shapeshifters area feed: inspiration

John Thackara's Power Laws Of Innovation

rainer — thu, 14 aug 2008 13:12:40 +0200

Was cleaning up my harddisc over the weekend and came across this list that i found in 2006. Still good!

Power Law 1: Don't think "new product" - think social value.

Power Law 2: Think social value before "tech".

Power Law 3: Enable human agency. Design people into situations, not out of them.

Power Law 4: Use, not own. Possession is old paradigm.

Power Law 5: Think P2P, not point-to-mass.

Power Law 6: Don't think faster, think closer.

Power Law 7: Don't start from zero. Re-mix what's already out there.

Power Law 8: Connect the big and the small.

Power Law 9: Think whole systems (and new business models, too).

Power Law 10: Think open systems, not closed ones.

John Thackara, former director of the Netherlands Design Institute, has spent the past decade championing smart design with a conference series, Web site, and global networkbased in Amsterdam and Bangalorecalled Doors of Perception.
http://www.doorsofperception.com/

More about John Thackara here.
http://www.thackara.com/

Heavy Metal in Dubai?

ericpoe — mon, 11 aug 2008 15:58:20 +0200

I just came across this amazing article in the book review section of the New York Times. It´s about the book "Heavy Metal Islam - Rock, Resistance and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam" and describes music subcultures in places of the world where one would definitely not expect them to happen. If you interested in the idea that music can be a global language of communication taking us beyond the stereotypical perceptions of each other this is probably a source of inspiration. Here is the NYT article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/books/review/Hampton-t.htm...

Joi Ito about the Creative Commons

bernard — thu, 24 jul 2008 21:26:22 +0200

Ulrike Reinhard had a very interesting conversation with Joi Ito. Ito is at the core of shapeshifting:
http://www.we-magazine.net/2008/07/06/interview-with-joi-ito...

Additional Links:
http://joi.ito.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joi_Ito
http://globalvoicesonline.org/
http://creativecommons.org/
http://www.we-magazine.net/

The History & Future of Prefabricated Houses

ericpoe — thu, 17 jul 2008 22:28:51 +0200

Just heard about "Home Delivery" - an exhibition that will open on July 20 at MOMA in New York. Seems that Prefab Houses are making history at least.
Here is more: http://www.moma.org/homedelivery

There is also a video that the fabolous people at ScribeMedia did:
http://www.scribemedia.org/2008/07/31/home-delivery/

Rethink form

smi — mon, 07 jul 2008 14:04:05 +0200

One thing that always amazes me is when people are able (especially designers) to look behind traditional forms and apply new concepts to everyday things.

Much like this example, found here

11th Shanghai Film Festival and Art district

Schou — thu, 19 jun 2008 18:29:07 +0200

If you around in Shanghai I recommend the "International Student Shorts Awards". Markus Beck from Hamburg Media School performed with a fabulous movie named "Farewell Song".
http://www.siff.com/

Also check out Suzhou Creek in Shanghai! The right place if you are interested in Chinese contemporary art.

Gaya Art Café

bab — thu, 05 jun 2008 10:06:37 +0200

If you happen to be in the Gambia, don't miss it. An amazing place that you simply wouldn't expect there.
http://www.gayaartcafe.com

Typo Berlin 2008

smeidu — fri, 30 may 2008 15:00:32 +0200

live twittering from Typo Berlin:
http://twitter.com/smeidu.

Stefan Sagmeister showed his latest project minutes ago:
http://thingsihavelearnedinmylife.com/

Inspiring an awareness of nature via the arts

Sanjay — thu, 08 may 2008 06:00:54 +0200

Miranda Loud is the artistic director of Rialto Arts, a Boston-based arts organization that aims to be the place "where nature takes center stage." I conducted a lengthy and engaging interview with Miranda on my blog, which is called "Realistic Sanctuary Blog."

Check out the first part of a two-part interview and Miranda's thoughts on how the arts can make us more aware of our need to protect the natural world--from elephants to bees. It's an inspiring interview, infused with caring, humanity and a sense of the spiritual: http://www.realisticsanctuary.com

Dance with prosthetics

lcowan — wed, 07 may 2008 22:16:10 +0200

I recently caught a performance by the Compagnie Marie Chouinard, a top contemporary dance troupe, in Vancouver and it blew me away. The piece I saw was called bODY_rEMIX/gOLDBERG_vARIATIONS and is a liberal take on Bach's Goldberg Variations. The dancers use prosthetics to express and experience states of freedom, creativitiy and different ways of being, while at times the crutches and ballet slippers (fastened to their hands) become a hindrance to their expression. Marie Chouinard will be performing in Austria and Berlin in May and will return to Canada to a few cities this summer and then back to Europe and to Japan in 2009. Not to be missed!

my first contact with iranian graphic design

armanriahi — sat, 03 may 2008 19:08:31 +0200

It's one of those stories starting with: "I was always interested in...", continuing with "but..." et cetera, but this time I had luck on my side so I stumbled upon the well-renowed Iranian graphic designer Reza Abedini. It's published in Page One's series Vision of Design and (I probably have to be ashamed to say this, but whatever) it is literally my first contact with an iranian graphic designer. In a country that has such a rich culture and tradition of fine arts, it is inspiring to see that graphic design has a contemporary face. And I'm sure there's a lot more to discover in this area. Hooray!
Here's his link:
http://www.rezaabedini.com

One giant leap for internet technology!

nothingGrinder — fri, 02 may 2008 05:43:34 +0200

We are constantly doing research on web technologies. Making better websites is the main goal of this research. By 'better' I mean web sites that are easier to use and accessible to all people, including people with disabilities. The W3C Standards have played a major role in the Web 2.0 craze. Many developers have changed the way they develop web sites based on these standards.
http://www.w3.org/

Typically, a blind person will access a website with a screen reader and hope that the developer has allowed for this in his / her design. As we speak special keyboards are being developed to help disabled people have easier access to the internet. ( Eric informed me of this technology. Maybe he can provide a link in the comments? )

Imagine a web site that speaks to you if you are blind, or a web site that allows you to control it through voice commands. Amazing right? This technology is upon us. Here is a link to a developer's site who has created a mixing board using this technology. All the sound is generated on the fly, no uploaded tracks, no uploaded mixes!

http://lab.andre-michelle.com/fl-909
This also displays an amazing example of a tactile website. Which is only possible through Flash Technology. Here is an in-depth article about this technology:
http://createdigitalmusic.com/2008/02/21/909-and-amiga-sound...

If this technology can create sound with the click of a button... why not create sound based on text? An internal screen reader for the blind!

And, if that is possible, why not go a step further and capture sound, translate it into text. We could have voice controlled web sites or Closed Captioning for internet video!

This is the web we are working towards. The faster the internet becomes the closer we are to these types of Artificial Intelligence.

I find this very exciting. The possibilities are limitless! You're average web site will not exist much longer.

what to do???

jaysoncarpenter — thu, 24 apr 2008 21:14:32 +0200

Today my life has been changed for a lifetime. I dont really know for the good or the bad yet, but life certainly is different. For the past three days Ive been working with Make-A-Wish Bombay, these tireless workers spend long days doing what ever they can to grant the wish of a sick child. I feel honored to work along side these amazing men and women in an attempt to document their remarkable deeds. Working with the Bombay chapter has been a real eye opener, weve been documenting children with all kinds of ailments including Aids, Cancer and Tumors in Bombays Government Hospitals. These are free for the most poor and most needy people of India. Im really having a lot of mixed emotions about the whole experience, on one hand we really did do some good, I was able to document some astoundingly happy children that really have nothing more than what we brought them. Just the look on there face was enough to bring tears to my eyes. On more than one occasion I had to do everything I could to hold it back the tears and keep shooting. But on the other appalled, by the amount of filth and conditions that these hospitals had. I witnessed some unbelievable events and feel ashamed in repeating them because their was nothing I could do.

Upon entering the hospitals immediately I was greeted with security, I got the feeling that photographers generally are not welcome and their job was more to keep people like me (photographers) out than keep the peace. Government hospitals in India have quite a reputation.

We made our way down a dark hallway the smell was my sense greeted to things not being quite right. The smell of urine in a hot confined space is unmistakable as my eyes adjusted to the darkness and my nose to the foul stench I realized that this was not going to be what I expected. The dirt on the floor was so thick you could make out where the traffic of peoples bare feet had been flowing in the edges litter and debris mixed in with the filth guiding your journey deeper inside. As we approached our first corner thick red spit called pan painted the walls. It would be Americas version of chewing tobacco, but in a red form. I was confused, this couldnt possibly be.

As we reach the pediatric ward I was feeling a bit uneasy of what may be in store for me. But after entering the ward one by one smile after smile we were greeted. Even through all of the pain these childrens endured their day was made by the small token of a gift. Their smiles were genuine, honest without greed or strings pure to the core.

One child was lying alone, in the corner next to a window with oxygen flowing through a make shift housing. It was an old plastic round ice cream container with a neck hole cut out and a tube with oxygen attached at the top. My heart broke, He couldnt have been for than three, his small chest rose and fell rapidly in the heat. It was very clear he was dieing. I think it disturbed me the most that he was along no one was with him. While this child lay unconscious we made the wishes of two other child that were positive for HIV. in the bed next to him.

Torn on one hand Im their to make Make-A-Wish look good with happy children but on the other feeling like I must document what I was seeing to share with the world in the name of change. For the most part my images are of happy children sprinkled with a bit of truth. The images I chose to post here are the truth as I saw it.. Very different than the happy images I delivered to make a wish..

It so many ways this is the embodiment of India, the good and the bad, the rich and the poor, the evil and the sublime all rolled up in one big ball of wax. Even as I was appalled by the conditions in the hospital I realize that with out this institution, these souls would have no where to go and surely no chance of survival. It seems that the world isnt always black and white but a constant changing of grays..

Here's the link...

http://www.jaysoncarpenter.com/proofs/children

Stan Lee, The Greatest American Superhero

Kemila — thu, 24 apr 2008 17:13:44 +0200

He lived in his own world of make-believe into which he retreated in spite of all the outside influences.

This make-believe world spawned Spiderman, Daredevil, the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk...is it possible to name all of them?

Born Stanley Lieber in New York in 1922, he is better known now as Stan Lee, the ultimate PURVEYOR OF WONDER!

The story of how he got his big break at Timely Comics (which he grew into Marvel Comics) is interesting -- 20th century-style social networking:

With the help of his uncle, Robbie Solomon, pulp magazine and comic-book publisher Martin Goodman, Lee became an assistant at the new Timely Comics division of Goodman's company.

I got connected to him via 21st century-style social networking: the INTERNET!

You never know who you're going to meet to make your creative dreams come true.

http://biscaynewriters.com/clients/?p=132

Being an Extra in Bollywood

ericpoe — wed, 23 apr 2008 15:12:28 +0200

Just in case you plan to visit Mumbai from abroad here is how you might become an extra at a Bollywood production. Stroll down Colaba Causeway and chances are you will be approached by a local casting agent who is trying to find foreign models for a current production. I was an extra yesterday and really enjoyed the experience with other people from Finland, Uzbekhistan, USA, Canada, South Africa, Belgium, Turkey, Iran. It was hard work though: 15 hours hanging around on the set - but eventually we had our appearance. So watch out for the musical "Yuvraaj" with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. Ah yes, I am the one at the table at the left with the glitter suit and red tie enjoying the dance show in the party scene.