BE OPEN BLOG

“Science and technology revolutionize our lives, but memory, tradition, and myth frame our response”, as Arthur Schlesinger once said.

What about art then? Technology is redefining art in completely new ways. And now that the era of AI is approaching, chances are all our lives (with our memories, traditions, and myths) will not be able to stand up against technology. Let’s take a look at some of the inspiring artists’ works — where art is created with (or by) hi-tech devices.

Addie Wagenknecht is ‘an anti-disciplinary, experimental artist who works in the fields of emerging media, open source, pop culture and hackivism’. Her chandelier made of security cameras made her famous when it was sold for $16,000 at the watershed Paddles ON! auction in 2013.

Continue Reading

John Thackara is a writer, blogger, and master of stories about practical steps taken by communities to realize a sustainable future.  He is the author of 12 books, among them Design after Modernism: Beyond the Object (1987), and Lost in Space: A Traveller’s tale (1995). His most recent book, the best-selling In the Bubble: Designing in a Complex World, was published by MIT Press in May 2005, and has since been published in nine other languages. He has lectured in more than forty countries. In 2013 John Thackara spoke at BE OPEN Senses and Tastes Talks in Milan.

Continue Reading

The BE OPEN Foundation is happy to announce the winner of our #BeOpenDesignDetails open call. Our congratulations go to Aakriti Kumar @differniture, a product designer from India. Aakritri’s impressive “Intrepid Bench” has won her the prize of €300. The winner was selected by a jury comprised of BE OPEN Founder Yelena Baturina and members of the advisory board from the list of entries with the most views and likes.

Once again we thank all of the contestants: we’ve received several hundred visual entries during the four weeks of the challenge. Please, stay tuned, the next open call will be announced shortly!

Dear friends,

we are happy to present you the finalists of our #BeOpenDesignDetails open call. They have been chosen by the BE OPEN Community jury from the submissions with the highest ratings of likes by Instagram users. The challenge was dedicated to the details and to the ways in which the most customary, little things around us mend and blend into our designs.
1. @saiffaisal.designworkshop
2. @differniture
3.@aquadro_studio
4. @esthershavon
5. @judehank2

Dear friends

Today we are giving you the longlist of our #BeOpenDesignDetails open call participants! The top 15 were chosen from the most liked/viewed Instagram posts with the tag #BeOpenDesignDetails:

1. saiffaisal.designworkshop 
2. linestory
3. differniture 
4. luciaspaccaforno 
5. manuhitagupta 
6. esthershavon 
7. designclinicindia 
8. alubiadiseno 
9. aquadro_studio
10. dupreez.abby 
11. fmgg8 
12. tooche.jp 
13. judehank2 
14. firssthand 
15. pixelkar 

Once again the BE OPEN team thanks all the participants for taking part in the call to action! We have been lucky to witness your work and artistic vision! 

Please, follow us for updates: we will publish the finalists’ list shortly . And if you haven’t found yourself in the list, please do not be discouraged, the new challenge is coming up in June!

Dear friends!

The submissions to our #BeOpenDesignDetails open call are now closed. The BE OPEN team thanks all the participants for supporting the challenge and sharing your creative visions with us. We are hugely impressed by the number of unique and talented works submitted to our open call. It will not be an easy task to choose the winner. Please, follow us for updates: we will publish the finalists’ longlist next week. We are happy to welcome everyone to the BE OPEN think tank!

Dear friends,
our #BeOpenDesignDetails open call is still ON! Join the challenge up till May 10.
Check out a number of fantastic submissions below:

Aakriti Kumar (Differniture):

Continue Reading

What will the future of architecture and design be like? We are in the process of globalisation, and so the historical and cultural boarderlines are slowly dissolving and disappearing. Or… are these only the deceptive appearances?

The fate of the grand cities of the past which are facing the decline at the moment; the mixture of cultures in the architecture of the future;  the building materials which are having a dialogue with time – these are the subjects that Philippe Daverio approaches with wit, class and knowledge. 

Continue Reading

This year, Milan Design Week has made another vivid statement about the looks, feelings and philosophy of a modern home. And it is the details that express it — with humour and simplicity. Top designers have “caged” and “harnessed” ceramic and wooden objects with leather straps, making us stop and take a closer look at what seems ordinary and minimalistic at a first glance. 

Continue Reading

Our new creative global open call #BeOpenDesignDetails is open for submissions!
Don’t miss a chance to become a winner and receive €300!

Continue Reading