“Der Traum einer Sache – Social Design zwischen Utopie und Alltag” was the title of an exhibition at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna lasting from 3.Nov – 12. Dec 2009. The interdisciplinary framework tried to fathom the contemporary concept of “Social Design” by means of discussions, historical roots, motivations and promises displaying artworks, theory and design models. Questions in research were e.g.: “How can we deal with our scarce ressources?”, “How can knowledge be produced and shared?”, “How does all humankind profit from technological developments?”, “How can social problems be made visible?”…
Catalogue and Documentation in German only.
www.socialdesign.at
29
July
The danish Artist FOS puts his emphasis on the processual in contemporary art, the artistic practice rather than the product. A dialogue of form and non-form occurs which question fixed rules and works towards the possibilities of new social hierarchies and meanings. Archtecture, space, environments shape societal life, but their understanding of Social Design aims to transcend physical space or defined objects. Social Design produces situations, connectedness, communication – a kind of “social aesthetics” which unfolds as a dialogue between human and society.
“Society as shell, people as liquids.” (FOS)
www.socialdesign.dk
29
July
“We witness sublimation as a means of mimicry. The outcome is a subliminal camouflage that, by referencing the reference of a reference, eventually becomes some uncut simulacric compound.” – “The transition from signs that dissimulate something to signs that dissimulate that there is nothing marks a decisive turning point.”
Aaron Moulton “Videodrome” / Jean Baudrillard “Simulacra & Simulation” p. 6
29
July
Unfortunately only available in German, Sandra Benz and Vera Warter created a beautiful cookbook for the postmodern counter-propaganda. Subversive, nicely crafted and very useful. A recommendation for those who think that their opinion should augment in range, but not by PR budget.
www.protesthandbuch.de
28
July
“In Michel de Certeau’s seminal book The Practice of Everyday Life from 1984, he pinpoints behavioral strategies of contemporary man as a way to make us, the reader and ultimately the subject, become more self-reflexive about our procedures for social engagement, leisure and personal economy. One key concept is la perruque or “the wig,” a French expression that references the way people figuratively wear an outfit or disguise to make viewers believe that what they are seeing is what they think it is. Forms of posturing or “imposturing” create a slippage between real, projected and now televised selves in an attempt to maintain expectations from daily behaviors for the experience of the viewer.” (Aaron Moulton, curator of “Videodrome” exhibition at AUTOCENTER, 04-18.06.2010)
28
July