Biography
Karin Zindel is a Swiss-Brazilian designer, researcher, lecturer, and co-head of re-source | Sustainability in the Arts at Zurich University of the Arts. She studied product design, as well as art and design history, in England, Italy, and Switzerland. Interested in various aspects of design and aesthetic practice, she worked for several years as an independent designer, exploring the innovative potential of industrial porcelain in the fields of art and design. She also collaborated with galleries, curators, and collectors, contributing to exhibitions such as Henry Darger at the Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst in Zurich, Chantal Michel at the Museum Franz Gertsch in Burgdorf, and Miroslav Tichý at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. In addition, she has carried out a range of photographic projects for organisations such as the Foundation Terre des Hommes, with a focus on socio-economic issues and ethnographic fieldwork.
Since 2009, Karin has been working at ZHdK. Her work ranges from developing educational programmes and teaching activities to realising international exhibitions, conferences, and research projects. Her research focuses on the intersection of art and design, investigating how creative and speculative approaches can drive transformative processes. She is particularly interested in how interdisciplinary collaboration, both in education and practice, can foster meaningful and lasting impact, with a special emphasis on sustainability.