www.michelleivankovic.com
Eindhoven, Netherlands
1. Where did you spend your childhood?
Toronto.
2. Any telltale signs as a child that you were going to be a designer?
Definitely. I was obsessed with making stuff.
strass stool, for U+
3. You moved to Amsterdam a few years ago after an impressive career with Toronto based Umbra. You designed a number of hit products including the strass stool which is part of the Cooper Hewitt’s permanent design collection. Since heading overseas you have been working under your own name, are showing at this year’s IDS, and have curated an artisanal collection of batch production objects for Umbra’s studio line. Can you tell us a bit more out what you’ve been up to?
I’ve been running my own studio for most of my time in Amsterdam, and really mixing up the types of projects I’ve been taking on. For Umbra, I curated a line of European domestically made and designed products. There are definitely a lot of designer makers out there who want to have a hand in the production of their designs, but until now there hasn’t been a brand to make these small production runs accessible to a larger audience.
Atelier Made collection, for Umbra, Klaas Kuiken re-blown bottles
It’s also nice that there was a rule that worked out to be both financially and environmentally responsible that the product would not be shipped outside of Europe.
Right now I’ve just wrapped up my pieces for the IDS. They are a series of plates made out of edible materials that have a 2 year shelf life and can hold liquids without disintegrating for hours (or even days). The forms are a result of one of my favourite techniques which is to allow materials to do as they please, rather than force a shape on them. Of course I do a bit to set up an environment to shape the plates in some way, but then I let them curl and twist the way the material wants to. It’s amazing how much form variety was achieved in the dozens of plates with just one template. I’ve also worked with Amsterdam Women’s shelter to put together a very valuable workbook that helps children who come into the shelter sort out their feelings. I plan to also curate and design a line of domestic products with them that they will sell to raise funds for the shelter.
And… my first and true love of traditional industrial design is not forgotten in all of this. I’ve been working with Salter to design the launch of a brand new line of kitchen goods which can be seen at the CGTA at the end of January. I’ve worked with Bugaboo to design a product that will launch next fall. I’ve also been lucky to have the challenge of designing products for the Chinese market, which has required lots of research, lots of hard work and many restarts.
4. How would you describe your design process?
I always find that a hard question to answer because I’m not a very process oriented person. I really don’t make plans, I just sort of head down the road organically and intuitively seeking out ideas, solutions and surprises. [...] Sometimes the less I know about a problem the more interesting the ideas turn out to be, and sometimes they turn out to be answers to really good questions that weren’t even asked.
cookie cutters, for Salter
5. Could you name some of your favourite designers and what you like about their work?
I like Chris Kabel’s work, it has a genuine sense of experimentation about it that sometimes turns out naïve looking. I also like Klaas Kuiken’s work. He did the re-blown bottles in the Atelier Made collection for Umbra. He actually built the oven for blowing the glass himself. I like his unwavering dedication to making things, and his totally unpretentious attitude. He also has a really great live work set up with his wife in an old army barrack…a place worth seeing for sure. Another designer’s work that I’ve been liking lately is Thomas Kral, a Czech born, Swiss based designer.
6. How much of an advantage, if any, would you say designers in the Netherlands have due to Government funding and support?
Wow, this is truly a subject I could write a book on. Yes, funding is a huge advantage to Designers in the Netherlands. Not only are designers themselves likely to receive subsidies once they graduate until they feel out their way in the world, but the educational institutions and manufacturers such as Droog are aided with government funding. This means that a first rate design education is accessible and then manufacturers are able to grow and further support design through funding. All this is in the process of changing, sadly, but up until now the Government has really supported the growth of this booming local culture.
However, there is a bit more to it. There is a bigger demand in the Netherlands for design than there is in Canada. This comes from 2 different cultural realities.
One is the retail structure in Europe. There are far more independent retailers that cater to local markets, with owners who are passionate about making a statement with their shop and selling exciting products, as opposed to the predominant North American retail model, which consists of large chain stores that make their purchasing decisions based on the blandest, safest options available to serve the largest population across the board. There are more places to sell interesting and fresh design in Europe.
The other is that in the Netherlands there is a pride and obsession with living “right” unlike anywhere else I’ve ever seen. People really take their set up very seriously, whether it is their home, their office, or their boat. Even people who have nothing to do with design will immediately make sure their new office space is done right up to the details. When a Dutch person goes out for a picnic (which they do a lot) they bring pretty cups, nice blankets and candles in candle holders. Setting is very important in Dutch culture, so that is where they spend their money. They actually have a word for “ambient lamp” because they care that much about such details of surroundings. The taste is predominantly contemporary mixed with historical sentimentality. In Canada I would say that the appetite for contemporary design is smaller, but still well appreciated.
frosine, frosted re-purposed wine glasses, for U+
7. Any advice for fellow Canadians headed overseas?
No, everybody loves Canadians.
8. Are there any products you currently have your eye on?
The products I lust after are always tools and materials. I recently bought a 3D printer which should keep me happy for a very long time.
9. Have you noticed an increase in small scale, local production in the Netherlands?
It’s hard to say… I would have needed to be here for longer to chart such a trend, but I do think globally that is happening a lot.
10. We are highlighting Canadian designers, photographers, illustrators, and writers. Who do you think we should interview next?
Andrew Cloutier does dreamy graphic design work. It’s largely commercial, but the colours in his work are incredibly calming and disassociated with industry. He did the graphic design for the last NDP campaign. He’s done the graphic identity for Mothers Against Climate change amongst lots of big name clients. He is one of the top most awarded graphic designers in the world… and yes, he’s Canadian!
- NK
- photos provided by michelle ivankovic
Tags: batch, canadian, cookie cutter, edible, industrial design, interviews, natalie, netherlands, plate, production, Stool, strass, sustainability
