Design and Flow Launches in Lebanon
Co-founder who is also a design critic, curator, writer and branding consultant, explains how design can help shape our lives by adding flow into our transitions. “We see common themes that are manifesting on all continents in diverse ways: Whether it is about Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Migrants from North Africa who have not been well integrated into French culture and society, or Mexican workers crossing the borders to the United States, we believe design can play a fundamental role in opening up awareness to issues, encouraging relevant conversations and creating opportunities for innovative solutions.”
Elaborating further, Malak said, “The context of transitions is wide, yet we are touching upon subjects that are relevant today whether from a literal translation (immigration, travel), subtle expression (transience, passage, transformation), or implications on our daily lives (social mobility, access to opportunities) and cultural identity (nationality, integration, belonging).”
The topics for conversations to come will include: designing for economic and social mobility; the 99 percent vs. the one percent; designing for national and global periods of change; from dictatorship to democracy; identity transformation of migrants and refugees; designing for life journeys and personal periods transformation; marriage, graduation, death, adolescence to adulthood, gender transitions.
As for the plans set for 2015-2016, they will entail a series of four talks; a design competition; a traveling design exhibition in NYC, Paris and Beirut along with a publication accompanying the exhibit; publishing in Academic journals and design magazines; seasonal design store, under the D&F label; joining global conversations and conferences relevant to the design world.
D&F is based in New York City and has partners from all design backgrounds and corners of the world.