Na Kim and Emily ‘Kae’ Smith,
Essential Non Sequiturs (Kith and Kin)
26 May 18, 5 pm
Address: Ebersstraße 3, 10827 Berlin-Schöneberg
Free admission
In English
Please note that this event takes place at K, at Ebersstraße 3, 10827 Berlin-Schöneberg. Open Fridays, 11–5 pm and by appointment at kontakt@k-komma.de
Courtesy Fikra Graphic Design Biennial
Normative notions of graphic design and curating place the disciplines in non-neighboring nodes of creative practice. But on in its continuous quest for clarity, K, quizzically queries: what if these two nominatives are not nearly so discrete, but rather lie nearer to each other? Our next program nominates non-specialist naturals Na Kim and Emily ‘Kae’ Smith to consider this niche inquiry. In conversation with K,’s current “Kerning-König”, P. Krishnamu, they will workshop how visual and conceptual structures from diverse areas—whether anthropology, movement, time-based notation, or next-level government bureaucracy—may apply to even newfangled exhibitions of graphic design.
Na Kim is currently based in Seoul and Berlin, as a member of Table Union. She was responsible for the concept and design of GRAPHIC magazine from 2009 till 2011 and has initiated a series of projects based on her monograph, SET, since 2015. In addition, Kim has been a curator for the Brno Biennial (CZ), International Poster and Graphic Design Festival, Chaumont (FR), and Typojanchi International Typography Biennale Seoul. Kim’s works have been exhibited internationally at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Museum of Modern Art, New York; La Triennale di Milano (IT); Die Neue Sammlung, Munich (DE); and others.
Emily ‘Kae’ Smith is an educator, designer, and researcher focused on the intersections between graphic design, visual anthropology, and choreography. Her work applies observational, participatory, and conceptual approaches in reconsidering exhibitions and narrative practices. She has lectured and taught at institutions such as ArtCenter College of Design, Pasadena (US); Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore (US); Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson (US); Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Munster (DE); Open Set, Rotterdam (NL); and Domaine de Boisbuchet, Lessac (FR). Smith is currently Professor and Head of Communication Design at the UE/BTK Faculty of Art and Design in Berlin.