YOUNG BALKAN DESIGNERS SELECTION 2022 EXHIBITION HELD AT THE MUSEUM OF APPLIED ART
A one-day interactive exhibition of selected prototypes of the Young Balkan Designers selection 2022, organized by Mixer, was held on May 19 at the Museum of Applied Arts. After a short presentation in Belgrade, young designers whose mentors are long-term partners on the YBD platform, Prof. Jelena Matić from the Faculty of Forestry in Belgrade and Nikola Radeljković (Numen / For Use team from Croatia) will perform at the prestigious world design event – International Milan Furniture Fair from 7-12. June 2022.
The Museum of Applied Arts is also a partner of our designers in Milan, with the support of Nunc from Croatia, and the exhibition will present the winning innovative design solutions of the Young Balkan Designers regional competitions as answers to “Life Hacks” and “Circular Design”.
The creative director of Mikser, Maja Lalic, referred to the development path of the Young Balkan Designers platform and pointed out that uniting regional talents is the only way to present themselves on the world design scene, and connect with companies and develop their prototypes in the spirit of sustainability.
Numerous Belgrade visitors had the opportunity to see 13 selected prototypes that will also be presented in Milan:
The following works will be presented at the exhibition:
+1 – Milan Kajganic, Serbia
AVID – Ena Begičević Čeliković, Bosnia and Herzegovina
BIOCARPET – Arpad Pulai, Serbia
ELENA. – Eva Garibaldi, Slovenia
FORM FOLLOWS CULTURE – Nada Elkharashi, Hotel Turkey
MEENGHE – Đurđa Garčević, Serbia
POLICE OFFICER – Tadej Urh, Slovenia
SUBVERSION – Tijana Kostic, Serbia
THE LAST JAR OF HONEY – Katarina Trpčić, Croatia
VAL – Andraž Rudi Vrhovšek, Slovenia
VOZICHEK – Matko Plovanić, Croatia
TURN – Marija Kojić, Serbia
UNLUCKIES – Maja Repotočnik, Slovenia
This year’s competition for young creatives in the Balkans received a total of 111 works by 125 designers from 9 countries in the region: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Greece, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, and Turkey.
Evaluating the ingenuity, innovation, applicability of design solutions and their contribution to a healthy and sustainable lifestyle in the current challenges of modern life and the environment, the international jury of the Mikser competition this year consisted of relevant experts in contemporary design and art: Marcus Fairs, founder and chief editor of one of the world’s most influential design portals Dezeen.com from Great Britain; alumni of the Young Balkan Designers platform, now accomplished young authors: Ana Kraš, a multi-talented artist and designer from Serbia who works and lives in the USA; Vasso Asfi and Loukas Angelou, design tandem StudioLav from Greece who are successfully building a career in the UK; Jovana Zhang, co-founder of the award-winning design team Pinwu from China, which combines traditional crafts with contemporary experimental design; Denis Leo Hegić, designer and curator of the Berlin Informal Art Scene, founder of the Supermarket Lab creative studio and Unblock Art Fair in Germany, as well as the Museum of Now virtual museum, with the mentorship of the YBD expert team co-founding the YBD platform, Maja Lalić, co-founder of Mikser Organization and Jelena Matić, professor at the Faculty of Forestry in Belgrade, and renowned industrial designer Nikola Radeljković from the Numen / For Use collective (Croatia).
Young Balkan Designers (YBD) is a regional talent platform established in 2011 with the aim of identifying, promoting, and developing the creative potential of the Balkans in the field of design. The initiative is also aimed at uniting the regional design scene, getting closer to the international audience, and strengthening its potential by providing additional education and practice, while contributing to the renewal of multicultural cooperation in the Balkans. This year’s competition for young creatives in the Balkans received a total of 111 works by 125 designers from 9 countries in the region: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Greece, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, and Turkey.