Some snippets from the world of culture, technology, sustainability and play.
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“NATURE” has been officially classified as an artist on streaming platforms like Spotify. The initiative, from Museum for the United Nations, is to “present Nature as a music artist, prompt conversation [and] inspire millions of fans to take action.” I like the idea. I don’t like the marketing corp-waffle. What do you make of it?
Intellectual obesity. This helpful metaphor, and the idea of “junk info”, is raised in a piece by Gurwinder (via Neil Perkin’s newsletter). The notion of empty calories is a useful framing for those scroll-hole moments that begin as snacks and end with you feeling bloated and unable to think. Time to work on your information diet!
Disordered attention. Related to the above, this discussion about attention patterns around art and performance. Is a heart-emoji in place of a considered response the sign of our dwindling capacity to pay attention? This quote suggests the ‘spending’ of attention is a nuanced endeavour:
“I’ll get lost in long periods of focus and presence. But I’ll also scan the QR code to read the exhibition booklet later… I take installation shots and a few close-ups. I respond to my partner’s texts about childcare. I photograph the labels….This perpetual oscillation between here and elsewhere, consuming and commenting, is central to how we look at art and performance today.”
Claire Bishop, author of Disordered Attention
Museums go big on formats. Behind every long-running TV show, podcast or weekly column is a set of rules that make that series special. Endless stories spring forth from these carefully selected creative constraints. The magic is how the particular constraints — e.g. answer questions whilst eating spicy food! — generate a unique ‘brand’ of storytelling. I listed some of the best museum formats on Medium this week following the fabulous MuseumNext conference. Here’s a snippet:
Protest Banners! Artist Aram Han Sifuentes started making her own, then running workshops, then launched the Protest Banner Lending Library because the format was so popular.
Staff t-shirts! This beautifully simple format from the Museum of Communication in Bern provides two simple constraints — black t-shirt; white lettering front and back — and staff decide their own statement and language. Whether philosophical rumination or wry self-commentary, these tees convey both organisational brand and the individual character of each member of staff.
The unofficial, official museum tour. The best bit about Rijksmuseum’s escape game, created by Sherlocked, is the locker takeover. Find the secret knock and the locker spits out your next clue. See Capture The Museum, Breadcrumbs and Museum Hack for related experimental museum tour formats.
Unexpected Museum in Bagging Area! The Migration Museum has made a mighty success of their temporary home in a Lewisham shopping centre, embracing the conventions of mall life, from changing window displays to permanently open doors.
Many more fresh formats from museum leaders over on Medium
Top tasks. Right up my street! The supposed top 25 best Taskmaster tasks. I like this list because it reminds me, in those dark moments when imagination deserts, just how much promise a well-constructed prompt can hold. “Hide three aubergines from Alex”, “Repurpose a cement mixer” or “Bring an object that makes you look tough.” They make great fodder for workshop activities.
Manifesto of Imagination. You want a massive PDF to download, don’t you? Featuring ‘policies’ from the likes of Clover Hogan (campaigner, formerly Force of Nature, which is fabulous), Cassie Robinson (leading proponent of imagination-based practice for change) and Brian Eno (creative bloke). Amidst the wacky stuff is some sensible stuff: regulation on climate misinformation, land reform, quiet weekends for cities (like Sundays in Medellín) and a slow travel allowance to incentivise trains over planes.
More good news from Medellín. It is now, in addition to being plain obvious, a matter of fact: more trees equals lower temperatures. The planting projects have reduced average city temperatures by 2ºC.
Thanks for sticking around. See you next time!
B.
PS - The Playbrary is clever and fun. Pick from 1,000+ books and play your way through it in a “Choose Your own Adventure” game generated on the fly by AI. Not a replacement for reading, but a g-AI-teway drug perhaps?