Dirty Design Critter
Dirty Design Critter reúne una serie de proyectos desarrollados entre 2018 y 2021 que buscan desafiar las nociones establecidas del diseño hacia una práctica que entiende lo más-que-humano como compañeros de pensamiento. También se incluye otras exploraciones y publicaciones posteriores pero relacionadas.
MYCOLOGICAL MAKING (2019)
Mycological Making is a method that proposes eschewing established/legitimated manufacturing practices by embracing fungi as making companions. This first iteration of MM took place at the Deptford Junk Market (South East London). After a series of on-location workshops, collectively produced the Deptfordmarkeae genus, comprised of 3 species of new fungi: Elektromagnellus Phoneger, Lion’s Mane Howler, Elektromagnellus Phoneger and Ringsulla Hermetica.
Ecology
Fungi have a unique way of living together with other organisms by performing symbiotic strategies of survival, they are vital for the cycling and exchanging of nutrients in all known environments that can sustain life. Fungi are even willing to perform their duties in very damaged or polluted ones where most plants, animals or bacteria wouldn’t dare to. Why not bring that same quirky and symbiotical spirit to the way we relate to the things we, as humans, have made?This adventure of blurred boundaries, or rather, symbiotical entanglement of biology, electrical engineering and design has already enabled to explore objects’ (or rather the artificial’s) possibilities; practices in mycorrhiza. The spores of Mycological Making have been released and intend to find new spaces to thrive and, as fungi, blossom bountifully, recklessly (and maybe invasively). Hopefully, this will also allow for telling stories, creating worlds that drift from the pervasive anthropocentrism we are inadvertently used to while reconnecting with some of our fellow critters of planet Earth.
CLOSER AND CLOSER TOGETHER (2019-2020)
Closer and Closer Together by Alf in symbiosis with a Lichen consisted of a series of expeditions around the waste management infraestructures of SE London in order to explore the implications of becoming with a non-human being.
This unexpected encounter with life in a very sterile place (my desk) made me question how do we relate to life and position ourselves in relation to nature, also how to extend this kinship to those around me without exploiting or abusing my partner. In response I designed a set of devices that could let others replicate my encounter. The present genus of techno-lichens came to being along with a speculative cartography.
A speculative fabulation exploring Design, Nature; a tale of becoming together for new ways of knowing and making times of ecological uncertainty.
Closer and Closer Together by Alf in symbiosis with a Lichen consisted of a series of expeditions around the waste management infraestructures of SE London in order to explore the implications of becoming with a non-human being.
This unexpected encounter with life in a very sterile place (my desk) made me question how do we relate to life and position ourselves in relation to nature, also how to extend this kinship to those around me without exploiting or abusing my partner. In response I designed a set of devices that could let others replicate my encounter. The present genus of techno-lichens came to being along with a speculative cartography.
A speculative fabulation exploring Design, Nature; a tale of becoming together for new ways of knowing and making times of ecological uncertainty.
CLOSER AND CLOSER PUBLICATION (2019- )
Closer and Closer Together: Written by me in Symbiosis with a Lichen. Thesis publication for MA Design Expanded Practice Spaces and Participation at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Currently available at Interspecies Library NY.
Fotos: Interspecies library
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