The exhibition The Next Big Thing is Not a Thing relates the evolving field of design to the science of anthropology. Using the gaze as a metaphor, the exhibition surveys the evolution of the design discipline and examines new fields of knowledge and critical practices. The exhibition questions the underlying myths within design, deconstructs its emerging signs, and examines how technology determines the future landscape of design. The exhibition acknowledges the designer’s perspective as a critical aspect of any research and design undertaking, viewing design as an inherently relational field. The Next Big Thing is Not a Thing opens dialogue and aims to understand design culture far beyond its horizons as a product-oriented practice and places it within the subject of a discipline in cultural developments.

The works of more than 50 international visual artists, designers, and anthropologists illustrate and elaborate on hypothetical concepts and expanding design views.

Adbusters * Uli Aigner * AO Clouds * Atelier NL * Maarten Baas * Roger Ballen and Die Antwoord * Artur Beifuss * Marc Bijl * Zach Blas * Pierre Bourdieu  * James Bridle * Ingrid Burrington * Emma Charles * Cucula * Dries Depoorter * Theo Deutinger and Stefanos Filippas * Heather Dewey-Hagborg * Ines Doujak and John Barker * Jalila Essaïdi * Forensic Architecture * Forma Fantasma for Droog Design * Dave Hakkens * Massoud Hassani * Susanna Hertrich * Manon van Hoeckel * Dirk Vander Kooij * !Mediengruppe Bitnik * Monobanda and DUS Architecten * Fabrice Monteiro * Jasper Morrison * Geert Mul * Eli Noyes * Alicia Ongay-Perez * Ruben Pater and Jaap van Heusden * Eline van der Ploeg * Julien Prévieux * Re-Do Studio * Jan Rothuizen * Safecast * ScanLAB Projects * SchilderScholte Architects * Lalage Snow * Philippe Starck * Studio Drift * Gudrun F. Widlok * The Yes Men * Liam Young * TeYosh

Opening
Alderman Mieke Damsma will open the exhibition on Saturday 5 March at 17:00.

Derived from the research and publication Design Anthropology by Dr Yana Milev, the exhibition aims at building on the three pillars upon which the expanded design concept is based: Segno, Mythus, and Techne, to aggregate new views on design culture.

Curators
The exhibition is curated by Pauline Doutreluingne, Agata Jaworska, Yana Milev, Niels Schrader and Saskia van Stein.

Opening: Saturday 5 March 5, 17:00 – 19:00
Exhibition: 5 March – 10 July
Location: Bureau Europa