Tipping Points - Beckmans x Svenskt Tenn x Beijerinstitutet
September 08, 2020

Exhibition at Svenskt Tenn 8-21 September

Design, humor, imagination and empathy create a bridge to the highly topical environmental research conducted by the Beijer Institute. 

Among other things, the visitor gets to take part in suggestions for new warning labels for everyday products in stores that want to draw customers' attention to climate impact, visit a museum of materialism and say a collective goodbye to it, as well as in a number of games, both digital and analogue, reflect on the consequences of individual actions in a broader perspective. 

The exhibition will be on display at Svenskt Tenn's store 8-21 September.

Tipping points – when nature tips over into a new state 

Nature is often exposed to gradual environmental impact, but ecosystems do not always respond with gradual change. Instead, they become more sensitive to sudden events, such as storms, floods and fires, which can cause them to suddenly tip over to a whole new state that is very difficult and expensive, or impossible, to get out of. The consequences can be extensive for both the ecosystem as well as human life and society. With knowledge of what leads to a tipping point, we can see the signals in time and act to avoid them occurring.

Visual communication as research communication 

-"It is very inspiring to be part of the creative process when the students take on the task. They have a completely different knowledge of design and product design than we in the research world have access to. We hope that their clever, beautiful and thought-provoking works will contribute to more knowledge and interest in complex environmental issues and reach out to new groups through this fantastic opportunity to exhibit at Svenskt Tenn," says Agneta Sundin, Communications Manager at the Beijer Institute. 

For students, it is a course that examines how visual communication can help communicate research.  

"For the students, it's both an exercise in research, to absorb a complex material, and in design – to find ways to visualize parts of that material. For us, it is a fantastic opportunity to work with such a topical and important material, directly from the researchers themselves. This year, the students and researchers have worked even closer together, which the visitor can see in films where the researchers comment on the students' work – a feedback loop to paraphrase one of the concepts we have learned, says Samira Bouabana, Program Manager Visual Communication at Beckmans.  

Participating students and supervisors 

Students: Almir Jasarevic, Astrid Askert, Elisabet Lindén Calatayud, Erik Karlsson Malinen, Filip Kwang-Ho Svensson, Isabelle Sjö, Isak Hultström, Ivan Gedin, Lisa Åsberg, Lova Nyblom, Rebecka Hoffmann, Saba Mehrabanfar, Sofia Hjortberg &viktor Nilsson.   

Supervisor: Anne-Sophie Crépin, Deputy Director and Researcher, Beijer Institute, Johan Gars, Researcher, Beijer Institute, Steven Lade, Researcher, Beijer Institute and Stockholm Resilience Centre, Juan Rocha, Researcher, Stockholm Resilience Centre (formerly at beijerinstitutet), Agneta Sundin, Communications Officer Beijerinsitutet, Eric Ericson, designer. Course coordinator: Samira Bouabana Svenskt Tenn: Thommy Bindefeld, Marketing Manager and Creative Manager, Karin Södergren, Curator, Åsa Brenner Toris, Curator, Ulrika Nilsson, Project Coordinator.     

About Svenskt Tenn & BeijerInstitutet 

Svenskt Tenn is owned by the Kjell and Märta Beijer Foundation and all proceeds generated by the company go to research and preservation of Swedish craftsmanship. One of the institutes funded through the Foundation is the Beijer Institute at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which works for a deeper understanding of the interaction between ecological systems and the development of society and the economy. The goal is to find ways towards sustainable development.