Through an entanglement of narratives \’ery \’ery ≠ar .\way (\’\’≠.\) attempts to reimagine futures on earth and beyond; alternate and far away landscapes built upon objects, systems, rituals, myths and things. \’\’≠.\ explores the potential for speculative artefacts to shape future cultural politics and aspirations on and off planet, starting from the very small and peculiar and reaching towards broader ideas.
\’\’≠.\ is a public facing research project whose direction and organisation have grown organically through collaborations, it favours a methodological openness to encourage creative explorations beyond any particular framework, craft, or sense of aesthetic. As such, \’\’≠.\ is an eclectic endeavour interested in entertaining a diversity of imaginations.
At its core, \’\’≠.\ consists of an on-going co-enquiry which takes the form of a facilitated co-design workshop, where the collective experience, the multiplicity of perspectives and stances come together to form a locally shared library of knowledge, from which unexpected narratives may emerge to characterise newly imagined futures.
Since its inception \’\’≠.\ has worked internationally and with a broad range of institutions, to implement a process of guided speculation aiming at democratising a future often depicted as techno-centric and monocultural.
With a focus on space exploration and deep time horizons, as devices to shape the speculation, this project isn’t concerned with prediction but uses worldbuilding as a way of thinking critically and reflecting on the present status quo, revealing more about our current prejudices and attitudes.
\’\’≠.\ uses fiction for imagining narrative protentions, where design becomes an exploratory tool and medium to probe ideas; a process of imagining things that embody the world within which these things exist. As such design as narratives is a semiotic practice akin to reverse archeology, where the main outcome is the manufacture of meanings.
\’\’≠.\ hopes to engage the collective imagination, and help cross-reference future potentials and paradigms shaping our understanding, eventually leading to a more holistic perception and perhaps bring the distant future into a more familiar unknown.
If you are interested in hosting a co-enquiry or a potential collaboration please contact us at info@vvfa.space.
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