Social Practice

A new web-based (and occasionally physical space) curation project just opened its doors in Berlin (and beyond). SocialDesignSite intends to open the discussion about what ‘Social Design’ is and what changes it might bring about. Their motto, “We cannot not change the world,” is based in the belief that every action we take shapes our social interactions and has broader consequences for the world around us. They describe their role as connecting projects undertaken with a similar Social Design perspective across the globe.

Within the categorization structure that they’ve set forth, ‘art based’ is just one mode out of many that Social design can inhabit. Most categories are a little slim in projects, so it’s hard to get a read about the distinctions (or usefulness) of these divisions. They have also built a ‘discussion’ feature that will allow a message board style conversation about an individual project. They do appear to be soliciting submissions for exhibition on the site, so it will be interesting to watch the growth of their exhibition over the next few months.

They’ll be having their official launch as part of ‘DESIGNMAI 2007′ in Berlin from May 14th to 18th.

For the Dale Sko Hack, Otto von Busch initiated a workshop for factory workers and designers at the Dale shoe factory. This activity brought together people intimately tied to the physical prodection of style with those responsible for the aesthetic prodection of style. The discussion centered around questioning and redefining the process of manufacture. They concluded that “. . . we must find ways to use the existing manual craft skills better in the design, find non-linear ways to operate production that creates more interesting results and narratives” (via wmmna interview). Not only have the results of this dialogue recieved the critical attention of the international fashoin community, but shoe factory is sustantially restructuring and reforming their production. They also produced a download-able book [PDF] documenting the project.

Otto von Busch sees his practice as similar to ‘hacking’ or heretical thinking:

“Modifying and breaking into systems to alter them, injecting micropolitical will into the channels and flows of the system. But they do not oppose the inherent power or code processing of that system. This is what makes hackers similar to heretics; they oppose the hierarchical role of the interpreter, administrator, or author, but not the power itself – code or faith. The heretic is not an atheist, but someone hacking the institutional and hierarchical interpretation of the faith. Like the hacker, modder, or tinkerer the heretic is keeping the power on, not renouncing or opposing the core or energy of a system.” (also via wmmna interview)

Von Busch and his partner, Evren Uzer, constitute the group “roomservices.” Currently they are working on a two part workshop/conference called “epicenter/periphery.” These events will consider the “exploration, mapping, and building of rural conditions for embracing creativity.” Epicenter/periphery will take place consecutively in June and October 2007; the workshop will take place in 14-21 June 2007 and the conference will be realized in 18-21 October 2007, in Dale Norway in collaboration with Nordic Artists’ Center- NKD and United World College in Fjaler.

A group of elementary school students and the teachers at their after-school program started a pedagogical exploration of social justice and resource management. A communal set of Lego building blocks launched this investigation an reflection on privilege, democracy, and self-organisation. Here’s a little excerpt of a conversation between the kids:

Carl: “We didn’t ‘give’ the pieces, we found and shared them.”

Lukas: “It’s like giving to charity.”

Carl: “I don’t agree with using words like ‘gave.’ Because when someone wants to move in, we find them a platform and bricks and we build them a house and find them windows and a door.”

“These children seemed to squirm at the implications of privilege, wealth, and power that giving holds. The children denied their power, framing it as benign and neutral, not something actively sought out and maintained.”

Read all of the essay “Why We Banned Legos” by Ann Pelo and Kendra Pelojoaquin (originally published in “Rethinking Schools“)

On March 25th, Rebecca Gamble hosted “An Event for Conversation” via the peer-to-peer internet telephone service, Skype. She invited participants to BYOB, pull up a stool, and log on. Following in Tom Marioni’s technologically enabled footsteps, she describes the gathering as

“. . . the first event in a series, for the project ‘An Event for a Conversation’, which celebrates social networking, and explores the social and technological methods we use to communicate. . . . This event will be documented by the participants, through text sent to the artist and through screen grab images of desktops. The conversations themselves will not be recorded.”

So far, the documentation from this raucous virtual pub-crawl* have yet to surface online, but you can find more information on the project blog.
*I didn’t attend, so my description may be completely off