Victoria Schlienkamp BA Graphic and Media Design We are currently facing a lot of new problems on a global scale. The advance of AI offers new ways to innovate but raises concerns about its impact in the creative process. At the same time, climate change and its effect on the planet becomes more urgent to resolve with each day. These issues are not just affecting broad fields such as the economy but also minority groups in society, (through rising aggression caused by uncertainty and fear.) These cultural and political changes are currently prevalent in craft and design processes as well. There is a lot of uncertainty around the future and the current needs. Considering the influence of climate change, cultural change and digital impact, it feels like standing at a crossroad to pave new directions not just in the design world. There seems to be a search for reforming current system and a struggle to adjust to constant and fast-paced change. Over the past few months, I have been working on my SIP with the ambition to provide solutions for the future, focusing on the renaissance of marquetry (creating decorative elements by assembling pieces of wood to a picture) as an ancient craft. Inspired by Artists like Neri Oxman who seem to offer solutions emerging from a thrive to bring back balance between nature and technology. Focusing on seemingly simple things to create highly impactful concepts for future design. Oxman’s focus is on a material basis influenced by biology and architecture, merging two fields that at first glance seem too different to be connected. Her drive to innovate made a new way of working possible, revolutionising the process by focusing on and drawing inspiration (and techniques) from something that has existed since the Dawn of time: nature. The SIP has been a work in progress developed alongside my internships in the past few months. There has been a lot of change and action from my ambition to innovating the design practice to a refined outcome. Taking inspiration from Oxman’s approach to innovate, it started quite broad with an idea of merging craft and technology. Even though it’s far from finished, it now offers a clear direction for my future practice through months of refinement. Another example would be the fashion designer Iris van Herpen. Her atelier produces garments combining traditional craft with advanced technologies to create one-of-a-kind pieces. This proves again that innovation doesn’t have to be futuristic technology. Ancient crafts can elevate and innovate everyday practice and bring balance to the process. Advanced Technologies can improve a practice but they should not replace humans in the process. Human workforce allows a unique human-centric perspective on culture and experience that machines cannot replicate. It is important to note that a safe and fair work environment for human employees should be kept in mind. Van Herpen’s work proves that crafts are not outdated and could provide relevant solutions in the current shift happening in the design world. The discovery of craft as innovation helped to shape my progress on the SIP. Observing the different approaches in disruptive design made me consider the impact of my project and allowed me to really center my work around humans aiming to implement technology only to elevate not to replace. Embracing a new approach helped to shape the project in a non-linear path that eventually gave it its direction. Oxman’s and van Herpen’s approach prove that future design can’t be an isolated craft confined to a studio anymore. Designers need to reach outside and connect with different fields. Disruptive design processes provide a new way of thinking that should be explored further to rethink design and adjust it to future generations and their needs. The process during the past months shaped the direction of my work and provided a structure for my future. Images: https://www.ubm-development.com/magazin/contemporary-vision-award-fuer-3-d-pionierin-neri-oxman/ https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/iris-van-herpens-couture-3d-printing-stars-paris-fashion-week-2018-127822/ Resources: https://research.tue.nl/en/publications/new-craftsmanship-in-industrial-design-towards-a-transformation-e https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-16-0041-8_73 https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/9781003046103-21/brink-dissipation-reactivation-narrative-heritage-material-craftsmanship-design-research-alvelos-barreto-chatterjee-penedos-santiago-penedos-santiago Lucy Johnston. Digital Handmade: Craftsmanship in the New Industrial Revolution. Thames & Hudson, 2017.
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