The Designers behind the scenes – Part B

As part of the Edmond de Rothschild Design Award’s deep commitment to fostering and promoting excellence in local design, a collection of promising young designers participated in crafting this year’s exhibition and catalog design, alongside a unique lapel pin presented to each prize nominee.

Maya Tavor, a graduate of Bezalel’s Visual and Material Culture program, participated in creating the annual catalog by documenting each finalist’s most intimate space – their work desk. Similar to the methodology in her graduation project ‘Map, Table.’ – which examined work desks from emotional, historical, gender, and phenomenological perspectives, the documentation was packaged as collages inspired by David Hockney’s photographs.

“I see the workspace as a roadmap, where each object has its own path with a unique story. Additionally, there’s a very strong sentimental connection in this space – alongside functional objects, people place emotional objects that contribute to inspiration or belonging – the geography of the heart.”

“Throughout many meetings with the shortlisted candidates, there was a sense of great vulnerability on their part. Their desk is an area that needs to be held with sensitivity and curious, learning eyes, and especially not to take this opportunity for granted. From this most authentic point, an honest and moving dialogue emerged.”

Ofir Halaly, a silversmith, designer, and artist, designed the honorary pin for the jury committee and the Visual Communication prize finalists. The pins, made of silver and set with a tiny blue Swarovski stone, create a graphic and material dialogue with the award designed by Reddish Studio (Naama Steinbock and Idan Friedman).

“What drives me? Mainly emotion. Lots of curiosity and accepting mistakes as opportunities for new things. The search process was open and playful at first, to allow curiosity to break through and be open to new discoveries. It was a challenging opportunity to work with a successful, recognized icon and find where I could express myself as a creator.”

Halaly, a Bezalel academy Industrial Design graduate, has been working as a silversmith for almost a decade. He says that in his studio, the emphasis is on processes and self-learning. His precision and sensitivity to details are revealed in every design decision. The pin, which echoes an ancient coin, can be worn on a lapel or displayed on a shelf, thanks to a clever stand on its reverse side.

“From the beginning, I knew it was important to give the pins official validity, so each pin has a set of stamps: State of Israel (Standards Institute), mine as manufacturer, material purity (925 silver), and the prize logo. The final logo stamp is an addition inspired by my sketches and was created specifically for this project. In fact, each pin is personal, as is the attention and intention. They all contain the same components, but no two are identical.”

‘What Now?’ exhibition is on display at the Rosen Shenkar Gallery until January 18, 2025 Opening hours: Sunday and Tuesday 10:00-19:00 and Thursday 10:00-21:00

Exhibition Curator: Tom Kohen Graphic Design: Sapir David | Exhibition Design: Tal Yitzhaky | Catalog Concept, Photography and Editing: Maya Tavor

Photograph: Amnon Horesh