Garnet Hertz – Critical Making: Foundations and Processes of Critically Engaged Design Practice
Monday, February 9, 2015 at 6:00 pm to 7:45 pm
Garnet Hertz, Canada Research Chair in Design and Media Arts, Emily Carr University of Art + Design
Abstract: Hertz will give an introduction to his studio work that spans electronic art and industrial design, and provide a background in how humanities-based modes of critical inquiry – like the arts and ethics – can be directly applied to building more engaging object concepts and information technologies. A map of some key concepts in this field will be provided, including critical making (Ratto), critical technical practice (Agre), reflective design (Sengers), near futures (Bleecker), critical design (Dunne & Raby), values in design (Nissenbaum), tactical media (Lovink) and adversarial design (DiSalvo). A clear methodology – in the format of a custom built set of “critical making playing cards” – will be presented, which are designed as a tool for practitioners to put aside traditional engineering goals of efficiency, speed or usability in favor of more complex cultural, social and human-oriented values. The end result are objects that challenge our assumptions around technology and that are more culturally relevant, socially engaged, and interesting.
Video: The Talk
The Speaker
Bio: Dr. Garnet Hertz is Canada Research Chair in Design and Media Arts and is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Design and Dynamic Media at Emily Carr. His art and research explores themes of DIY culture and interdisciplinary art / design practices. He has shown his work at several notable international venues in thirteen countries including SIGGRAPH, Ars Electronica, and DEAF and was awarded the 2008 Oscar Signorini Award in robotic art. Hertz is founder of Dorkbot SoCal, a monthly Los Angeles-based lecture series on DIY culture, electronic art and design. He has worked at Art Center College of Design and University of California Irvine. His research is widely cited in academic publications, and popular press on his work has disseminated through 25 countries including The New York Times, Wired, The Washington Post, NPR, USA Today, NBC, CBS, TV Tokyo and CNN Headline News.
More info: http://conceptlab.com
Resources:
The Class Responds by Group Number
- Garnet Hertz – Critical Making: Foundations and Processes of Critically Engaged Design Practice - February 9, 2015
- Ben Vershbow – Time Machines, Community Gardens, and Other Metaphors for Libraries
Dragan Espenschied – Understanding the Creation of Artifacts of Digital Culture - February 23, 2015 - Jeanne Liotta – The Real World at Last Becomes a Myth: Ruminations on Art and Science - March 2, 2015