Swab Barcelona presents its Design Program

The 17th edition of Swab Barcelona presents, for the first time, a program featuring four galleries dedicated to the growing convergence between contemporary art and design.

In recent years, independent exhibitions have multiplied, and new galleries dedicated exclusively to cutting-edge design have emerged. Increasingly, young designers are self-producing their work, moving away from industrial production. This shift has created a vibrant landscape where innovative, limited-edition pieces are highly valued by both collectors and design enthusiasts.

This trend has given rise to the concept of collectible design, a rapidly growing market that is redefining the boundaries between art and design, both conceptually and commercially. These items, often produced in limited editions or as one-of-a-kind creations, emerge from a creative process that combines aesthetics, innovation, and craftsmanship. Central to this field is innovation in production techniques, with a significant focus on exploring a wide range of materials, from traditional wood and metal to bioplastics and recycled composites. This research pushes the boundaries of design and highlights the importance of sustainability and environmental impact.

Barcelona, known for its unique architecture, Catalan modernism, and progressive approach to urban design, provides fertile ground for experimentation and innovation in this field.

For this introduction, Swab has chosen to showcase various projects that define the contemporary design scene, including two galleries, a design studio, and an independent creator. Each will present, from their own perspective, a display that explores the liminal space between design and art.

Exhibitors:

Max Radford Gallery (London)

Pepe Valenti (Amsterdam)

Vasto (Barcelona)

Annabelle Schneider (New York)

Symbiosis: common ground between art and design

Collectible design is defined by its ability to transcend functionality, inviting a profound reflection on the boundaries between unique works of art and design objects. These pieces, conceived as exclusive creations or in limited editions, result from a process that combines aesthetics, innovation, and craftsmanship, blurring the traditional boundaries between the two disciplines. In this context, we have invited Huaqian Zhang from Dilalica Gallery and MUT designers from Sancal to engage in a curatorial dialogue that explores how art and design intertwine, questioning their boundaries and generating new forms of interrelation and mutual enrichment.

Participants: MUT DESIGN (Sancal) & Huaqian Zhang (Dilalica)

Moderated by Francesca Tur

Date: Oct 1, 2024 · 19H

Carrer de Ca l’Alegre de Dalt, 55, Gràcia (Sancal)

On the cover: Pepe Valenti, La Mer (2023). Design Program.

Source: Swab Barcelona