It’s cold outside, but warm inside. In a beautiful setting by Kiki and Joost, we launch the DDD theme Woman. Surrounded by their colorful work and with a warm group of community members and supporters, it feels like a special moment.
Robert van Rixtel (DDD) gives me the floor. Six months ago I sat down with Robert. He was immediately interested and last week, on International Women’s Day, we published the opinion piece. Today we are launching the topic live.
We live in a world largely designed by men. At the same time, their choices have a profound impact on women’s daily lives, including within the design industry. By sharing personal stories, we give women designers a voice. And by highlighting strong design projects, we want to contribute to a better position of women in general. This theme is getting more and more attention; for example, the BNO published The Female Gaze, a five-part series on women designers.
I talk about the book ‘Invisible Women’ by Caroline Criado Perez, highly recommended, and why we are meeting here in particular. It has everything to do with Fragile, the installation I saw in 2021 during Dutch Design Week. The work grabbed me and brought me into conversation with Kiki van Eijk.
Kiki van Eijk was inspired by researcher Chahinda Ghossein-Doha and now volunteers for the Queen of HeartsFoundation. With Fragile, she depicts in three spaces the impact of a complicated pregnancy, with a placenta as the centerpiece. In the central space, a placenta on strong water is atmospherically illuminated. This unique organ nourishes the baby but can also cause complications. Chahinda and her team are exploring how the placenta can predict the risk of cardiovascular disease in mothers.
Alieke Geerts talks about The Red Carpet and the importance of vulva education for girls. A lack of knowledge about one’s own body at an early age can lead to a delay in their sexual development. The Red Carpet is an installation that invites and questions shoppers about their knowledge of the vulva. She also shares her next project, The Golden Cup, a game about menstrual cycles with a nod to soccer. Humor plays an important role in her work.
Hanna van Rixtel, just graduated from TU/e, shares her experiences of six months working in Stockholm. During her internship, she worked with fellow designers on various assignments. She notices a clear difference: in Sweden there are many (young) women in higher positions. There is a culture where it is normal for leading women to combine their work with a family life, without it hindering their careers. A beautiful and enriching insight, both professionally and personally.
After these inspiring speakers – from young to experienced, each with their own drive and contribution – I close. I invite everyone to think ahead to the Dutch Design Week, where this theme will have a nice place. We do it together!
Katja Lucas initiated the DDD theme Woman.
Photography: Dutch Design Daily
