Voor & Door

Graphic design students and teachers should be pleased. The first edition of their new lecture series Voor & Door is a success. This is a rather intimate event. After all, the lectures simply take place in the studio and instead of the classic portfolio presentation, the designers engage in conversation. A questionnaire prepared in advance by the students helps with this. 

As the title suggests, all parties in the graduate program are involved. For example, the second bachelors came up with the title Voor & Door and designed a poster and an instagram story. Their colleagues from a year above then provided some refreshments, the proceeds of which fed the budget of the end-of-year exhibition. Among the late-night visitors, by the way, a lot of people from friendly schools such as LUCA and La Cambre. 

The students also had their say in the lineup of speakers. Their choice fell on Dutch design pioneer Karel Martens. Although the man no longer likes to venture into lectures due to his advanced age, he is happy to make an exception for Voor & Door. The fact that lecturers Julie Peeters and Josse Pyl are former students of his is probably a contributing factor. The latter was happy to deliver his former teacher personally from Amsterdam to KASK & Conservatorium. 

Furthermore, three alumni were invited. Lien Van Leemput, Nick Mattan and Vennica Sidibanga Kaseye all graduated in the near past. But international designers also made an appearance. Organizer Sara De Bondt, who practically oversees the event along with colleagues Thomas Desmet and Ronny Duquenne, called the lecture by American Mindy Seu a highlight. Browsing in augmented reality of her Cyberfeminism Index apparently made an impression. 

What the future holds is a pipe dream for now, but De Bondt hopes to continue the series at least next year. With luck and creative budget planning, there might even be a full-day program at Kunsthal Gent.