Margot Bowman

email me at : bowmanmargot@gmail.com

Tuesday 27 April 2010

REVERSE BUILDING











ENSAMBLE STUDIO bring the building out of the earth in a totally new way


Here the earth dictates the form in stead of the humans imposing their form and materials on to the natural environment


ROLE REVERSAL - MATERIALS IN CHARGE

Friday 23 April 2010

SEEING PLASTIC BAGS IN NEW WAYS






After watching this the Plastic Bag is transformed into this endearing emotional object 


RE-APPROPRIATION LEADS TO NEW MEANING & NEW VALUES 
BEING PLACES ON AN INANIMATE OBJECT

DESIGN DRIVEN INNOVATION - ROBERTO VERGANTI (REVIEW BY DAN SAFFER)










I really liked 2 bits from this review . . .


"People do not buy products . . . 'but meanings.
People use things for profound emotional, & sociological reasons as well as utilitarian ones' "


"That meaning can be changed by positioning that object as another kind of object
a formerly workplace product like a computer as a household product instead"


I think thats what you see happening with the Up-Cycling culture in South Africa.
The plastic bag is no longer something to be gotten rid of it becomes something to cheris & celebrate


PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY IN THIS SPECIFIC CASE 
IT TRANSFORMS FROM EBING A UTILITARIAN OBJECT TO A DECORATIVE ONE

WASTE IN SOUTH AFRICA







In South Africa waste has become and economy

Many poor people either collect and sell waste - scrap metals etc 

Or they Up-Cycle - turning telephone wire, coke cans etc in to ornaments, home ware and other new destinations

I've been coming here with my family for most of my life and have seen much of the second kind of example in curio shops & and then our home.

How ever this year I was really excited by the Plastic Bag work I found ( pictured )



















IN A WAY THIS IS KIND OF URBAN FARMING 
PEOPLE ARE TAKING WHAT THEY FIND IN THIER ENVIRONMENT AND TURNING IT INTO TO SOMETHING 'USEFUL'

But thats actually my problem with this stuff - its cute 

BUT DOES IT HAVE AN FUCNTION THAT MAKES IT BETTER THAN RUBBISH?

Thursday 22 April 2010

PROBLEMS

1) I'M IN THE WRONG COUNTRY THANKS VOLCANO NOW IM IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR 3 WEEKS


2) I'M TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON THINGS I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW THEY WORK AIRPLANES, TELEPHONES, COMPUTERS, VISA ELECTRON 


3) I DIDNT BUY A GLASTONBURY TICKET I BELIEVE IN PAYING FOR THINGS WHEN I CAN AFFORD THEM AND THEY PROVIDE COULD VALUE FOR MONEY - NOW IM GOING TRY AND GET ONE FOR FREE - WITH OUT MONEY THINGS BECOME COMPLICATED


4) FACE TO FACE TIME IS THE BEST FORM OF COMMUNICATION NO MATTER HOW MUCH EMAILING / TEXTING ETC I DO ITS NOTHING THAT COULDN'T BE BEATEN BY A 10MIN SIT DOWN


5) I MISS ALL MY STUFF I THINK MY BEING SURROUNDED BY MY POSSESSIONS ENFORCES MY OWN VIEW OF WHO I AM - WITH OUT IT THAT COMES INTO QUESTION


6) I HAVEN'T REGISTERED TO VOTE NO ITS TOO LATE BUT IM GOING TO PLAY THE VOLCANO CARD