'Karlssonwilker VSVS Serbia'
Edition 2005
The idea was simple:
Hjalti Karlsson and Jan Wilker, of New York’s design studio karllsonwilker inc., would go to Serbia (of all places) for 12 days.
They would bring their eyes, ears, laptops, and camera along with them to delve into the Serbian culture.
They would listen, watch, talk eat, and drink.
And, most importantly, each day they would create one calendar page…
Welcome to kalrssonwilker’s Adventures in Real-Time Design.
Predrag Bata Ristanović, Director of the Publikum printing house, enjoying karlssonwilker’s ideas after their 5th day in Belgrade.
“Not only did they bring an innovative approach to the traditional medium, but they also came up with a new creative genre altogether. It’s called “performance design.”
“IT REQUIRES THAT DESIGNERS GO TO SERBIA, SEE WHAT HAPPENS, FOLLOW THEIR GUTS, HUNT FROM THE CHAOS AND FIND 12 CONCEPTS, ONE EACH DAY DURING 12 DAYS, FOR A 12-PAGE CALENDAR,” WROTE LAETITIA WOLFF GUEST CURATOR
The AccompanyingAccompanying Book
Project Making Of
A 156 PAGE BOOK, A RECONSTRUCTION OF KARLSSONWILKER’S TRIP TO SERBIA AND REAL-TIME-DESIGN PROCESS OF WORKING ON THE PROJECT.
Karlssonwilker met members of Serbia’s creative community; were exposed to Serbian design and culture; encountered monuments of the former communist regime, as well as the raw ruins, remaining from the 1999 NATO bombing of Belgrade…
THEY ALSO VISITED TRADITIONAL TAVERNS, FARMER’S AND FLEA MARKETS, AND EXPERIENCED THE EVERYDAY LIFE OF ORDINARY PEOPLE IN SERBIA, WHICH, BEFORE 2001, WAS ONE OF EUROPE’S MOST TROUBLED COUNTRIES.
RealReal TimeTime Design
Project Segments
PUBLIKUM CALENDAR WASN’T JUST AN ORDINARY CALENDAR. IT WAS AN ELABORATE MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION THAT INCLUDED WALL CALENDAR, ACCOMPANYING BOOK, ELABORATE LAUNCH EVENT. EXHIBITIONS, LECTURES, DOCUMENTARY VIDEO, AND PR CAMPAIGN SPONSORED BY MEDIA OUTLETS. PROJECT WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE THE EXCHANGE OF CREATIVE IDEAS AND ENERGY BETWEEN SERBIA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD. THIS CHART DETAILS THE SHEER SCOPE OF THE PROJECT THAT, EVEN TODAY, INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES FIND UNBELIEVABLE TO BE TRUE. IT IS ESPECIALLY ASTONISHING THAT IT WAS PRODUCED IN SERBIA IN 2004.
The CalendarCalendar
12 days + 12 Works = 12 months
Project Launch & ExhibitionExhibition
Bezistan Square, downtown Belgrade
THE EXHIBITION AND THE PROJECT LAUNCH WERE HELD IN THE CUSTOM MADE OPEN GALLERY IN THE PEDESTRIAN PASSAGE OF BEZISTAN SQUARE. IN THE EXHIBITION, IN ADDITION TO THE CALENDAR, ACCOMPANYING BOOK AND OTHER MULTIMEDIA ELEMENTS, THE PREVIOUS WORKS OF STUDIO KARLSSONWILKER WERE SHOWN. OVER 20,000 PEOPLE HAVE SEEN THIS OUTDOOR EXHIBITION IN THE CENTER OF BELGRADE.
Documentary Video
Karlssonwilker's 12 Days in Serbia
40 MINUTE DOCUMENTARY, DIRECTED BY SRDJAN RADOJKOVIĆ, PRODUCED BY VUK MARJANOVIĆ AND CYBER ENTERTAINMENT DESCRIBES KARLSSONWILKER’S ADVENTURES IN SERBIA AND THEIR 12 DAY PROCESS OF MAKING THE CALENDAR. CAMERA: DIMITRIJE JOKOVIĆ
How did we deal with fame? It seemed blown out of proportion, it just felt unreal (since when are designers featured on billboards and in documentaries?). Although, admittedly, it was very pleasant to see our photos all over Belgrade. –Karlssonwilker
