Saint-Etienne Design Biennale 2017 Explores Work and Social Change

The 10th edition of the Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Etienne will take place from March 9 to April 9, 2017, with Detroit as the guest of honor. The event, curated by Olivier Peyricot, focuses on the theme of mutations in work, examining how design can act as a catalyst for social change. The biennale is structured around two main issues: digital labor and new workspaces like co-working. Fifteen exhibitions will be held across the Cité du Design and other venues, addressing topics such as alienation and the tension between algorithmic rigor and human sensitivity. Highlights include 'La fin du travail' by Stéphane Degoutin and Gwenola Wagon, and 'Extravaillance # Working Dead' by Didier Fiuza Faustino, Alain Damasio, Norbert Merjagnan, and the Zanzibar collective. Christophe Marchand curates 'Best-of métier,' showcasing 60 objects from manufacturing districts in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Lombardy, Catalonia, and Baden-Württemberg. Both Detroit and Saint-Etienne are part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for design.