PRESS RELEASE : BELGIUM IS DESIGN EXHIBITION – GHI (Mons, Belgium) – POSH Media Inc.

October 29, 2010 4:02 pm Published by POSH Media Leave your thoughts

“Belgium is Design. Design for Mankind” 100 PROJECTS/10 REVEALING VALUES OF BELGIAN DESIGN WITH A HUMAN FACE 21/11/10 > 27/02/11

The sixth design triennial “Belgium is Design. Design for Mankind”, an initiative of Design Vlaanderen (Flanders Design), has been invited to participate in the exhibition programme being organised to celebrate the bicentenary of Site du Grand- Hornu. The triennial will take place from 21 November 2010 to 27 February 2011. Design Vlaanderen and Grand-Hornu Images are continuing their fruitful cooperation that began five years on the 175th anniversary of Belgium with an exhibition called “Label-design.be, Design in Belgium After 2000”. That exhibition highlighted the strong history of design in Belgium by putting Belgian designers and design studios on the map for the first time. The theme of the sixth triennial is the social significance of design in Belgium. The exhibition will neither present an inventory nor show the latest products, but will instead examine how the impact of design on mankind’s fundamental needs can influence the lifestyle of ordinary people. There will be a focus on such concepts as “service design”, “social design” and “user-centred design” and also on sustainability and quality of life.

Stefan Schöning, 2008 designer of the year, was engaged for the scenography of the triennial. To mark this sixth triennial, publishers Stichting Kunstboek will publish a richly illustrated book, beautifully designed by graphical designer Raf Thienpont, featuring numerous essays and product descriptions.

100 projects/10 values for mankind All designers and design studios that designed the 100 products selected for the exhibition are based in Belgium. We chose the products for what we consider their significant human values, of which we defined 10. The ten values refer to essential needs of mankind: emotion, environmental awareness, efficiency, convenience, intimacy, playfulness, mobility, safety, tradition and community.

Design, a gradation of values The exhibition will highlight via the products how these values define people and their customs and surroundings. At this sixth triennial “Belgium is Design. Design for Mankind” we will strive to convey to the public at large some strong experiences and sensations, such as relationships with the environment and society (services provided to individuals or groups), knowledge transfer, welfare and technological progress that serves mankind.

Save the date: Press preview on 20 November 2010

Organisers: Johan Valcke, Director of Design Vlaanderen in association with Françoise Foulon, Director of Grand-Hornu Images Exhibition curator: Lise Coirier, Pro Materia asbl Forthcoming publication: Belgium is Design. Design for Mankind, 256 pages, approx. 250 illustrations, 30 x 24 cm. Website: www.belgiumisdesign.be

KEY DATES

Press conference: Friday 19 November 2010 at 11:30 hrs Private preview: Saturday 20 November 2010 at 18:30 hrs (by invitation only)

Public preview: Sunday 21 November 2010 (free entrance and guided tours from 10:00 to 18:00 hrs

Website: www.belgiumisdesign.be INFORMATION SHEET

Director, Grand-Hornu Images: Françoise Foulon

Admin services are reachable on working days from 08:00 to 16:30 hrs.

Grand-Hornu Images management board: 00.32 (0) 65.61.38.85

Address: Site du Grand-Hornu

Grand-Hornu Images – Rue Ste Louise 82, 7301 Hornu – Belgium (near Mons) Tel.: +32(0)65/65.21.21 – Fax: +32(0)65/61.38.97 – Opening hours: Every day from 10:00 to 18:00 hrs, except Monday.

Entrance fee: – Combined ticket for Site du Grand-Hornu/MAC’S/ Grand-Hornu Images: 6 euro – Group rate (minimum 15 persons): 4 euro – School parties: 2 euro – Free for children under 6 years

Guided tours (on request) of the exhibitions and/or historic site (French, Dutch, German, English). Contact number for bookings: 00.32 (0) 65.61.38.81. Discover the historic site with an audio guide (French, Dutch, German, English, Italian, Spanish): 2 euro For late night openings, special receptions and publicity events, please contact the Communication department

CONTACTS

Communication coordination (Grand-Hornu)

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