Visit time: 10 - 20 minutes
Which trainers are you wearing right now, and what do they say about who you are? Trainers have become an integral part of street fashion, and almost everyone has at least one pair in their wardrobe. For most people, trainers are simply comfortable, often stylish shoes. For some, however, trainers are sought-after collector’s items, of great value and with a rich history. The presentation Sneakers Under Construction shows that trainers are full of personal stories and (sub)cultural meanings and that these stories are always under construction.
The Young Design Team commissioned six young artists and designers (collectives) to create new work that depicts their own story, relationship and association with the sneaker. ILLM, for example, shows how he connects the sneaker to his youth and origins, Das Leben am Haverkamp plays with the question of when something is authentic, Afra Eisma has borrowed sneakers from aliens from her imagination, and Ciro Duclos refers to the hassle of fast-paced urban space in his work. From 11 June, the works of ILLM, Ciro Duclos, Afra Eisma and the Das Leben am Haverkamp collective will be on display. The works of Arash Fakhim and Pris Roos will be added later. These will be on display on the ground floor of Design Museum Den Bosch and, in combination with many workshops, discussions and lectures, will be a source of inspiration for visitors and admirers.
Das Leben am Haverkamp
Das Leben am Haverkamp is an artist collective consisting of Anouk van Klaveren (1991), Christa van der Meer (1988), Dewi Bekker (1990) and Gino Anthonisse (1988). Although they are trained in fashion, their work is more often a deconstruction of the industry surrounding fashion, such as the marketing mechanisms needed to turn a simple product into a luxury item. Inspired by the idiosyncratic reality of everyday life, the creation of myths, the relativity of luxury and alter egos, they give shape to the mystical urge to create tactical objects.
Qasim Arif (The Hague, 1988)
Qasim Arif works under the name ILLM (referring to ilm, Arabic for knowledge, and ill, which means cool in hip-hop culture). His work is a reflection of himself, he says. Always present is his love for Arabic art and calligraphy, hip-hop and sometimes also the colours of the city where he grew up: The Hague.
Ciro Duclos (Amsterdam, 1991)
Ciro Duclos’ work regularly combines found (waste and construction) materials with everyday objects. The resulting work plays with the way people experience a space. For his most recent work, MOLD, Ciro has developed sculptures using materials from the construction industry. On the one hand, the works are recognisable as architectural elements, but they also seem to originate from an archaeological site with remnants of a forgotten society.
Afra Eisma (The Hague, 1993)
Artist Afra Eisma’s tactile installations consist of tufted (wall) carpets, ceramics, papier-mâché and textiles in which connection is central. Using traditional techniques, she literally weaves her life experiences, from anger to love, into her work and reflects on her own vulnerability.
Arash Fakhim (Tehran, 1987)
Artist Arash Fakhim constantly breaks with the imposed rules of the medium of painting. He paints without using a brush. Using atypical methods (stickers of paint strokes) and materials (epoxy panels), he creates “paintings”. In doing so, he questions why people do certain things and where it is self-evident. According to him, his curiosity lies in: ‘… the eye of the “migrant”. As an outsider, you look at it with a different perspective’.
Pris Roos (Alkmaar, 1984)
In addition to being an artist, Pris Roos is also a curator, researcher and storyteller. She grew up in the family business, the Djaya Makmur toko. For Pris, the toko symbolises a space of togetherness and a melting pot of people from different backgrounds and their stories. With the toko as her source of inspiration, she creates work using various media such as painting, spoken word, video and installation, in which she reflects on topics such as identity, migration and memory.
Young Design Team
The Young Design Team consists of three young professionals: Young Design exhibition curator Bao Yao Fei, Young Design public programme curator Jim van Geel, and Young Design trend & concept creative Isabeau van Maastricht. This new department of the museum develops exhibitions, presentations, and public programmes for a young and diverse audience. The focus is on young creators, young users, and contemporary society.
