March 12–April 12, 2015
The ninth edition of the Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Étienne, which will be held from March 12 to April 12, 2015, has for general theme “The experiences of Beauty.” It questions the importance of forms and the meanings they impart to functions, to uses and to quality of life. What values are transmitted by aesthetics? To what intents and purposes? What do forms say about ways of life, about uses and practices in society? What do they whisper to us about the state of the world?
At a time when industrial production is becoming increasingly globalized, how can we reconcile each person’s need for identity with the ever more homogeneous nature of symbols produced by design? Can this discipline liberate the desire and the identity to drive them towards alternative ambitions? How can these identities be reconciled with those of brands? What is the role that design will assume in humanity’s experience of aesthetics? How can we cultivate a plurality of forms and experiences?
Benjamin Loyauté, co-curator
The 2015 Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Étienne will exhibit objects, services, installations and environments to its different groups of public (designers, companies, students, school children and the general public), proposing a sensory experience. The Biennale’s intention is to show that other ways and means are possible apart from the monotonous and repetitive productions of globalization: the aim of the exhibition’s curators and scenographers is to help visitors discover and feel what aesthetic expression can offer.
Following on from the work initiated by Elsa Francès on the definition of the general theme and the choice of the first curators, French Curator Benjamin Loyauté has been appointed as co-general curator of this edition, to which he has added a very international dimension to the official program, that will be completed by an “off” full of vitality. Curators, exhibitions and places will be unveiled later this September.
To transcribe all of these interrogations and perspectives into the next edition’s visual identity, the Biennale’s team called upon students from the Saint-Étienne Higher School of Art and Design (ESADSE). Supervised by two members from the School’s teaching staff, Denis Coueignoux and Michel Lepetitdidier, some 30 students have been involved in a workshop since the month of October. Ten propositions were presented as a preview at France Design exhibition. Four projects were selected and worked on further, exploring in particular their transposition to different communication media. The final decision recognised the project of Sylvain Reymondon and Lucas Ribeiro, third-year design students.
A visual identity, which should question the public
Sylvain Reymondon and Lucas Ribeiro approached the question of aesthetic qualities by means of texts, drawings and pictograms: “The representation of beauty is not universal. The approach with our visuals has therefore been to speak about beauty through a meta-language composed of texts, drawings and pictograms. All these elements are put into frictional contact and made to dialogue with each other thanks to an oppositional interplay between the drawings and the typography. They open up a discussion with the spectators, a sharing of ideas and visions on the question of aesthetic qualities.”
In order to be able to transfer the visual identity to all the communication media and signage of the Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Étienne 2015, they will join the Cité du design as graphics and signage interns and will work in close collaboration with the Communication department and the Public reception services.
For one month, the Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Étienne 2015 will propose more than 60 exhibitions and events in the Saint-Étienne Métropole area, with resonances throughout the region. The Biennale is produced by the Cité du design, and supported by the City of Saint-Étienne, Saint-Étienne Métropole, the Rhône-Alpes region and the Ministry of Culture and Communication.
International press contact:
Charles Camicas
charlescamicas [at] 14septembre.fr / M +33 (0) 6 08 75 74 24
