What is design for? To our universal understanding, design’s purpose is to help make people’s lives better both functionally and aesthetically. However, like many other institutions today, design shows signs of being affected by a crisis of meaning and value. Unconsciously, the idea of "design services" has been accepted by many people, and design tends to be regarded as providing services for clients.

So how can design regain greater social and artistic value? To discuss the answers, a significant new exhibition, titled “Taking a Stance – Eight Critical Attitudes in Chinese and Dutch Architecture and Design,” recently opened at the OCT Art & Design Gallery in Shenzhen. It is jointly curated by Linda Vlassenrood and Suzanne Mulder from Netherlands Architectural Institute and Li Degeng of Beijing’s OMD Contemporary Design Terminal.

 “Designers living today need courage and wisdom to cross the barriers, break away from the border area of the old rules and restraints, re-examine the working methods and the professional field which they have been accustomed, and concern for the demands and possibilities that based on the social changes at any time,” as the exhibition’s foreword emphasizes. 

Keeping this in mind, the “Taking a Stance” exhibition showcases the works of eight cutting-edge design thinkers from both the Netherlands and China. In the Dutch team, there’re world-renowned architect Rem Koolhaas (famous in China for his design of the “big pants” CCTV Tower), fashion designer Alexander van Slobbe (responsible for two successful labels “Orson + Bodil” and “SO”), Amsterdam-based graphic designer Irma Boom, and?Hella Jongerius who’s known for her special way in fusing industry and craft, high and low tech, tradition and the contemporary. The Chinese counterpart includes the Beijing/Shenzhen-based design think-tank Urbanus, Guangzhou-based fashion designer Ma Ke (mastermind behind design label EXCEPTION de MIXMIND), MeWe Design Alliance, and avant-garde Chinese contemporary artist/architect/socio-cultural commentator Ai Weiwei.

All the eight units involved have maintained a critical mind and independent spirit despite the impact of commercialism. Thus, their innovative concepts will doubtlessly inspire many design practitioners in the PRD.

“Taking a Stance – Eight Critical Attitudes in Chinese and Dutch Architecture and Design” is running through August 1 at the OCT Art & Design Gallery (www.oct-and.com) in Shenzhen.