The Crit #9: Trent Jansen
Have you ever wondered what designers really think about their work? Well, thanks to The Crit, a new podcast from Disegno, now you know!
Each fortnight, Disegno’s editor-in-chief Oli Stratford invites a leading designer to reflect on their career. Each episode, our guest will tell us what worked best; what failed; what pushed their career to new heights; what feedback most shaped their practice; and what they feel needs to be redesigned.
At the end of each episode, to complete their crit, they’ll be asked to give themselves a grade for their career to date: fail, pass, commendation or distinction.
It’s a design-school crit, delivered every fortnight! Subscribe to the show here, or sign up wherever you get your podcasts from.
Our ninth guest on The Crit is Trent Jansen, accompanied by show host Oli Stratford.
Episode #9: Trent Jansen
For our ninth episode of The Crit, we welcomed Australian designer Trent Jansen into the studio to explore using design as a form of anthropology and social commentary.
While Jansen has designed products and furniture for manufacturers such as Moooi, DesignByThem and Tait, his practice is perhaps better known for his deep collaborations with indigenous artists and designers to make collectible design pieces and public furniture which tell stories about Australian history and culture.
Using long-term collaborations, refined craftsmanship, methods and complex textures, Jansen’s collectible design pieces have variously commemorated indigenous leaders as well as communicated the impact of climate change on indigenous communities.
Listen to the episode to hear Jansen review his career to date, from learning about Australia’s history, culture and landscape through his collaborations, to his dream of redesigning public spaces to celebrate the stories of marginalised communities.
Show Notes: Trent Jansen
Best design: Kurunpa Kunpu
Worst design: Shelving system
Most successful design: Balit-dhan Balit-nganjin
Most impactful feedback: Learning about the landscape and its stories from indigenous Australian collaborators
Dream design: Public furniture and spaces
This episode of The Crit was recorded at Uncommon Holborn.
The Crit’s graphics were created by Leonhard Rothmoser.
The Crit’s music was created by Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki.