‘DESIGNER NEEDS TO BE UPFRONT’

Following the success of last year’s Bahrain International Design Week, Fair Director at Design Days Dubai, Cyril Zammit has visited the art venue, ‘Market 338’ at Al Riwaq Gallery.

Mr. Zammit is also representing the Design Stories movement, which is a regional road show supported by Dubai Design District to raise awareness on the field of design.

Speaking to DT News, he said that being part of the active market in design, one needs to be more upfront in the scene. “It is about looking at material, prototype and technique of the design in order to translate it into value,” he said.

Meanwhile, he added that before becoming integral part of the art world, a design piece has to be essentially functional. “Pragmatism of design has nothing to do with the artist and his blank canvas,” he added.

According to him, today’s world has the benefit of internet platforms, which allow amateur and underrated designers to promote themselves. “It has become more democratised in its procedures compared to the past. But it also faces the problem of duplication of your work,” he opined.

“In the past, you needed to go through an agent and gallery to promote your work, but now you can be supported through an actor of the market easily. In order to avoid the consequences of duplication, proper documentation of your work is essential,” Mr. Zammit suggested.

He explained that the designed pieces are usually special and expensive when they are rare and not produced by the industry in a large scale.

“A designer needs to apply research, history and experience in order to bring about a change. Design is not a political tool; it is a functional tool for the economic society,” he concluded.

Fatima Bastaki/DTNN

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