The Design Exchange, in partnership with the RBC Foundation, has announced the 13 shortlisted candidates of the Emerging Designer Competition following a Canada-wide search that commenced in March 2013. Brandon Bergem (Winnipeg), Emery Norton (Toronto, ON), Guillaume Noiseux (Montreal), Jennifer Thorogood (Montreal), Jeremy Couture (Quebec City), Knauf and Brown (Vancouver), Lukas Peet (Vancouver), Mason Studio (Toronto), Ross Milne (Vancouver), Roxanne Léger (Montreal), The Alleles (Medicine Hat), TREATY (Toronto) and Wendy W. Fok (Vancouver) were selected by the first panel of industry judges, thus concluding the first phase of two-stage judging process. Shortlisted candidates now have two opportunities to win; the final review panel comprised of design and business heavyweights and the Caesarstone People’s Choice Award (PCA).
The Emerging Designer competition was open to all Canadian designers with no more than five years of professional industry experience, across all disciplines. The first panel of judges was comprised of successful Canadian design talent including Sunny Fong (VAWK), John Tong (+tongtong), Philippe Meunier (Sid Lee), Omer Arbel (Bocci/Omer Arbel Office) and Patty Johnson (Patty Johnson Design). Panelists provided personal insights on the transition from emerging to established designer and successfully narrowed down the competition to the finalist round. The selected 13 candidates will now advance to the final review.
Comprised of design and business influencers including larger-than-life Dutch designer Marcel Wanders, cofounder of the successful design label Moooi, Canadian novelist, visual artist and designer Douglas Coupland and Heather Reisman, founder, Chair and CEO of Indigo Books & Music Inc., Canada’s largest book, gift and specialty toy retailer, and co-founder of Kobo. This celebrated panel of design minds will select the winner of Canada’s Emerging Designer competition; their choice will be announced January 2014.
The winner of Emerging Designer competition will receive a monetary prize of $10,000 and will be offered the opportunity to exhibit their work at the Design Exchange from February 20 to March 30, 2014. Not only will they receive promotion and publicity through this high-profile channel and an online feature with Azure magazine, the winner will be partnered with a leading curatorial professional to receive privileged guidance and direction in the development of their unique display and presentation details.
The Design Exchange has also announced an exciting opportunity for the public to have their say on who is Canada’s next Emerging Designer with Caesarstone People’s Choice Award (PCA). Beginning October 31, 2013 all the shortlisted candidates’ work will be posted on the Design Exchange Facebook page as a photo album and the public will be encouraged to vote on a designer of their choice by “liking” their favourite. The PCA allows for the community to get involved and provides additional support and recognition to these young designers. On December 15, 2013 the DX will tally up the votes and declare a winner, whose work will be displayed at the DX alongside the jurors’ selection. The PCA and final reviews are completely independent of each other but will be happening concurrently.
For more information, please visit www.dx.org/index.cfm?pagepath=Competitions/Emerging_Designer_Competition&id=47868 and https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152025420669343.1073741840.62746529342&type=1&l=26202634d9.