The Jury make me! 2023

In projects show yourself, what is important to you, what evokes emotions in you. In the contest show what makes you do projects with conviction and it is worth spending your time on them.

Dear participants,

 

we have recently faced many challenges: the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the migration and the climate crisis. I will certainly look fot solutions to these problems among your projects but not only. I appreciate simple solutions that affect our everyday life not by creating new habits or rituals but rather by simplifying our functioning. I look for projects that are easy to scale, but most of all I believe that well-designed products should be accessible and reach the widest prossilbe group of consumers.

I look forward to be part of the jury for the make me! Awards. The competition offers wonderful opportunities for young designers to show their great design concepts at Lodz Design Festival. An exciting international stage to a broad audience: new collaborators, colleagues and clients.

 

Planetary wellbeing is what we all need to strive for these days. Positive impact is what design should bring like healing environment, bringing an inclusive society, preventive holistic healthcare, good food and housing for all, explorative education and so much more.

 

As a designer you can make this happen while taking in your unique position in the world. Be clear about what your strengths are and connect with others that complement the broad palette of skills, experiences and knowledge needed for good design of the world with the world.

As the Italian designer and illustrator Bruno Munari once said “the designer is a person with an acute sense of beauty who works for the community”.

 

As almost all our purchases are based on emotionally push, what I personally pay attention to the most is the true intention behind a product.

 

Is it intended to enchant me? Is it sustainable? Is it made to be shared? Is it made to change the world for the better? Does it reflect the Zeitgeist (the spirit of the time)? Does it respect the Genius Loci (spirit of the place).

 

In other words, Beauty & Community. Always search the way that leads to the beauty and never forget to protect the common good.

I count on projects that relate to contemporary problems, respond to them and perhaps pay attention to those we do not yet notice. Today, design is much more than the aestheticization of our surroundings. Over the last “teen” years, we have proved to ourselves many times (we, here at the Vistula River) that we can design, produce and successfully compete on international markets. However, all this very often takes place at a certain cost, at the expense of the environment. This does not give us the best certificate and it brings to mind the slogan of the Festival from a few years ago: Design Won’t Save The World. I hope at least it will try.

For every designer who wants to change the world for the better, it is important to enlarge the field of influence which is facilitated by the public presentation of projects and building their recognition. make me! is an excellent platform not only to present the best fruits of your labor to a wide group of professional recipients but also an opportunity for a creative confrontation conducive to further development.

The jury appreciates the innovation and attractiveness of the proposed solutions and is looking for new perspectives on the solutions used so far. Particular recognition goes to artists who respond with their projects to the challenges of the present but also focus on the problems of various social groups or individuals. Personally, I pay attention not only to proposals that have the potential to bring about changes in entire sectors of the economy but I also value the search for new experiences, attempts to create contemporary rituals or the perception of needs that have been overlooked so far. I am constantly amazed by the wise use of developing technologies and drawing inspiration from nature. The ideal design, in my opinion, combines craftsmanship and aesthetics, respecting the environment and offering new values ​​to the use.