Situated Design Practices
Last updated
Last updated
We live in a time where boundaries are less noticeable, yet they still remain there. Hidden from our sight, wether on purpose or not is another topic. However, these boundaries result in something quite specific and magical as a result: people start grouping up and collaborating together with the resources that they have at hand. They look inwards into their own life situation and point out the potential already within.
As we, a group of international students, come to terms and start understanding our own NEW life situation, we come to learn the practices that have happened way back and some new ones that are being developed into something new yet unique to Barcelona.
During this class we visited several different people in Barcelona who are collaborating with their environment, resources, connections, communities into creating something new and exciting. I believe whatever they (or any person for that matter) create is new and unique specifically due to their own unique situation.
There is only one [INSERT DESIGNER NAME], living in [INSERT NEIGHBORHOOD NAME], [INSERT CITY NAME], on the year [INSERT YEAR], which was raised in [INSERT HOME COUNTRY], and has connections with people working on.... Well you get the idea.
I think I know this model of existence is universal for every human being, but we don't really get the chance to appreciate our current situation for we are always longing for tomorrow. As a species we really need to get in touch with what's immediately around us, but specially us as designers. We have the power of affecting to certain extent the outcome of society, and with that power comes responsibility.
Responsibility to what?
Responsibility to deeply comprehend and respect your origins, as well as the journey you've come to have as a human. Once you have that down, you can get to working with things that you deeply comprehend to a point that only a limited number of people might get in their lifetimes.
In order to better understand this concept, we went to several sites around barcelona and met some amazing people who are doing exactly that.
During the first session, we were exposed to a 100% Catalan design practices revolving around their own context. We had the opportunity of meeting a couple artists and designers that actively work with the resources (both human and non human) that are rapidly available to them. Additional to this we met a falconer, which to be honest was kind of refreshing. And biked around the city discovering the different hidden gems this city has to offer.
During the second session we met a lawyer and journalist specializing in migration and refugees. This session was quite shocking to be honest, for he exposed the truth behind a process that is mostly hidden to us, yet is happening on a daily basis.
This session opened way to a more critical approach to the topic of borders. In the end all of the borders surrounding our countries, be them political, geographical, ideological or whatever, are man-made. These borders are imaginary, we built them into reality; yet the pain and agony they cause in humanity are quite real.
This was a truly philosophical session, but with actual practical applications.
The third session was more upbeat (pun intended). We were introduced to an all black collective of musicians and artist who noticed there weren't many places where black people gathered in Barcelona, so they build such place themselves. They were motivated by having a sense of community, a sense of belonging.
They guided us through their creative practice and cordially invited us to party with them. United by the sense of music and rhythm.
The last session was a collaborative conversation with Ben Ditto, an internet persona who has a great following on socials and promotes a certain discourse regarding difficult topics to address that have certain nuances to them (politics, social justice, health, etc.) He does this by using social media as a medium for reaching a certain type of audience, which just by itself I believe to be a very heavy portion of what could be considered "His work".
Throughout the conversation, we mostly asked about his motivations; which turned out to be the creation of an Internet Cult or a place where many subcultures could interact. Thus he created his own "Positioning" for his practice. One of the main questions I had while interacting with him was wether he believed that by flooding his viewers with many different perspectives (both good and bad) resulted in more informed and critical-forward citizens or more volatile / anarchist people. His perspective is that people just want to be entertained, no matter the content. They just want to anesthesize reality. We could say that his content reflects humanity's own "true nature", and whatever he puts out will only feed back into the loop itself.
In the end, the course turned out to be a glimpse into several different realities and and open door for me to choose one (although these are just a few of many). There are many different ways of engaging with your context and even creating your very own. I guess one of the main learnings of the course was that there is a community for everything; and if you don't find it, MAKE IT. In my own practice I was having a bit of trouble trying to find my own community of practice, but now I know that the key to finding it is truly putting myself out there. Attend one of the many social diners in the city, talk to some café of restaurant owners whose businesses I like, etc. In the end, I find comfort in the idea of putting myself and my work out there; for if I don't others like me won't find their people either.
