Designblok Presents the Finalists of the Diploma Selection Competition
28. 10. 2017
The Diploma Selection Competition that presents work by the most talented graduate students from all over Europe has been co-organized by Designblok and EUNIC Cluster Czech Republic for the fourth year running. The finalists include 15 product designers and 15 fashion designers. The winners will be awarded EUR 1,000 and the opportunity to present their work at an individual Designblok installation next year. 11 designers from the Czech Republic have been short-listed. The Prague festival of design will be held from October 26th to October 30th, 2017.
This year, the Diploma Selection finalists come from 10 European countries, including the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Germany and Estonia. The winners from last year will also present their works: the Crafting Plastics project, which is eyewear constructed out of bioplastic and a fashion collection by Dutch fashion designer Jorieke Tenbergen. Marlène Huissoud, the 2014 Diploma Selection winner, will display Cocoons, her art project inspired by materials processed by insects, in the Art House.
Jiří Macek, Creative Director for Designblok, says: “This year, we have short-listed finalists from a total of 152 applicants coming from 42 universities spanning 17 European countries. We are happy to see that the competitors submitted interesting projects and are not afraid of experimenting with materials, exploring sustainable resources and presenting creative concepts. Selected prestigious European universities participate in the competition so the bar continues to be set very high.”
Jana Zielinski, Designblok Director, adds: “This year, there are many competitors from Czech universities. Lenka Vacková will present a collection of carpets, accessories and clothes made from waste textiles. Fascinated by the world of miniatures, Helena Patelisová created original porcelain figurines. Lucie Fleková experimented with etching on porcelain objects. The short-listed projects have one common denominator though – respect for traditional craftsmanship, material innovations and recycling.”
The exhibition of product design projects will be showcased in the Openstudio, located in the left wing of the Industrial palace on the Výstaviště grounds. Fashion finalists will present their work on the Garden Stage in the central hall on Saturday, October 28. Winners in both categories will be chosen by an international jury of experts made up of renowned Czech and international gallerists, curators, journalists and design theorists. This year, the jury has a new member – Mariette Hoitink, director of the prestigious Dutch competition Lichting.
2017 Diploma Selection Finalists
Product design: Adrienn Tillinger (Hungary); Anna Banaut (Poland); Lucie Fleková (Czech Republic); Savvas Laz (Switzerland); Pavel Liška (Czech Republic); Monika Matějková (Czech Republic); Lucie Miklóšová Vápová (Czech Republic); Helena Patelisová (Czech Republic); Michal Pražský (Czech Republic); Florencia Sepulveda (Chile/Great Britain); Barbora Štefánková (Czech Republic); Helena Todd (Czech Republic); Carlijn Veurink (Netherlands); Lucie Vostalová (Czech Republic)
Fashion design: Roos Boshart (Netherlands); Sarah Bruylant (Netherlands); Evgeniya Dolgopolova (Estonia); Gesine Försterling (Germany); Rachel Cheong (Netherlands); Pavlína Miklasová (Czech Republic); Simone Schampers (Netherlands); Elisabetta Silvestri (Estonia); Eva Šrubařová (Slovakia); Flora Taubner (Germany); Lenka Vacková (Czech Republic); Liyu Zhu (Spain); Nina Zimmermann (Germany)
Competition Jury for the Diploma Selection 2017
Product design: Juliet Kinchin, Design Curator, New York; Lina Kanafani, Curator,Gallerist, MINT shop, London; Rossana Orlandi, Gallerist, Spazio Rossana Orlandi, Milan; Tulga Beyerle, Director of the Kunstgewerbemuseum Dresden – Pilnitz ; Agnieszka Jacobson, School of Form, Poznań; Jane Withers, Design Theorist, Curator, London; François Leblanc, Gallerist, Gallery S. Bensimon, Paris; Gilles Massé, Wallpaper Store, Milan; Cok de Rooy, Curator, Gallerist, Frozen Fountain, Amsterdam; Adam Štěch, Curator and Design Theorist, Okolo (CZ); Paul Chamberlain, Sheffield Hallam University (UK) / Fashion design: Natasha Binar, Fashion Theorist (DE); Esther Sternkopf, Creative Director, ELLE PL, Warwaw; Noémie Schwaller, Editor-in-Chief, DASH Magazine (UK); Andrea Běhounková, Editor-in-Chief, ELLE CZ (CZ); Danica Kovářová, Editor-in-Chief, Dolce Vita (CZ); Veronika Ruppert, Journalist, Editor, Modeschau, Radio Wave, (CZ); Hana Zárubová, Fashion Designer (CZ); Mariette Hoitink, Director, Lichting (NL); Anna Geislerová, Designblok Ambassador, Actress and Fashion Designer (CZ); Jan Králíček, Journalist, Fashion Consultant, ELLE (CZ); Liza Premiyak, Clavert Journal (UK); Agnieszka Lisowska, La Fabrica, Madrid (SP)
