Taking a Stance

The exhibition, curated by the Netherlands Architecture Institute, presents the work of eight trend-setting designers from the Netherlands and China, renowned for exploring the boundaries of their respective disciplines and by critically questioning their role as designers within a rapidly changing society. Despite many common traits, the eight designers are all highly distinctive. Distinctions that reveal the contrasts inherent in Dutch and Chinese design and that shed light on design culture in the Netherlands and China. In 'Taking a Stance' all eight adopt an individual position and enter into dialogue.

The participating Dutch designers are Rem Koolhaas/OMA (architects), Hella Jongerius (product designer), Alexander van Slobbe (fashion designer) and Irma Boom (graphic designer). Their Chinese counterparts are Urbanus (architects), Ai Weiwei (architect/artist), Me We (graphic design agency) and Ma Ke (fashion designer). Curators of 'Taking a Stance' are Linda Vlassenrood and Suzanne Mulder, both affiliated to the Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAI) and Li Degeng, director of the OMD Contemporary Design Terminal. 

After kicking off the Dutch cultural programme during the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, the exhibition travelled on to Beijing and Shenzhen. Taking a Stance completes its tour at the Netherlands Architecture Institute in Rotterdam in summer 2011. Check out the Taking a Stance website for more information.