Jerusalem Design Week curators Sonja Olitsky, Dana Ben Shalom and Jeremy Fogel discuss hosting a cultural event against a backdrop of country-wide protests in this interview.
Israel's largest annual design event, Jerusalem Design Week returned this year for its 12th edition with designers responding to the theme of Lies and Falsehoods.
The design week took place at Hansen House from 22 and 29 June, showcasing 150 exhibitors. Many of the designers were Israeli, but the festival curators also wanted to display international designers.
Among these were six designers from Palestine, including Ibraheem Rajabi, Bushra Abbasi and Kavalya Atma, as well as designers from Hong Kong, China, Ukraine and Russia.
Jerusalem Design Week curators Sonja Olitsky (left), Dana Ben Shalom (centre) and Jeremy Fogel (right) According to the trio, Jerusalem Design Week is not commercially led and designers are encouraged to express different viewpoints, differentiating the event from typical design weeks in Europe.
"This event is not like regular design weeks you see in Europe," Olitsky told Dezeen.
"There is a big legacy around Jerusalem Design Week ? it's always a bit controversial in its topics because it's non-commercial and there are no sponsorships," Shalom added. "Everyone is commissioned to bring their own voices into the spaces."
The event took place at Hansen House
The design week was government-funded through the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage and the Je...