Critical Tools: The Fabulous School of Octopy
We meet at the Interaction Station in the computer room, W.2.108
This is a process-oriented class. Therefore it is crucial to document your research and prototyping as you progress through the module. Include in the log some documentation of the experiments along the way (e.g., sketches, photographs, audio, and/or video) as well as notes from the workshops, lectures, and assigned readings and video. The aim of all this is to expand your critical repertoire with new concepts, tactics, skills and techniques.
Schedule
DAY 1: Monday 8 January - INTRO & Subversive Prototyping
13.15 Introduction to the Fabulous School of Octopy
Keywords: criticality, prototype, intervention, tools, technology, entanglement
14.00-15.00 Prototyping with Critical Making cards
15.30 Feedback and assignments
DAY 2: Tuesday 9 January: Critical Making
13.00-14.00 Introduction: Critical Tools in the Age of Entanglement / why and how?
14.00-15.00 Working on assignment 2: Prototyping critical making
15.00-16.00 Collective reading on Critical Making
16.00-17.30 Guest Lecture: Florian Cramer: Critical Making in context
17.30-18.30 BREAK
18.30-21.00 (optional) reading group on critical theory + working on prototypes, research, documentation
REFERENCES:
Watch: Garnet Hertz on Critical Making
Read Critical Making position paper
Read selections from the Critical Making Zine
> http://conceptlab.com/criticalmaking/PDFs/CriticalMaking2012Hertz-Manifestos-pp09to12-White-ASummaryOfMyWorkModesAndObjectives.pdf > http://conceptlab.com/criticalmaking/PDFs/CriticalMaking2012Hertz-Manifestos-pp41-OliverSavicicVasiliev-TheCriticalEngineeringManifesto.pdf > http://conceptlab.com/criticalmaking/PDFs/CriticalMaking2012Hertz-Conversations-pp01to10-Hertz-RattoInterview.pdf
DAY 3: Wednesday 10 January: Power Mapping & Circuit Bending
13.00-14.00 5 min presentations of first prototyping exercise
14.00-17.30 lecture and workshop
17.30-18.30 BREAK
18.30-21.00 (optional) reading group on critical theory + working on prototypes, research, documentation
DAY 4: Thursday 11 January: Critical Mass, Public and Radical Politics
13.00-17.00 Lecture and workshop: tactics Final project ideation
18.30-21.00 (optional) reading group on critical theory + working on prototypes, research, documentation
DAY 5: Friday 12 January: Speculation and Fabulation: Radical Imagination
13.00-17.00 Lecture and workshop 17.00 (optional) drinks
** WEEKEND **
DAY 6: Monday 15 January: Ideation-through-Making
13.00-17.00 Lecture and workshop: tactics, critical theory discussion
18.00-21 Independent working on prototypes, research, documentation
DAY 7: Tuesday 16 January: Testing and Feedback Loops
13.00-15.00 Lecture and workshop: tactics and testing
18.30-21.00 working on prototypes, research, documentation
DEADLINE version 1 project log (draft)
DAY 8: Wednesday 17 January
13.00-14.00 preparing presentations 14.00-17.30 Individual feedback session (with Floran Cramer and guest critics, schedule TBA) 18.30-21.00 (optional) reading group on critical theory + working on prototypes, research, documentation
DAY 9: Thursday 18 January
13.00-17.00 prepare final presentation and clean-up workspaces 17.00 DEADLINE for submitting final project portfolio (individual) 19.00-21.00 Final demos and discussion
(Optional) Closing drinks
Assignments
ASSIGNMENT 1: Kick-off (Due Tuesday 8 January 12.00)
1. Name + any information you'd like the rest of the group to know about you, such as study background (everyone in the group can see your post). Optional: include a picture.
2. what sparked your interest in this elective? what do you hope to get out of it? (write at least 5 words and max 1 paragraph).
3. (at least) one photo and brief description in response to this: Show a concrete example of how systems of oppression/exclusion are exercised in (semi)public spaces? Here are some sub-questions to help you along the way: > What does power look like? When is power invisible? How are hierarchies and power mechanisms embedded in architecture, in technologies, in conditioned behaviour? How do systems of oppression and exclusion manifest themselves in everyday life? who is most effected by these (think of colonial past/present, gender norms / patriarchy, heteronormativity, capitalism, extractionism, class, race, education level, physical accessibility). Tip: look at different scales, zooming in to micro level and out to megastructures.
NOTE: There is no right/wrong on this assignment. Try to find a location that might interest you for the final assignment (you can always change this along the way). HOW TO SHARE? >Please hand this in on the slack channel under #submissions by Tuesday 9 January 13.00. > Also add this to your research notebook / log / portfolio as a starting point.
ASSIGNMENT 2: Prototyping critical making
Prototype a subversive technology tweak, using the critical making cards. You can work alone or in groups. If you missed the session today, you will still have time tomorrow to jump on board. The prototypes will be presented in class on Wednesday 10 January from 13-14.00 > Document the process with photos and short written reflection. What are ideas that you would like to continue to explore? What challenges did you encounter?
ASSIGNMENT 3: References
research critical tools and tactics used by artists/designers/philosophers (contemporary or historical). Pick three different artists/designers and look at their practice. TIP: try searching for critical design, design fiction, tactical media, situationists, critical engineering, hacking art. > >Please hand this in on the slack channel under #submissions. > Add the references to your notebook / documentation