18/02/2019
Make me! – the 12th International Competition for Young Designers During Łódź Design Festival
Make me! competition is a key component of Łódź Design Festival. Held since its second edition, it has emerged as one of the most important international competitions for young designers and targets not only designers but also graduates and students, at the age of 20–35, of art and design fields. Submitted works can refer to industrial design, graphics, architecture or fashion, and there is no limit in terms of technique and materials used – from ceramics through wood, to plywood and not only.
217 designers from around the world, e.g. Sweden, the UK, the USA, Russia, Taiwan or Columbia, participated in the last year’s competition. The most important aim was to find and support these young, ready designers. The finalists of the previous editions point out the opportunities they gained by taking part in the competition. They include, among others, a chance to establish one’s presence in the design environment, collaboration with entrepreneurs, promotion through numerous publications or future exhibitions. – Over 11 editions, make me! has become an international event – highlights Katarzyna Ludwisiak, Competition Coordinator. – At the exhibition following the competition, you could see and understand better the works distinguished by the jury. They are often not only an answer to the everyday challenges but also professionally designed products with market potential.
The competition offers real support: – make me!, apart from being a chance to present a project to a wide audience during Łódź Design Festival, is also an opportunity to receive PLN 50,000.00 as the main PARADYŻ AWARD, an early career financial support – adds Ludwisiak.
The 2018 main award was given to Małgorzata Załuska for “Simpla”, personalized, external breast prostheses, generated with the use of 3D scanning and printing. – The main award helps me develop my project significantly. Not only is it financial support, but also a great deal of trust and belief in the project. With make me! I felt I had a real chance to turn my idea into reality, which, in turn, will contribute to the improvement of the quality of living of women in the future – claims the laureate.
Ryana Yasina, a 24-year-old designer from London, received the last year’s Łódź Design Festival special award for “Petit Pli – Clothes That Grow", clothes that can expand up to 7 sizes. The Interprint special award was presented to Róża Rutkowska, a graduate of School Of Form in the field of Industrial Design, for her “SCOBY: living packages” project. The material used by Rutkowska to product the packages works as a membrane that prolongs the durability of a product and can be eaten together with its content or serve as compost.
The works are evaluated in two stages by a specially selected jury with various interests and preferences. The composition of the jury changes each year, and in 2019 it will include: Agnieszka Jacobson-Cielecka, Artistic and Programme Director at School of Form since 2011 and co-author of curriculum; Czesława Frejlich, professor and design teacher at the Faculty of Industrial Design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow and at the Faculty of Design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, co-organiser of the Polish National Biennial of the Art of Designing; Agata Kulik-Pomorska and Paweł Pomorski, founders of the design studio and MALAFOR brand, which manufactures furniture and eco-friendly objects of utility; and Michał Piernikowski, Director of Łódź Design Festival, enthusiast for urban activities and design, organiser and co-organiser of many projects related to creative industries. Mariusz Włodarczyk, Vice-President for Studies, Development and Acquiring Funds at the Strzemiński Academy of Art in Łódź, and the long-term Dean of the Faculty of Industrial and Interior Design, will be on the jury for the first time. – I am extremely glad I a part of the jury. I have followed the competition from its very beginning and I am happy with its wide audience and the increasing number of participants – says Włodarczyk, emphasizing that he always encourages students to enter make me!. He believes the chance of confrontation is particularly important. – Our students are used to that as they confront their works with other students, presenting their projects each term. Of course, the significance, emotions and adrenaline are higher in the competition. It is a crucial moment in their lives, education and development they will remember forever. This is my first time at make me!, but I have been on a jury in several dozens other competitions. I have observed the presentations of the awards and I believe it is a valuable experience not only for the winners but for the losers too, as they can see their competitors and get to know their level. And that is of great value.
Professor Włodarczyk is also glad the competition is held in Łódź: – I believe its contribution to the city has been great. This environmental impact is very important and we perceive it as such at the Academy. It is a very interesting path for students to follow, and the fact you can choose your own topic is really significant. When starting professional work, students often receive project briefs prepared by someone else. They are to follow very strict project assumptions with frames that are difficult to then leave behind. On the other hand, here they are free to express their original ideas and that offers high value. This is the moment they can articulate both what they are interested in and what hinders them.
Maurizio Burrato will also have his début as part of the jury. Born in 1966 in Pinerolo, Italy, he studied Industrial Design and Building Engineering at Istituto Tecnico M. Buniva. In 1994–2013, he worked as a R&D Manager and a Sales Manager at various MFC and HPL/CPL production companies. He has been a member of the Interprint project team since 2013.
Based on the submitted forms, the jury will select around 20 best projects, which will be presented during an exhibition following the competition, prepared as part of Łódź Design Festival 2019, on 17–26 May, at Art_Inkubator, Tymienieckiego 3 in Łódź. The winner, selected in the second stage of the competition, will receive the main PARADYŻ AWARD, PLN 50,000.00, funded by Ceramika Paradyż, the Patron of the Festival. – make me! keeps surprising even the regular guests of Łódź Design Festival. The submitted projects are not only beautiful, but they often provide answers to the nagging social or ecological problems. For years, Ceramika Paradyż has driven the Polish design and supported both young creators and their search for new challenges. We are looking forward to this year’s edition’s submissions. I am sure selecting the laureate will again pose a huge difficulty for the jury – claims Tomasz Popielawski, Spokesman for Ceramika Paradyż.
“Good life” is the upcoming edition’s slogan – the organisers encourage the audience to ponder what it means and how we can achieve it by designing objects, cities and services. – How can we live well with these objects? Do they guarantee a good life? How can you design solutions for small spaces and what are such minimal spaces, where people can live well and function in happiness? – Michał Piernikowski, Director of Łódź Design Festival, raises such question. He also adds that this year’s ŁDF will go back to its roots: – We will discuss the way we should design good cities. Can a city guarantee a good life? What are the basis, what the most important solutions that improve the quality of life in a city? We will also think about the way we are changing our perception of work, how offices are designed and how employers try to prepare employees for their positions and the way they are affected by it. We will also encourage others to face today’s challenges, such as littering the planet, which is a significant issue in terms of design – he adds.
Łódź Design Festival was founded in 2007 as a review of the achievements of Polish design. Since its very beginning, it has presented design in various aspects – from industrial design through graphic design, architecture, craft, to creating services and interactions. Today it focuses on raising questions, interpreting phenomena and critical discussion. It also shows innovation and projects highly affecting our surrounding. Łódź Design Festival is an event providing inspirations to designers, architects, representatives of creative professions, but also to everyone interested in culture and design. Thematic exhibitions, meetings with experts in the fields of design and architecture, discussions and lectures along with workshops for children and adults– these are the highlights of the festival’s programme. So far, over 435,000 people from around the world participated in the festival, making it the most visited event related to design in Poland. Łódź Design Festival is held with long-term support of the City Council of Łódź, Łódzkie Centrum Wydarzeń and Ceramika Paradyż – the Patron of the Festival.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Call for applications:
10.12.2018 – 16.03.2019 until 04:00 pm
Participation fee: PLN 150.00
The applications should be submitted via the form at the competition website.
Awards:
Main PARADYŻ AWARD: PLN 50,000.00
Special award: PLN 10,000.00
INTERPRINT special award: PLN 5,000.00
Exhibition following the competition:
17–26.05.2019, Łódź Design Festival
Festival Centre: Art_Inkubator at Fabryka Sztuki
Tymienieckiego 3, Łódź