Distabling: emergent acts of design research
Melbourne Design Week event
The third act was implemented in the context of Melbourne Design Week 2023, as part of an initiative organised by a group of RMIT Phd candidates called “Distabling: emergent acts of design research”, which based on the idea of a table as both a physical platform and a conceptual scape for 'distabling' norms and for 'tabling' messiness, hosted a series of acts performed by the candidates in relation to their research, sharing unfinished works, ongoing processes, open conversations and workshops.
We auto-imposed that everything should happen over the table. This means that the conversations, talks or workshop activities should use the table as a sort of stage where things happen. Then, every act should be performed considering what the previous act left on the table.
With these restrictions in mind, I adapted my own act in a way that could include the table as a central element. As each act should leave a material mark or trace over the table, I decided to work with the idea of the tablecloth as material evidence of the act. Then, I adapted the second section of the act, where participants create enactments of their cosmovision, by prompting them to work only with fabrics with that pre-defined outcome in mind.
That choice of materiality created a more reflexive environment as it requires different skills, and a more focused mind-body disposition.
This makes me reflect on the role of materiality within reflective practices, as it involves its own process of working and thinking with and through materials, intertwined as a sort of dialogue or negotiation with the reflexive self-exploration of cosmovision.
Melbourne Design Week event
The third act was implemented in the context of Melbourne Design Week 2023, as part of an initiative organised by a group of RMIT Phd candidates called “Distabling: emergent acts of design research”, which based on the idea of a table as both a physical platform and a conceptual scape for 'distabling' norms and for 'tabling' messiness, hosted a series of acts performed by the candidates in relation to their research, sharing unfinished works, ongoing processes, open conversations and workshops.
We auto-imposed that everything should happen over the table. This means that the conversations, talks or workshop activities should use the table as a sort of stage where things happen. Then, every act should be performed considering what the previous act left on the table.
With these restrictions in mind, I adapted my own act in a way that could include the table as a central element. As each act should leave a material mark or trace over the table, I decided to work with the idea of the tablecloth as material evidence of the act. Then, I adapted the second section of the act, where participants create enactments of their cosmovision, by prompting them to work only with fabrics with that pre-defined outcome in mind.
That choice of materiality created a more reflexive environment as it requires different skills, and a more focused mind-body disposition.
This makes me reflect on the role of materiality within reflective practices, as it involves its own process of working and thinking with and through materials, intertwined as a sort of dialogue or negotiation with the reflexive self-exploration of cosmovision.