Through my work, I research and study the intangible relations between objects, people and local traditions. Although trained as a designer, my practice is built in close relation to the fields of anthropology and material culture. The word ‘anthropos’ means a human being, and this is exactly my design approach: putting communities, collaborations and people in the centre of my process, and in the stories that I gather/share/tell through my work.
I am interested in the narrative agency of things. To understand objects not merely as physical manifestations but as tools to preserve and celebrate diversity, the people and stories behind the making of things. Conceptually, I see design as a carrier of cultural knowledge and as a narrative medium that can make use of the local realities, to create objects for discourse and empowerment.
I have lived and studied in Colombia, Italy, Finland, Iceland, and the Netherlands where I graduated from the Man and Wellbeing department at the Design Academy Eindhoven with research about Gold in regards to the Colombian heritage, history and identity. Besides I have worked closely with different artisans, communities and indigenous cultures in Europe, Greenland and Latin America. Currently I work as a designer at Studio Formafantasma in Amsterdam. Besides, I continue to develop design projects and collaborations.
Email: simonballenbotero@gmail.com
Phone: +31 648774594
nl / col
CV
Design Exhibitions
Conversation between Craftsmen and Designers - Hors Pistes
MUDAC. Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts. 2019
10.07.2019 -12.01.2020 / Lausanne, Switzerland
HOW & WOW, Crafts Council Netherlands & Zuidezee Museum
Dutch Design Week, 2019
19.10.2019 - 27.10.2019 / Eindhoven, Netherlands
“Esto No Es Copia”, Bodega Central
Medellin Design Week. 2019
28.08.2019 - 01.09.2019 / Medellin, Colombia
Design Parade Hyeres.
Villa Noailles, 2019 **Winner Eyes on Talent x FRAME Award
27.06.2019 - 30.06.2019. / Hyeres, France
'Hope' Exhibition
Curated by Ilse Crawford and Oscar Peña at Kazerne Eindhoven
April - August 2019 / Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Future Classics at the FrozenFountain
February - June 2019 / Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Rencontres au Greenland - Hors Pistes Project
CID Grand-Hornu. 2019
03.02.2019 - 19.05.2019 / Boussu, Belgium
Valeur(s) Exhibition at Merci - Paris
18.01.2019 - 06.02.2019 / Paris, France
Graduation Show G18. Design Academy Eindhoven
Dutch Design Week. 2018
October 2018 / Eindhoven, Netherlands
Hors Pistes Exhibition. Lokal Museum Nuuk.
Results from design residency in Greenland . 2017
14.08.2017 to 10.09.2017 / Nuuk, Greenland
DENF Exhibition . “Children of the Sun”
Dutch Design Week. 2017
October 2017 / Eindhoven, Netherlands
Film programming at TouchBase Exhibition DAE.
Milan Design Week. 2016
April 2016 / Milan, Italy
“Material Freedom” Beyond Books. Lapland University.
Arctic Design Week. 2015
February 2015 / Rovaniemi, Finland
“Material Freedom” Beyond Books. Reading visual languages.
COOL satellite Program. 2014
May - August 2014 / Fellbach, Germany
Experience:
Designer at Studio Formafantasma
Amsterdam, Netherlands / 2019 - Present
Freelancer at Perceptual
Medellin, Colombia / 2018 - Present
Design Residency Hors Pistes Project - Working with local craftspeople
Nuuk, Greenland / Summer 2017
Internship at Studio Formafantasma
Amsterdam, Netherlands / March - July 2017
Assisting Teresa van Dongen - DDW Exhibitions
Eindhoven, Netherlands / October 2014 & 2015
Product Development Intern at Perceptual Studio
Medellin, Colombia / July - August 2014
Teaching Assistant and Student tutor at EAFIT University
Medellin, Colombia / 2011 - 2013
Education:
Design Academy Eindhoven / Man & Well Being
Eindhoven, Netherlands / 2014 - 2018
Icelandic Academy of Arts / Exchange Program at Product Design department
Reykjavik, Iceland / Autumn 2016
University of Lapland / Exchange Program at Faculty of Industrial Design
Rovaniemi, Finland / 2013 - 2014
IED - Istituto Europeo di Design / Summer course in Italian Product Design
Milan, Italy / Summer 2012
EAFIT University / Product Design Engineering
Medellin, Colombia / 2010 - 2013
Montessori High School
Medellin, Colombia / 2009
- For a more detailed CV don't hesitate to contact me