German design in Istanbul
The Bless label is showing the Workout Computer at the Istanbul Design Biennale
They got to know each other at an international fashion design competition in Paris in 1993. Desiree Heiss and Ines Kaag started working together and among other things founded their own company under the name of Bless based in Berlin and Paris. Now the two designers are guests at the Istanbul Design Biennale. An interview.
The key focus of the Istanbul Design Biennale is the manifesto as a medium for visions of the future. What do your designs have to say about the future?
Our approach deals especially with the near future. We think it’s important to emphasise the experience of a moment, the feeling for the here and now. As designers we feel the need to spotlight time as the most precious asset. Ideally our contribution will irritate the visitors, inspire them, and challenge them to reappraise possible visions of the future.
What exactly does your contribution look like?
We’re exhibiting our so-called Workout Computer and all of the visitors are welcome to use it. Our installation transfers the characters on a computer keyboard onto workout tools, such as punching balls. The individual elements react to decisive actions, such as pushing, hitting and flicking. So, typing a DIN A4 page can be physically quite exhausting. By punching the print/publish function, the emerging words or texts are printed out and published in a blog at the same time. The visitors can write about visions of the future or any other topic that interests them.
What is interesting about Istanbul for you as German designers?
This amazing city has fascinated us ever since we first made a short trip to Istanbul in 2013. And we’re really looking forward to spending a few more days there again. Istanbul is quite surprising with its unusual mix of tradition and modern European openness. As designers we’re hoping to work together with like-mined people and to gain new insights.
Istanbul Design Biennale from 1 November until 14 December 2014