The exhibits, which include installations, artworks, prototypes and designs, are each a response to the Biennale’s 2016 theme Utopia by Design, chosen as part of Somerset House’s Utopia 2016: A Year of Imagination and Possibility, to mark the 500th anniversary of the publication of Thomas More’s text.
“When we set our inaugural theme, Utopia by Design, we hoped to engage with some of the most fundamental issues faced by humanity today. How might the critical and optimistic imaginations of designers transform our future world, and how do perspectives differ across the globe?,” says director and curator of the Biennale Christopher Turner. “The response has been extraordinary and we are delighted to have such a richly varied array of projects to present. The 37 installations provide an inspiring and energising tour of the world through design, which will entertain our visitors, provoke debate and foster collaboration over our three-week takeover of Somerset House.”
President Sir John Sorrell adds, “The London Design Biennale celebrates design as an international language, which everyone can understand. It does not recognise boundaries or borders. It is always seeking to make the world a better place. All over the world, nations and cities are increasingly recognising the power of design to bring social change and economic growth. They are realising that creativity, with design at its heart, can play a vital role in providing solutions to problems which affect the way people live.”
