Karen chekerdjian Born in Beirut. Studied film direction in Paris (ESRA) and Beirut (USJ). Worked as a copywriter and film producer for an advertisement agency in Beirut H&C Leo burnett. Co-founder of communication and graphic design company Mind the gap-Beirut. In 1997, leaves everything behind for a Master in Industrial Design at the Domus Academy in Milan, specializing in Design Direction under the supervision of Massimo Morozzi and Ampelio Bucci. Her collaboration with Massimo Morozzi ("Oggetti Sensazionali") leads her to be produced by the EDRA furniture company. Experimenting on her own since then, she has been developing several projects presented in Milan, Paris, Cologne, New York and Beirut. Living in between Beirut and Amman since 2001. Top 2005 - Showing at Pitti Living-off salone during the Milan furniture fair: personal production - Tinned brass collection; research and development with traditional craftsmen from Lebanon. Presented at Milan furniture Fair in April 2005. - IQAR: commissioned by Sawaya & Moroni for the exhibition “Switch on Lebanese design” La Metropole-Paris. 2004 - “Show at Johnny Farah”: Hiroshima, Living spaces and Rolling stones exhibited at the opening of the new Johnny Farah boutique in Beirut. - Liza -Lebanese contemporary restaurant in Paris: consultancy and design for table accessories choice and set up. 2003 - “Spin off 02” exhibition selected Poppy tray to be showed with an international group of designers during the Kolnmesse - Cologne, Germany. 2002 - “St etienne”: Poppy tray was selected for the Lebanese design exhibition – France. - Salone Satellite: Rolling stones by Chekerdjian & Gunnarsdottir – Milan, Italy. - “Spin off 01” exhibition selected Coffee for two to be showed during the Kolnmesse in Cologne – Germany. 2001 - Salone Satellite: Stool in the box by Chekerdjian & Gunnarsdottir – Milan, Italy. - “Drive In”: exhibition held by a group of designers in the Passagen during the Kolnmesse - Cologne, Germany. 2000 - Salone Satellite: Superposition and Coffee for two (the chez rabiha) – Milan, Italy. - Edra: presented and produced MOBIL2 during the Salone del mobile –Milan, Italy. - “Waschtag”: exhibition held in the Passagen during the Kolnmesse by a group of designers- won the Architekture & Wohnen prize for young designers – Cologne, Germany. 1999 - Edra: presented and produced MOBIL during the Salone del mobile – Milan, Italy. - Tavola Pronta: research by Archiutti, Chekerdjian and Demaret, presented in an Off exhibition during the Salone del Mobile – Milan, Italy. - Oggetti sensazionali: curated by Cristina Morozzi, Milan, Italy. A design research led by Mr. Massimo Morozzi, Chekerdjian, Demaret and Goetsch with the carpenters of the Ex-ospedale psychiatrico Paolo Plini. 1998 - No Tables, No chairs: a moving exhibition held during the Salone del mobile in the streets of Milan by a group of 5 designers (Chekerdjian, Demaret, Goetsche, Riccardo e Maria ella). - Domus Academy: Master degree project exhibited at the Calvin Klein Showroom during the Salone del mobile, No tables, No chairs under the direction of Ampelio Bucci and Massimo Morozzi – Milan, Italy. Top 2003-6 “Beyond the myth, Scandinavian design”: Rolling stones by Chekerdjian and Gunnarsdottir were selected for the turning exhibition that started in Berlin, Milan (Triennale) and other European cities. 2004 “Northern Lights”: The Issey miyake Foundation, Tokyo. “Rolling stones” by Chekerdjian and Gunnarsdottir selected by Harry koskinen for the “New scandinavian designers” exhibition. 2005 “100 years of design”: Rolling stones by Chekerdjian and Gunnarsdottir were selected for the 5 years exhibition in the Stjeljsik Museum – Copenhagen, Denmark. Top 2006 - Marco Romanelli, Abitare 457, January, p152: Design del mondo - Living spaces 1 - Anyway 01, p25: Peace near east:hot spot Beirut - Easy table - Skin 00, p188-192, Design simplicity: Karen Chekerdjian, a complete profile. 2005 - Intramuros 120, sept-Oct, p.7, Création en fer blanc: tinned brass collection. - Abitare, IQAR - Interni, switch on Lebanese design - L’officiel, hors serie n3, 1000 modeles, p.154: Switch on Lebanese design, IQAR. - Marco Romanelli, Abitare 452, July-August, p.92: Easy tinned brass collection. - Carla Henoud, Deco magazine, p100-101: Karen Chekerdjian, Un scenario en filigrane. - Byzance 10, mars, p.25: IQAR. 2004 - Mel Byars, Moma Design Encyclopedia: Karen Chekerdjian. 2003 - GIOIACASA, April, p.79: Mobil for Edra. 2002 - ELLE DECO, Italia, September, Il nuovo design ispirato ai mastri: Rolling stone. - Francesca Taroni, Case da Abitare, September, Attrazione Fatale: Rolling stone. - Marco Romanelli, Abitare 419, July-August, Satelliti Ricerca: Rolling stone. - ELLE decor, Italia, July-August, di moda: Rolling stone. - Francesca Taroni, Case da Abitare, April, Ricamo: coffee for two. - Studio Voice, japan, March, p.48: mobil2, superposition, coffee for two... - ELLE mode, France, February: Mobil. 2001 - Marco Romanelli, Abitare 411, November, p192, Non progettate solo divani: Stool in the box - Intramuros 97, Oct-Nov, p20, projet par courrier electronique: Stool in the box. - Partners, Japan, July: Stool in the box. - Nikkei Design, Japan: stool in the box. - Design in scandinavia N20, collectors edition: Stool in the box. - Chantal hamaide, Intramuros 94, Chekerdjian at Drive In. 2000 - Francesca Taroni, Casa Vogue N5, p61: Superposition. - Laura bossi, Domus 827, June, Coffee for two (old name: Thé chez Rabiha). - Marco Romanelli, Abitare 396, June, Dal Salone-prime novita: Superposition. - Wallpaper, July-August, Milan Fair-favourites: Superposition. - Virginio Briatore, Interni 503, July-August, p.6-9: Superposition, Coffee for two. - Intramuros, num. special Aout-Sept, p.90: Superposition. - ELLE Decor, Italia, Sept, p13: Superposition. - Architektur & Wohnen, June, p.158-161, Netzwerk: Waschtag - Cristina Morozzi, Kult, May, p.32, Waschtag; Giorno di bucato. - Casa Amica, December, cover page: Mobil for Edra. 1999 - Cristina Morozzi, Intramuros 79, Oct-Nov, Body furniture: No tables, no chairs. 1998 - Panorama, 16/04/1998, Giro del mondo in 12 pezzi: master project Karen Chekerdjian at Spazi Calvin Klein. 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