ID2015 curator Gemma Williams on the new initiative to showcase Ireland’s talent backed by the Irish Government
IRISH Design 2015 (ID2015) is a year-long programme of events, workshops, talks and exhibitions exploring and celebrating the craft of design by Irish makers and practitioners.
ID2015 is important as it encourages us to consider how design helps us navigate our environment.
It is easy to notice bad design, however good design easily passes under the radar, precisely as it is so good we often fail to recognise its impact on our daily lives.
In 2013 we lost Irish-born David Collins, one of the world’s foremost interior architects.
The sad reality was that rarely anyone in Ireland knew his name or realised his immense talent, which was appreciated worldwide.
Therefore I hope ID2015 re-addresses this and great talents aren’t overlooked again. Irish designers and creatives need to step up and take their place worldwide among the leaders of design and I hope this initiative encourages this.
As one of the core objectives supports and promotes design, I was eager to be involved, particularly as fashion is often considered as a lesser design discipline.
My key role in ID2015 will be as curator, a role which I will use to challenge this assumption and convey the importance of conceptual fashion in helping us understand how design can enhance our lives.
In The Fold, which I have been commissioned to curate, will exhibit a selection of emerging fashion designers as part of the International Fashion Showcase, during London Fashion Week.
Minister Richard Bruton and CEO of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland Karen Hennessy at the launch of Irish Design 2015The key themes of ID2015 revolve around sustainability, sense of place, creativity and well-being, and the show acts as a direct response to this brief.
With a key focus on the garments, In the Fold will create a meditative space, designed by Dublin-based ABGC, from which to explore the construction and technique of these works.
Featuring eight new graduates based in Ireland and Britain, it will showcase garments from Rory Parnell Mooney (menswear), Naoise Farrell (menswear), Michael Stewart (womenswear), Richald Malone (womenswear), Jocelyn Murray Boyne (womenswear) Caoimhe MacNeice (womenswear), Laura Kilsella (millinery) and Oliver Duncan Doherty (accessories).
Interestingly, the output of these designers presents a unified aesthetic vision and invites us to inspect the process of construction.
The exhibition will run at Brewer Street Carpark from February 19 and entry is free.
But there are plenty of opportunities throughout the year for Irish people living in Britain to see first-hand the creative output of Irish designers.
As well as In The Fold, June will host a pavilion, as part of the London Festival of Architecture, supported by a series of talks and events.
Finally there will also be an event during the London Design Festival so there is ample opportunity to explore and appreciate the impact and positivity of design on our daily lives.
Some key international highlights throughout the year range from product to architecture promotion.
My highlights include Paris’s trade fair Maison & Object in January, design showcases during Milan Design Week in Italy and Eindhoven’s Dutch Design Week, all of which should push the boundaries of design innovation.
With its strong Irish connections, the United States also features on the main schedule with a showcase at NYC x Design, a citywide celebration of design in New York which started in 2013.
Irish architecture will also be represented at the Chicago Architecture Biennial via a series of events from October to January 2016.
Importantly, ID2015 also aims to include and integrate designers working outside of the country into the programme.
Irish Design Here/Now is a highlight which charts the creative development of Irish design at home and abroad.
From one of our greatest exports, Eileen Gray, through to the present day output of the Kilkenny Design Workshop, the exhibition will run from July 3 to September 20 in Dublin.
So whether you are new to design and testing the waters or an expert looking for an investment, ID2015 caters for all tastes.
