, the most distinguished international designers, branding and advertising experts gathered in one place as part of Belgrade's first ever Design Week. The event's organization was headed by independent creative teams led by Jovan Jelovec from the TransEast Studio and Nina Babić, the Festival's executive producer. Redesign, Samba, Click and the organisation Mixer segment concepts for the conference section of the festival ("Market2", "Brand2", "Fashion2" and "Design2"), which international expert circles consider among the highest-quality event in the world in terms of its contents and atmosphere.
The third week of April will hereafter be known in Belgrade as the week when creative people and organisations from around the world gather to promote new concepts and to establish new connections and, above all, to have some fun. |
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Karim Rashid | |
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The first two days of the Festival, entitled "Market2", assembled the most acclaimed creative people in the local advertising business, including the local advertising, branding and design agencies, independent experts, creative directors, independent art directors and designers, media directors and producers, leading experts in the field of tourism, historians and publicists, creators of established and new domestic brands. |
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The programme "Brand2" introduced some 20 of the most distinguished international experts in the field of branding who introduced their constructive experiences to the Belgrade public.
Guests and participants of the "Design2" programme included the leading contemporary stars of design who have never been invited to the same conference: Ben Evans, director of London Design Festival; legends of design Luigi Colani and Gaetano Pesce; the famous design critic and theorist Dejan Sudjić; icons of contemporary industrial design Karim Rashid, Konstantin Grčić and Ross Lovegrove, the new hope of the international design scene Maxim Velcovsky; and internationally known locals such as designer Saša Lakić, brand expert Jelena Mijanović and the architect Srdjan Jovanović Weiss. |
| With Design Week has Belgrade entered a small club of cities in which this kind of even is held. London held its first design week in September 2003 and New York inaugurated its design week in June, 2005 while Hong Kong is in the phase of preparing its first design week. From Milan to Moscow, there is no similar event, so it could be said that Belgrade Design Week numbers among the most important events of this kind in this part of Europe. Belgrade Design Week is also the Europe's most eastern and southern festival of design, and the only festival of design in the countries of the former Yugoslavia. |
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Luigi Colani | |
| Parallel to Design Week, an accompanying programme included exhibitions, workshops, magazine and books promotions, new gallery openings, cocktails and parties, all of which occurred in several locations across the city. The coordinator of the accompanying program, Tatjana Ristić made every effort to stimulate the adrenaline of the city that, in this season of the year, has already picked up pace. |
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| An exhibitions by design students at the Kubo Gallery and the Students' Cultural Center, along with works by Hella Jongerius in the showroom House and the fashion show "(R)evolution of the Handbag" held at the Ethnographic Museum attracted great interest. A number of exhibitions contributed to the overall vibe and spirit of the event, including "Check in" by the young Maxim Velcovsky, a homage to outstanding figures of design entitled "Superstars&Superspace" and an exhibition of Serbian industrial designers entitled "Ghost Project" held in a new space at Beton Hall at the Sava's port. |
| A special feature of the Festival is the fact that this event brought to Serbia several leading international experts who come from this area. Konstantin Grčić, Dejan Sudjić and Saša Lakić are names well known in the world. Belgrade Design Week brought these international figures back to the region after a nearly twenty year absence. They found an amazing dynamic cultural scene, positive energy, highly educated and capable young people and, finally, a warmness and amity that would make them come more often to the native land of their parents. |
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| In the end, instead of conclusions, organisers of the first Belgrade Design Week want to share the impressions of our esteemed guests. They speak more than any expert analysis as to the success of the first festival dedicated to issues of design, identity, marketing and branding in our region. |
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Luigi Colani: - The time of the great western metropolises is over. The focus of the world public moves to cities with character, like Belgrade. You are worth more than you can imagine. Perhaps you are still unaware of your strength and value. Great things are happening now and here… The future is with you!
Karim Rashid: - I travel intensively but every time I come here you prove that Belgrade is the environment showing the highest enthusiasm for design. I would call it your inexhaustible passion for life that I adore and that can make miracles. I am glad to be a part of this energy.
Gaetano Pesce: - The fact that I attended the first Belgrade Design Week is a great honor to me. I enjoyed the powerful creative energy of your city and young people. Inform me about all your events, I would like to come again! |
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Ross Lovegrove | |
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Konstantin Grčić: - The list of participants is impressive! Belgrade Design Week is the best professional event I have attended. But for me it also has an emotional value. After twenty years I am once again in Belgrade. I didn't know what to expect. However, I have found a fantastic atmosphere and wonderful people. I feel as if I have old friends here.
Dejan Sudjić: - I congratulate you on all you have done for Belgrade! These are very interesting days. I enjoyed and learned a lot. I assure you I'll come back! |
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Ross Lovegrove: - Belgrade really touched and motivated me. It is difficult to express the feelings overcoming me. Your wish to bring people together, your devotion and dedication to an idea, the need to look people in the eyes, the inner beauty I have seen here, everything is so sincere and so real. Few such places exist on the planet. Please invite me again.
www.belgradedesignweek.com
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