On conceptual design, emptiness and coming up with questions.
I profoundly believe something has to change. Now. Today. It’s time to change the game. To think bigger. It’s time for a restart.
But first let me outline how I got here.
My creativity has always been energized by simple words. Words like structure, texture, surface, uncertainty, emptiness, error, imperfection, irritation, alignment, etcetera, form some kind of a blurred field I’m navigating in. During my studies at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Dortmund I have created numerous works which try to measure this constantly meandering space. Reviewed from now, works like »germs« (2007), »between shores« (2007), »transform« (2005), »eigenzeit« (2006) and »schonung« (2006) appear like maps, each of them representing one part of this space. I derived, and still do, my inspiration from observing natural and/or everyday phenomena – small impressions from the edge of common attention. I’ve always been attracted by the pure beauty of simplicity, naturalness, profundity and solitude. But underneath, there has always been more: a fuzzy feeling I wasn’t able to phrase adequately.
I explored this feeling in my diploma thesis – I titled my work »f.0 Nullpunkt – Die Entdeckung der Leere«, which translates as »f.0 Zero point – The exploration of emptiness«. It was an intensive process and I felt closer to the core when I presented my work as part of the exhibition »UNKONTROLLIERT« in july 2008 (Künstlerhaus Dortmund). But still I wasn’t able to express it as a whole using my own words. (You can have a look at my book »f.0 Zero point – The exploration of emptiness« at ISSUU.com)
After leaving university with my diploma I started my own studio, trying to implement the results of my research into the everyday work of a (graphic-) designer. But being confronted with the need to make a living I somewhat lost sight of it. By chance I came across the work of Kenya Hara. I was stunned. I read his book »Designing Design« twice within three days and got stuck on his idea of emptiness. His writings clearly describe what was moving me inside for years, in such a precise and delicate manner. He has found the adequate words I’ve been searching for. I deeply thank him for that.
My ongoing research on design and emptiness, and its implementation into everyday applications, is one of the main elements of my work today. I’m working at the intersection of design, art, architecture and science. I am designer, artist, (information) architect – I do not consider myself limited by discipline or scale – I call it »conceptual design«.
Conceptual design is about questions. Coming up with questions is also creation. I deeply believe design nowadays suffers from a scarcity of questions. And an oversupply of unaccurate answers.
Besides from this »question-centred« approach to the design process I’m likewise focused on creating structures that do not give definite answers and involve the viewer/user. Structures that demand the viewer/user to contribute oneself and complete the experience. It’s about the creation of empty vessels offering countless possibilities to be filled/to be answered. Thus I aim to create small poetic moments, small experiences in our everyday life. I believe these small moments are what make our days so rich.
This is the task: design has to enrich life. It’s not (only) about decoration and aesthetics. It’s about content and ideas. It’s about people. And it all starts with asking the right questions.