Driving Dutch Design – Asja Keeman
ONE WEEK ABOUT Driving Dutch Design by curators Patrick Aarts Sen (BNO) and Katja Lucas (DDF)
Driving Dutch Design is the professionalisation and networking programme of ABN AMRO, Beroepsorganisatie Nederlandse Ontwerpers (BNO) and Dutch Design Foundation (DDF) that helps talented designers get started in the world of entrepreneurship. Asja Keeman is one of them.
“I am a freelance graphic designer with an interest in design at the intersection of political, social and civic issues. The output of ‘studio Asja Keeman’ focusses on (photo)books, communication design, multimedia projects and exhibition designs.
I have a big desire to make a positive contribution to someones live. I believe that caring for others is the key impact on the well-being of society. This desire/believe determines which assignments I accept. As a designer I am relying on people who share their stories and experiences with me. Understanding an issue always comes first; if possible I choose to experience the issue myself by doing in-depth research off and on location. This way, I can sense what a certain project needs in order to start conversations. After this proces the actual designing begins. I embrace intuition, creativity, emotional sensitivity, and vulnerability in order to extract the right kinds of insight.
For example, the pop-up exhibition and podcast ‘Wanneer we opgroeien’ (When We Grow Up) in collaboration with Kevita Junior about the Hindustani generation of today. The Hindustani youth were born in the Netherlands and grew up with multiple traditions and cultures. It questions the different elements that play an important role in shaping your identity. The exhibition works with layers, each layer provides a glimpse into someone else’s world and thereby facilitate exchange, thus reducing the distance between people and increasing understanding for each other.
When I design I strive to ensure that my design choices support the overall concept and strengthen the issue without overpowering it. To achieve this, I frequently ask myself the questions; what do I want this design to convey and what do I want it to communicate?”
Driving Dutch Design
“I’ve been steadily building to where I am today for the last five years and I felt the need to grow further personally and professionally. But I didn’t know how or where to start. Driving Dutch Design has helped me formulate goals for the future but also helped me in a very practical way with understanding profiling, financing, business operations, presentation and much more.”
For more information about the participants, the programme and registration, please visit drivingdutchdesign.nl.