Katarina Dimitrijevic is a interdisciplinary design researcher, environmental activist and qualified Interior Architect.
My speculative research is by practice in design connecting to discard study, marine science, and feminist materiality. I use marine scientific findings and data on plastic waste recycling as an extrapolation to support an argument that the oceans are the world’s largest mismanaged landfill. Through the speculative design agency–praxis KraalD, research intervened in worldviews to build positive relations with plastic waste and visualising plastic pollution.
The KraalD praxis promotes a novel aesthetic waste language, positive change in plastic disposal rituals through hands-on reuse tactics with plastic packaging and stakeholders, raising environmental and oceanic landfill awareness throughout the action research.
Pending 2023, Dimitrijevic, K., Waste Safari XMass: A Visual Narrative with Single-use Plastics, Ed. Stowell, A., Gutberlet, J., Valenzuela, F., Zapata, P., and Zapata Campos, M.J., Waste Perspectives from Social Sciences and Humanities: Re-Opening the Bin–Waste, Economy, Culture and Society, Bristol University Press.
2020, Dimitrijevic, K., Visualising the North Atlantic Gyre Patch, Ed. Johansson, N., and Ek, R., Perspectives on Waste from the Social Sciences and the Humanities: Opening the Bin, Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN 1-5275-4674-8.
2019, Dimitrijevic, K., CitySelf Anima, Ed. Rodgers, P.A., Design Research for Change, Lancaster University, ISBN 978-86220-363-1.
2019, Dimitrijevic, K., Living landfill, Ed. Fletcher, K., St. Pierre., L., Tham, M., Design and Nature- a relationship, Routledge. ISBN 978-0-8153-6274-6.
2015, Dimitrijevic, K., Visualising the North Atlantic Gyre Co-Creative Depollution, 20th Sustainable Innovation International Conference, The Centre for Sustainable Design (CfSD), UCA, Epson, UK.
2014, Dimitrijevic, K., Transgressing Plastic Waste: Designedisposal Strategic Scenarios, 19th Sustainable Innovation International Conference, The Centre for Sustainable Design (CfSD), Copenhagen, Denmark.
2010, Dimitrijevic, K., Township Metropolis-Design for Disposal, Interior Spaces in Other Places, IDEA Symposium, ISBN 978-1-86435-640-3.
2008, Dimitrijevic, K., and Kopping, J., Street synergy: African Re-Tale in Global Narrative, Ed. Peressut, L., B., Forino, I., Postiglione, G., Scullica, F., Places & Themes of Interiors: Contemporary Research Worldwide, Franco Angeli, ISBN 978-88-464-9975-2.
Experienced Higher Education lecturer, programme and module leader for undergraduate UG (Republic of South Africa), and postgraduate PG design programmes (UK).
2020 – 2022, The Margate School, TMS. Associated Lecturer in History and Philosophy of Art and Object of Memoir, for MA Art, Society, Nature. Associated Tutor in Critical Studies and Design History Module, Visual Communication, Design Society Nature.
2015 –2019, Design Researcher. Jointly funded PhD scholarship by Design Star, Center for Doctoral Training CDT, Art and Humanities Research Council AHRC and the Design Department Goldsmiths University of London.
2013 – 2016, Subject Leader and PG Coordinator for the UCA Crafts & Design School. Dual Subject Leader for the MA Contemporary Jewellery & MA Design at the Rochester Campus, University for the Creative Arts, UCA.
South Africa, RSA
2005 – 2010, Head of Department - HOD Interior Design, Greenside Design Center, College of Design, Johannesburg, JHB. Republic of South Africa, RSA.
2006 – 2010, External Examiner at University of Pretoria- Interior Architecture Department.
2008- 2009, External Examiner at University of Pretoria – Department of Consumer Science.
Conferences & KraalD Praxis Expositions
2022, 25 November, presented at Design Creative Practice Research, Track 2: Socially responsive and inclusive design & creative practice, wellbeing, sustainability. Syposium celebrating AHRC-funded centres for Doctoral Training, legacy event at Design Museum, London.
2022, August, KraalD Sea PET Workshop Events, selected for The Open, Turner Contemporary, Margate.
2021, June, XMASS Waste Safari. Presented audiovisual narrative and was awarded 3rd place for Opening the Bin-2 conference at Gothenburg University, Sweden.
2020/21, Xmass Tree Installation. Window exhibit at The Margate School, TMS, Margate, UK.
2019, Plastics with The Living Voice. Paper presented at the Postgraduate Research Conference Futures of the Real, Goldsmiths UoL.
2018, Sailing on the Plastic Sea. Crew and research team member for the Sail Britain Org., Plastic Pollution Expedition, UK East Coast, collaborates with the Cambridge University Yacht Club.
2017, KraalD: Plastic Reuse Strategy, Paper presented at the track Treating Waste as a Resource Session chaired by Les Levidow, The Open University, UK at the Royal Geography Society, RGS-IBG London.
2017, Plasticized, Presented audio visual narrative at The Lives and After Lives of Plastics, Carbon Free Conference Online organised by Political Ecology Research Centre, (PERC), New Zealand.
2017, Designtransposal Workshops: Visualising the North Atlantic Gyre, paper presented at the academic workshop, Opening the Bin, track Waste Death at Sea at the Waste Management Department at Lund University, Sweden.
2016, Designtransposal workshops: Reflective Narrative in Visualising Toxic Chronic Disaster, Chaired panel for the track Design for Behaviour Change and presented PhD practice research at the Goldsmiths' UoL Graduate Festival 2016 Vehicles for Thought, Goldsmiths UoL.
2016, KraalD Boki Lights are part of the permanent ETSY Headquarters Collection, New York, USA.
2015, 'I' Trash Therefore 'We' Are—presented practice research at the WASTE-D Research Forum at Loughborough University.
2015, Designtransposal Workshop, Lead HE workshop as part of Researching Across the Difference, PhD by Design, Research Conference held at Goldsmiths' UoL.
2014, Transgressing Plastic Waste: Designedisposal strategic scenarios Presented PhD research proposal and exhibited speculative lights installation KraalD: Boki at Navigating the Messiness of Practice-Based Research, PhD by Design Research Conference held at Goldsmiths' UoL.
2013, KraalD: Transformation by Designedisposal Presented MRes Design at the Futures Salon for the MA Design Futures and MRes Design Programmes Seminar held at the Goldsmiths University of London.
2013, May, Eco Tales film festival, Twickenham, London. KraalD reused installation Thirst.
2012, September How Come? Goldsmiths Design exhibition at London Design Festival, The Rag Factory London, E1 5LJ.
2012, July KraalD - pop up micro store Jeannie Avent Gallery London , SE22 9EU.