KithKin: Designing Collectively

5 Dec 2008 Category: Events & Exhibitions, Worldwide

KithKin: Designing Collectively

KithKin manning a stall for "SomeRightsReserved." © KithKin

The England-based KithKin collective has made it its mission to not only inspire others, but to explore the depths of conceptual design and creativity through a host of exhibitions and installations, including its “KithKin Presents” group shows, and the “SomeRightsReserved” publishing platform. PingMag talks to the group’s Ian Atkins, Ed Vince, and Joss Debae to find out more about the collective and its projects.

Written by Yariv Revah

KithKin setting up their container as part of Tokyo Designer’s Week. © KithKin

Why the name KithKin?

Ian: Originally, myself, Holly [Benwell], and Phil [Reeves] all had goes at naming what was to become KithKin. After a shortlist of many different strange words and meanings, we stumbled across “Kith and Kin” in the dictionary. We took out the “and” to leave us KithKin. It’s an old English term that means “Friends and Family.”

What sets you apart from other design collectives?

Ian: We are much lighter on our feet, more dynamic. It’s an attempt at a flat structure, with limited hierarchy and an organic feel. People come, people go. The emphasis is on the individual and the group — you get out of it what you put in. Currently there’s no nine to five, KithKin is an extra on top. People fit it in around work and other projects, and the majority of our projects are self initiated. This means the work we do is on subjects that we are interested and passionate about, otherwise we wouldn’t bother doing it.

Results from the “Feed My Inspiration” installation. © KithKin

Ed: KithKin began as a collective, but over time, as we produced more shows and met more people, through collaboration and work within a variety of different industries, we realized the term cooperative would be more suitable. It describes the way we operate and the way in which we involve others. KithKin exists because of the collective effort of all its members, there is no hierarchy because it is a flat system that allows the same opportunities for all.

You are currently working on several projects, namely, the Selfridges windows in London and the Designers Block show at Covent Garden. Tell us about all the exciting work you’ve been involved in recently.

Ian: We started doing events and exhibitions back in September last year when we did our first Designers Block show. This summer we wanted to do the same “KithKin Presents” show, but better and for the new set of graduates, giving them the great experience of doing their first show. This came together really well. After a year’s experience, “KithKin Presents” is turning into a nice little platform for promoting new work. We had a great space at Covent Garden, with Designers Block, and drew in over 20 projects from different graduates, disciplines and universities.

“KithKin Presents” in London. © KithKin

We also continued to develop and increase the product range for our publishing platform and download shop SomeRightsReserved, which sat out the front at Covent Garden. For the download shop we had our trusted market stall. While setting up the stall we got some products produced in the local area. We got printing done at several providers and laser cutting at a place only a 10-minute walk from Covent Garden. Armed with the downloads on CD, we returned with products. The shop featured several new downloads including a new collaboration between KithKin, Chris Hand and the Future Laboratory, called Trend Generator.

The Selfridges window was a lovely unexpected extra onto our summer plans. We had trouble deciding what to do. In the end we split the window into six sections, and covered each section. We then revealed one section each week and at the end of the installation the whole window would be visible. It was like some strange retrospective, involving most of the people we had worked with in the last year.

“KithKin Presents” in Tokyo, as part of the Tokyo Designer’s Week container exhibition. © KithKin

KithKin is a collective and there are 42 of you featured on the site. Do each play an equal role? Are some more active within the collective?

Ian: There are five or six active family members and over 100 contributors. The main people involved in preparing or briefing a project delegate tasks. Most contribute work for certain projects. When we work with new people, some stand out from the crowd. They don’t just drop their work off for an event, they hang out and chat. Those are the people we’re likely to call next time something of interest comes up. The more keen you are the more you’re involved.

Joss: During the London shows especially, the people whose work we are representing will usually come along, and a few of them might become closer “family” members.

“SomeRights Reserved” stall at the Milano Salone earlier this year. © KithKin

KithKin’s work focuses on contemporary conceptual design. What is your take on conceptual design, and do you see yourselves placing more importance on the abstract or functional implications of your designs?

Ian: A lot of us studied design, and we are more in those circles, but it’s not our focus. We have an interest in everything, not limited to design. I personally struggle with labels, it’s like classifying a genre of music. It’s a bit pointless because people and things aren’t as distinct as a label, it’s more complicated. This is true also of KithKin, each member bringing their own interest, voice, and direction to the group.

The work in “KithKin Presents” started as conceptual design, but has always been progressing into exhibiting other disciplines. A shared goal for most of the work exhibited or made by KithKin is an aim to intrigue or provoke a reaction. To get people thinking. Whether this be conceptual or not, this is a common ground of our work. In some cases the work does this through function or familiarity, in others the concepts are abstract. In general I think we put more importance on the abstract, the reaction and engagement are key, even if the item doesn’t function in a traditional sense.

Joss: We usually just pick work that we like to show in exhibitions. I don’t think we look for abstract work or functional work specifically. Context and a product’s narrative are the most important thing to me. It’s easy for a piece of work to become complicated and too confusing if it doesn’t take these into consideration.

Where some of the conceptual KithKin magic happens, inside the studio. © KithKin

The title on your website reads: “An inspiring collection of contemporary conceptual design.” While your work certainly inspires others, where and how do you find your inspiration? Is there a method or technique that you’d like to share?

Ed: Inspiration is everywhere you look. It may sound like a cliché, but it really is true. Everyone has their own metaphorical fish bowl in which they exist. It just so happens that members of KithKin seem to have rather large ones, finding thoughts and ideas in just about anything. We get excited by the everyday, street observations, public spaces, social interaction, smells, and sounds. Camera phones at the ready. The internet is also a huge resource that we all utilize in our own individual way and then share on our blog. Very little of it is specifically design-related, but it all inspires. There’s no method or technique, just be aware and be interested.

Joss: My inspiration mainly comes from the Internet. All of us are constantly taking photographs all of the time — on our phones and cameras — of everyday stuff; stuff that maybe goes unnoticed to an untrained eye, things in strange contexts, subconscious human behavior, and weird little things on the streets.

KithKin’s Joss Debae (right) and Ian Atkins. © KithKin

Ian: We gave a presentation to the trend company WGSN on this topic. We basically turned up to the presentation with a couple of hundred images, and began talking. We could have been there all day. If you look a little deeper at anything around you, you should be able to find something of interest. At the same time zoom out, look at the bigger picture. There are plenty of interesting things all around us, if you just stop to look and ask why? Or why not? Just let your imagination wander, then reel it back in.

Moving forward, what directions are you hoping to progress in, product design or curating exhibitions? Any other plans for the future?

Ed: Continue to share our ideas and influential way of thinking and seeing with as many people as possible, doing more work internationally. We’ve learned on our travels so far that design and creativity transcend language and race with the powerful ability to excite and challenge.

KithKin’s Ed Vince. © KithKin

Ian: There’s no one-year plan, let alone a five-year plan. I think it’s intentional — if we set out with a single aim, I think we might become a little rigid, or fixated. The exhibitions have been great and led us to meet a lot of people and do a lot of interesting things, but its certainly not the end of our interests. We will continue to grow — there are certainly a few new people who will be playing a bigger role in future activities. Their voices and opinions might bring a new direction or focus. The majority our work so far has come from a problem, or a rejection of the traditional way of doing things. I think this will continue, but what the problem will be, or what gets us fired up I can’t predict.

Joss: KithKin is a huge melting pot of different people wanting to do different things. We all pursue different daily lives and careers. Some of us live in different countries and some of us live together, but we all come together if and when a project is right for each of us. I suppose we’ll have to see what comes up, and if anyone has any ideas or would like to collaborate with us then please get in touch.

Thank you, everyone, and here’s looking forward to whatever else comes out of the ever-growing KithKin collective!

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