Hamide Design Studio initiated the project Pomegranate since they felt a need for an independent playground where they feel free from various constraints. They thought “pomegranate” is probably the best name for it since it was a metaphor for so many things. Their mother Hamide grew up by a pomegranate tree in southeast Turkey. Then, they spent their summers by the same tree. They have vivid memories of Hamide coming with pomegranates from the bazaar and cutting this magical fruit to find hundreds of seeds. Yet, pomegranate is more than just nostalgic memories. It presents Hamide’s identity and vision;

Pomegranate is slow! Enjoying a pomegranate requires a ritual. You have to be patient to reach to the seeds, and you have to work for it. It makes you more conscious of what you are eating. Thus, it is a great symbol for slow production and consumption which Hamide stands for.

Pomegranate is an active immigrant! Despite being Eastern by origin, it spread throughout the world adapting to different conditions. It inspired people from all cultures and took its part in the mythologies of both the east and the west. Just like the co-founders of Hamide, who moved to Denmark from Turkey 4 years ago and have taken an active part in Danish cultural scene.

Pomegranate is sweet and sour; stimulative and challenging! You learn to handle it. It transforms you. You feel refreshed. It is like an aesthetic experience you usually get in your interactions with art. Hamide approaches design as art therefore tries to create scenarios where the users have aesthetic experiences.

Pomegranate is versatile and uniting; a single fruit with hundreds of seeds! Like Hamide who acts as a platform to various creatives.

Pomegranate is long-lived and evergreen! That is exactly what Hamide wants to be; a contemporary, pioneering, and well established design studio.

Thus, it is pomegranate!

POMEGRANATE #1 / POP-UP SHOP

featuring BEADLEG / BLINDES ARBEJDE / COLLAGE ART by MAHMUD  ŞAHAN / MIRINS COPENHAGEN / PHYLICIA GILIJAMSE JEWELLERY / PLANTEPLANETER / RAINTREE / SES PERISI

Pomegranate #1 was organized in collaboration with VESS Art Gallery in the form of a pop-up shop. Reflecting Hamide’s vision, the pop-up has been curated to present works that have the power to enhance everyday life through their design qualities that value aesthetic experience, handcraft, local production, and slow consumption. Thus, it presents works by Hamide Design Studio as well as Beadleg, Blindes Arbejde, Collage Art by Mahmud Şahan, Mirins Copenhagen, Phylicia Gilijamse Jewellery, Planteplaneter, Raintree, and Ses Perisi ranging from artworks to stationery, fashion, jewellery, plants, and cosmetics.

26 June 2014 – 9 July 2014 / VESS, Oehlenshlægersgade 36, 1663 KBH

Photographs: Inez Dawczyk

POMEGRANATE #2 / TALK: IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS WITHIN CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

featuring BITCHSLAP MAGAZINE / COPENHAGERS / SCANDINAVIA STANDARD / SIVELLINK / the JAUNT

Pomegranate #2 was organized in collaboration with Verdenskulturcentret, a creative hub for various intercultural activities, in the form of a talk within Global Entrepreneurship Week Denmark. The talk focused on immigrant entrepreneurs in Denmark within creative industries through the perspective of five successful immigrant entrepreneurs. It aimed to not only reclaim the meaning of the word “immigrant” but also to add a positive connotation to it by sharing successful and inspiring stories of immigrant entrepreneurs. It introduced the contributions these immigrant entrepreneurs have made to the Danish business, cultural and social life. It positioned itself as a much needed platform to share and discuss the challenges immigrant entrepreneurs experience and how the conditions could be improved. It also explored the role of Denmark and Copenhagen in these businesses.

18 November 2015 / 17:00 – 20:00 / Verdenskulturcentret, Nørre Alle 7, 2200 KBH N

POMEGRANATE #3: TALK / ANALOG LOVES DIGITAL

featuring IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS WITHIN CREATIVE INDUSTRIES:

CODHER / DONKEY REPUBLIC / THE MURMUR

Pomegranate #3 was organized in the form of a talk within Global Entrepreneurship Week Denmark (Danmarks Iværksætteruge) in collaboration with KPH, a community for innovative startups and small growing businesses. Exploring GEW Denmark’s theme “digitalization”, Pomegranate #3 looked into the dialogue between analog and digital under the title “Analog Loves Digital”. The talk introduced three successful immigrant entrepreneurs in Denmark within creative industries with businesses that use technology and / or new media to see the analog products and services with a new or enhanced perspective and social entrepreneurship projects that help people adapt to the digital era. The talk aimed to explore the challenges and advantages digitalization brings as well as the social responsibilities businesses in creative industries hold in their response to digitalization.

20 November 2016 / 16:00 – 19:00 / KPH, Enghavevej 80 – 82, 3.sal, 2450 København