As I read the material provided for this class especially John Thackara’s essay I felt a bit overwhelmed. I was understanding the pressing need for change; the necessity to part from an object oriented system and approach one that was more about ideas and networks of people. But how? Thackara’s points were from a design perspective, so no matter how in tune I found myself with them, other questions in terms of my personal practice arouse. Where does art fit into all of this? And how can I as an artist change in order to contribute?
While reading the essay I realised that creation as an object oriented activity is not a condition particular to design. Art as well is an activity that is tightly linked to materiality. If we are to look at art from an oversimplified perspective, one that does not take into account the cultural, aesthetic and economical values that construct it , what we are left with are just objects. So there is also a responsibility within artists to change how we carry out our practices.
The what and how of this project are yet to be established, nevertheless there are a few ideas I want to explore:
-Cyclic production instead of linear (cradle to cradle).
-Arte povera. Not the politics behind the movement but their re-use of materials.
-Found object. Creation through what already exists.
-How to bring the above mentioned to the digital realm?
