15. Johanna Seelemann
The realm of conceptual design may feel nebulous, but Johanna Seelemann was drawn to the opportunity to approach design in an analytical manner. ‘In a world that’s full of objects, I always had a hard time justifying simply redesigning an existing object – what would I add?’ explains the German designer, who studied in Iceland and then at Design Academy Eindhoven.
‘The change of scenery from Germany to Iceland was a key event for me as a designer. There was a shift from the apparent abundance of everything to a place where nearly everything mundane is imported; a shift from aiming to protect nature, to protecting yourself from extreme conditions, and respecting natural forces such as volcanic eruptions,’ she says. ‘My understanding of available material and production completely changed, changing my way of looking at design.’
Since then, much of Seelemann’s work has focused on exposing the hidden networks of global trade. One project, Banana Story (pictured), created with Björn Steinar Blumenstein, charts the fruit’s complex journey, encouraging consumers to rethink the value of food and discourage food waste. ‘As much as I might want to point out certain issues,’ says Seelemann, ‘the aim of my project remains an optimistic suggestion, a counter-proposal, or an alternative possible scenario to the one I’ve explored.’