somewhat different. Contemporary Design and the Power of Convention.

Quirky interpretations of everyday objects bring a ‘serious lightness’ to this exhibition. With 148 objects from more than 60 designers and studios – 47 of them based in Germany and 20 in other European countries – the products on display illustrate the great diversity and the humour that can emerge when the usual rules of convention are deliberately subverted.

Lifebelts turn into bottle coolers, brushes into lampshades; the unconventional design interpretations offered in this exhibition not only provoke astonishment but challenge us to reflect on and review our general expectations and traditional notions of 'normal'. Such ‘breaks with the power of convention’ also document the socio-cultural changes that can be observed in all areas of our daily lives, in phenomena such as mobility, migration, changing nutritional habits and more.

The international aspect of this discourse on contemporary design is twofold: firstly through complementing the works of the German designers with examples from designers in Denmark, France, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain.

And secondly ifa has invited host institution, the College of Creative Arts at Massey University, to add objects by their own designers who have approached ‘conventional’ design tasks in a somewhat different way. Designers selected  include Stuart Foster, Chris Jackson, Jessica Payne and Julieanna Preston.

Posted on: May 5, 2010