about

image-shift is a design and (visual) communication studio based in berlin. the studio is dedicated to – and operates in – cultural, social, political, educational and urban contexts.

we bring information and communication into shape – and into this world. we develop communication concepts, strategies and designs for all kind of media formats and distribution contexts.

our collaborators and clients are cultural and educational institutions, foundations, artists and curators, filmmakers, video collectives, associations, publishers, unions, and social and activist groups. we teach, give lectures and collaborate within various fields …

we prefer to work on a base of companionship rather than letting the relationship with our clients be determined by the ideologies of the service industries. we work on & for society, with & through the means of design and art. we are curious, playful and passionate.

image-shift is run by sandy kaltenborn and the beautiful people who have joined the studio as interns, partners or collaborators over time … > pierre maite (zoff-kollektiv.net), athena javanmardi & paco camberlin (gestus.fr), philipp wix (imaging-dissent.net), tirsa ben-porat (tirzabp.com) anja kaiser (linktr.ee/AnjaKaiser), and …

this website shows only a small selection of the studio’s work. and of course only work which can be visually displayed. (… and there is so much invisible work in this world …)

thanks for visiting / have a good day …


design beyond design

Alexander Sandy Paul Omar Abdullah Kaltenborn, known as Sandy Kaltenborn, is a communication designer with Afghan-German roots. Born in the Ruhr region (Essen, Germany) and raised in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia and Oman), he now lives and works in Berlin.
Kaltenborn explores design as a tool for shaping social and political processes, working at the intersections of design, art, and social engagement. From 1995 to 2000, he studied communication design at the Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weißensee under Alex Jordan (Grapus collective) and later became a fellow at the Akademie Schloss Solitude (Stuttgart, Germany). His practice has expanded from graphic and communication design—focusing on book design, posters, and collaborations with cultural institutions—further into a hybrid, process-oriented approach independent of specific media formats.

Extended design practices are central to Kaltenborn’s creative approach. For him, design is never merely aesthetic; it is an inherently communicative and socio-political process, deeply intertwined with the structures and dynamics of everyday life. By recognizing design as a dialogical, participatory, and transformative tool, he uses it to engage critically with social realities and provoke meaningful interactions. Ultimately, design for him is an instrument to challenge power structures and inspire change.

This approach complements his overall design philosophy, which moves beyond aesthetic considerations or self-referential discourses in design, art and academia, emphasizing meaningful connections and addressing real-world challenges.
A vivid example of Kaltenborn’s approach to design can be seen in his reflections on book design. For him, even the way a book opens or feels in the hand is more than a technical or aesthetic detail—it becomes an entry point for exploring broader societal questions. The physical haptics of a book and its individual use offer a space to reflect on themes like participation, accessibility, and dialogue, ultimately tying these elements to the vision of an open and inclusive society.

Actively engaging with society across arts, culture, academia, and civil contexts, Kaltenborn has supported (and founded) post-migrant interventions, social movements like Kein Mensch ist illegal, and urban initiatives such as Kotti & Co. He also works as a lecturer and speaker, curating festivals and exhibitions (e.g., Engagement & Graphic Design at nGbK Berlin) that reinterpret design as a tool for social transformation.

Design, for Kaltenborn, is more than a profession—it is a means of navigating and reshaping the world. Rooted in a deep awareness of cultural hybridity and global perspectives, his work bridges the personal and the political, the material and the intangible. Through his thoughtful practice, he invites us to see design as an evolving dialogue, a tool for questioning, imagining, and co-creating. In Kaltenborn’s vision, design transcends its boundaries to become an act of care and resistance—a way to foster connection, provoke reflection, and spark transformation in the pursuit of a more inclusive, equitable, and open society.

Text by Noemi Y. Molitor


 

 

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