The blurb:
Massive Change examines extraordinary breakthroughs in design that have changed our world. Conceived by internationally renowned Toronto-based designer Bruce Mau, the exhibition’s key themes focus upon the emergence of design as one of the world’s most powerful forces, placing us at the beginning of an unprecedented period of human creativity.
The problem is: I'm not quite sure what the point of the exhibit as a whole is. Part of it seems to be: Hey, we're so amazing that we can do nearly anything now! Let's do something to save the world! But the other part of it seems to be: We have the technology to design everything now, including the basic building blocks of nature. Let's see what happens!
I think the latter part of it is what disturbs me the most. There's a certain amorality to much of the exhibit, where it gushes about these great things we can do without really going into the CONSEQUENCES. I admit that it's amazing that we can actually tinker with DNA, but the way it's framed in the exhibit is very much pro, at least as far as the headings and lead-ins go. There are some negative consequences listed on the headings, but they're almost dismissively labeled as "fears" rather than "potential consequences". There's also a section where capitalism is held up on a pedestal, as if it's ultimate goal of all time for everyone...again, never mind the consequences.
The last room in it basically announced "WE WILL ERADICATE POVERTY", but there was no clear indication--or so I thought after coming through the exhibit--as to how exactly they plan to do it apart from waving around a bunch of figures and saying how cool the Segway is.
There were certainly a lot of interesting things in the showcase...the initial section on single-person vehicles for urban environments was certainly positive...but too much of the rest of it seemed more like they were powertripping on their ability to change the world rather than focusing on the specifics of how to make it BETTER.
I'd be interested in thoughts from anyone else who's made it down.
― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Sunday, 13 March 2005 16:45 (twenty years ago)
http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2005-03-10/news_story.php
― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Sunday, 13 March 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)
― mark p (Mark P), Sunday, 13 March 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)
― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Sunday, 13 March 2005 19:55 (twenty years ago)
― mark p (Mark P), Sunday, 13 March 2005 19:56 (twenty years ago)
I even read somewhere that the Massive Change merchandise is shoddy!
― mike h. (mike h.), Sunday, 13 March 2005 20:11 (twenty years ago)
also, it's far to focused on individual solutions. can you imagine the insanity of EVERYONE trying to get around in those single-person-vehicles? public mass transit didn't figure into that segment, which really frustrated me. the single-person-vehicle is a totally bouge solution that simply doesn't parse for a huge amount of society.
i had better, longer criticisms when i saw it in december, but i've honestly not thought about it since.
it's totally worth seeing, btw, but you may be quite frustrated by the end.
― derrick (derrick), Sunday, 13 March 2005 20:54 (twenty years ago)
looking at this page:http://www.massivechange.com/they seem kinda condescending towards their audience. if you get past that, there are a couple other pages with a few fun-fact statistics and messages like 'buy a hybrid car' or 'read a book'.
often it's the thinking that designers are good at that bites them in the ass - wanting to reduce every to systems and clean, clear communication. which is fine and good for a lot of things - but they seem oblivious to the nuances of messy real life and naive to the politics and bullshit of working the real world as opposed to the abstract world of information and visual nuance. they also seem to lack creative critical thinking about the truly complex. so often there are manifestos and big shows like this that are supposedly inspiring, but largely just empty. i'm more inspired by people who just do really good work to those who spend all the time on theory or self-promotion of what they might possibly do.
― lolita corpus (lolitacorpus), Sunday, 13 March 2005 23:50 (twenty years ago)
― mike h. (mike h.), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:26 (twenty years ago)