Monday, November 10, 2008

Yatzer.com article about Yiannis Ghikas




"One of Greece's most important Industrial designers, Yiannis Ghikas will participate with his BASIC I & II side tables at "L'Europe des Designers" part of FLIGHT NUMBER TEN exhibition during the Saint–Étienne International Design Biennial in Saint–Étienne (FRANCE) from 15-30 November 2008. The FLIGHT NUMBER TEN is curated by Chloé Heyraud.

"L'Europe des Designers" highlights European designers through innovative ideas which could turn customs upside down. This presentation is put together in partnership with Culturesfrance as part of the European Cultural Season.

ABOUT YIANNIS GHIKAS
Yiannis Ghikas was born in 1969 in Greece, a few kilometers out of Athens and he was an 18-year-old student of informatics at the Athens University of Economics and Business, when he realized that he wanted to become an industrial designer. So It took him a long time to become a student again, this time in product design. His official website holds his name under the title"Concepts on a waiting list", because according to his words "most of my ideas are waiting to come to life".



YIANNIS GHIKAS answers yatzer's questionnaire

Describe yourself in five words.
Impatient, reliable, social, controversial, obsessed

If you could be a different nationality, what would it be?
I would keep the great Greek mother and I would add a Scandinavian father to balance the Mediterranean nature, so a mixed one.

What’s your favourite movie?
It couldn’t be just one. I’ll name a few that stayed in my mind for a long time: Lars von trier’s “breaking the waves”, Gus van sant’s: “Gerry” and Wang kar wai’s “In the mood for love”.

What kind of music you like to listen?
I like many completely different kinds of music. Quality is the key. An example of a timeless music I really love is R. Straus’s “Vier letzte lieder”.

What is your favorite design material?
I love natural oak and white porcelain.

What is the most expensive piece of furniture in your house?
A pair of Eames LCW chairs and a Citterio’s 6 drawer mobil box.

What inspires you?
Everything I have experienced.

You are going for a weekend “somewhere” and you have to invite seven famous people, dead or alive to join you. Where would you go and who would they be?
I would invite Manos Hadjidakis, Issey Miyake, Akira Kurosawa, Dawn Upshaw, Joep van Lieshout and the Bouroullec brothers at their floating house.

Are you afraid of the future?
Yes I am afraid of the future concerning the climatological changes and the consequences of people’s political inactivity.

Describe me the perfect day?
Exploring an unknown city, sharing the experience with people I love.

What does space mean to you?
A necessity

Luxury is?
Dissipation of resources

Design is?
Design is an applied art rich in cultural content"

via yatzer.com