Outline in English
Design and capitalism have an intense relationship with each other. Design may evoke connotations with artistry and beauty. But if you have a closer look, you will also see a painful history of pollution, exploitation and deception. From "planned obsolescence", in fact preconceived waste, to "user interface engagement" that aims at mental dependence. The downsides are the result of choices made by designers as well. You could say that many designers are maintenance engineers for capitalism who keep this machine running.
How critical can we be, about this? Is it a realistic to withdraw from this system as a designer? Or would that be a choice for poverty? If withdrawal is possible, how do you do this? What this all mean for the future of the designer? How can you implement design for purposes other than this specific profit machine? These are a few of the issues we will be discussing during this webinar organized on Monday, June 7, 2021 at 8:30 PM.
You will be given ample opportunity to ask questions, if you please!
OUR GUESTS:
- Ruben Pater:
critical graphic designer with his studio Untold Stories and teacher at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK). His groundbreaking book was published in 2016: Politics of Design. This summer his new book will be published: CAPS LOCK | How capitalism took hold of graphic design, and how to escape from it. This work is an in-depth investigation into the entanglement of graphic design with capitalism. - Clara Balaguer: head of Social Practices at the Willem de Kooning Academy (WdKA). She researches collaborative work practices and publishes on this through her publishing organisation Hardworking Goodlooking. - Selçuk Balamir: defines himself a post-capitalist designer and is tutor for the minor New Earth / Social Practices at WdKA. Balamir combines design and activism into his daily practice. Our moderator:
- Yassine Salihine: curator reflection at Design platform Rotterdam, has a background in journalism and industrial design and is a tutor at different academies.
You can
REGISTER HERE
by entering your email address. Then you will receive the link that gives you access to the webinar in a reply on 7 June. We look forward meeting you!
Looking forward to meet you!
Yassine Salihine, curator reflection & Jeroen Deckers, quartermaster
Credits foto: EC Audiovisual Portal