Justin here, checking in from an unexpectedly warm Republic of Ireland. We're in Dublin to install 'Song of the Machine' at the Science Gallery, Dublin. A short film and series of images, 'Song of the Machine' is the first output of an exciting on-going collaboration with Newcastle University's Dr. Patrick Degenaar, exploring the potential experiential properties and social impact of his team's pioneering research on optogenetic prosthetic vision. At its temporary home in Science Gallery, 'Song of the Machine' is one of twenty-six exhibits, installations and laboratories comprising HUMAN+; an international exhibition exploring the future of the human species. Doors open on April 15th, and the exhibition runs until June, so do go if you get the chance!
Somewhere amid the vacuum-packed frenzy of project management, Anab carved enough time from her schedule to write up her reflections from Tasmeem Doha. In a piece posted on the blog at the end of last week, she shares her conference presentation and a selection of eye-opening images from the subduction zone where global markets and pop culture rub up against Qatari tradition. Hybridity! Ahem. If you haven't already, check it out.
As we finish up in Dublin this coming weekend, Jon and Anab head across to Hungary, where, from 18th-20th, they'll be running a design and prototyping workshop at Kitchen Budapest. Questioned directly, they remained reticent about giving away too much of the specifics, but, when cornered later, Jon gave in; muttering something about neighborhoods, deviant economies and the Danube. Regardless of the specifics, the outcomes will become part of Tent London later in the year. Should be good. Over on the Consultancy side, we will be designing an interactive platform for the new media organisation Motiroti, that will turn the UK's 2011 Census into a social object – a space for dialogue, discussion, and creative interventions. As part of our ongoing vision work for The Winchester Project, Anab heads to New York end of this month, for a field visit to the Harlem Children's Zone with Jonathan and kids from the Winch! And somewhere among this slightly-frantic-running-around, we've squeezed in another hack-a-thon for our secret product project.
And, as a final aside, we're still looking for a more permanent base-of-operations: a HQ and 'war room', for total design-tactical awareness. If you know of any building, shop, backyard, loft, attic, library … any space, small or big, that would be happily transformed by a studio of designers and makers, please give us a call. Or drop us a line. And if you're the one who matches us with a studio, Anab will send you one of these faintly sinister stickers, which she assures us 'work brilliantly on the back of your bike, car, or even laptop.' (Bonus points for Central-North, North, or North-East London.)
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