Biografie
Michaela Theresia Martinek is a designer and a door opener to design mediation. She works as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Design, Architecture and Environment for Art Education at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. She has benefitted from studying interior design and working in the broader design field, and also from the ongoing input of her environment and the ethos at the Angewandte. Initially, she benefitted from studying under Johannes Spalt (Viennese School), and subsequently working alongside Paolo Piva, with his wider, Italian Influence. There was a shift in the pedagogic focus when the Institute of Art Education at UAAV emerged with Barbara Putz-Plecko (Textile, Gender). Subsequently, James Skone formed the Department of Design, Architecture and Environment for Design Education and he was succeeded by Christoph Kaltenbrunner (DEX). This evolution facilitated her artistic and professional development from designer to designer plus design mediator. She focuses her ‘Independent Artistic Education’ on Artistic Project Design. Of fundamental interest to Michaela Martinek is the conscious integration of the social aspects and responsibilities of design into the design process and this has led to her concern with design mediation. Artistic Project Design is approached in conjunction with topics like artistic design, sustainability, interior design, gender and social justice. These topics change with the changing semesters. Examples of these are expressed in courses like the lifecycle of bees, eduLANDS for Transitions (Erasmus+), peace studies. Thanks to the collaboration of the students, a new forum has been created: ‘Raum für Nachhaltigkeit’ for ongoing participation in sustainable topics and design mediation. She focuses her ‘Independent Artistic Practice’ on her brand design.mikimartinek. Her design values are centered on her personal ethics, and her artistic practice reflects how these values are expressed in everyday life products and processes. design.mikimartinek participates in Vienna Design Week, where she loves to experiment with design mediation in practice. She has pleasure in inviting one of her collaboration partners to Vienna Design Week every year. This results in experiencing new challenges and sometimes the creation of surprising new settings. Contact: To learn design and design mediation you are welcome to a ‘One to One’! Please send an Email to michaela.martinek@uni-ak.ac.at
