The third edition of Design Days Dubai starts today and runs until March 21. Part of the culture rich Dubai Art Week, Design Days offers the public and collectors an exciting opportunity to not only see exhibits of cutting-edge world class design, but to also participate in various talks, workshops, installations and performances.
The location for the show is once again The Venue, which is fittingly right next to the monumental Burj Khalifa. In the spirit of the city’s growth over the year, the number of galleries has increased to an impressive 34 exhibitors from as close as Jordan to as far away as Australia. Despite having a broad global presence, there will still be a strong emphasis on local and regional talent in an effort to nurture the local industry and showcase the region to the world.
A first for 2014 is the introduction of the ‘Discover’ section. Its aim is to create a platform for young designers from one particular country. France will hold the honour of being the debut country through a collaborative effort with the Institut Français.
Design Days has also partnered with Dubai Design District (d3) to offer a public programme aimed at promoting design through education, participation and discussion. The workshops will focus on fabrication, talks on varying topics from trend forecasting to the economy of design and the future of design in Dubai. The installations will highlight the role of design as a means of altering our perception of spaces and performances as well as explore the human mechanics of production.
Highlights to look out for include:
Crafts Council – London, UK
This non-profit organisation will be showcasing 10 pieces from 10 British designers chosen from an open call specifically for Design Days. Look out for Patrick Laing’s cleverly stackable Magneto Homeware and Odd Matter for Vessel Gallery’s geometric OverNight Floor Light.
_Croft – Seoul, Korea
The designers and pieces featured this year all use synthetic materials to create objects which challenge our perceptions of strength, form and weight. Be sure to see Hyungshin Hwang’s Layered series which has the appearance of being chiselled and constructed of heavy slate rock but is actually made of a plastic polymer or Ilhoon Roh’s Rami Benc,h which is made up of densely packed carbon fibre rods.
Iwan Maktabi – Beirut, Lebanon & Dubai, UAE
In the Bespoke Design category be sure to have a look at the incredible carpets of Jan Kath for Iwan Maktabi and Mohammed Maktabi. Both artists have utilised the tradition of carpet making and design and infused it with a contemporary aesthetic to create pieces that speak of an inherited ancestry but feel right at home in a modern space.
Visit here for a full list of exhibitors and more information.
Images: Supplied
