slow quote

"A firm defense of quiet material pleasure is the only way to oppose the universal folly of Fast Life."

http://www.slowfood.org.uk/Cms/Page/our-mission

Is Slow an outdated word, no.2

Is Slow an outmoded word in Design terms?  More musings on this topic here, brought about after reading about the origin, meaning and implications of words, also after watching Helvetica and wondering about the implications of text and graphics.  What imagery does Slow bring to mind? 

When the word Slow is used in design terms it instantly brings to mind slowness, timescales and lengthy jobs (ie tedium and ennui).  In this world of go go go thinking, instant information and high-speed living would this philosophy benefit from a more appropriate name?  Using my Slow theory to discuss this goes as follows:

Stop Think Explore Enjoy Rethink

STOP:  What does Slow instantly bring to mind?
THINK: What do I want Slow to mean?
EXPLORE: what other words (if any) are more appropriate?
ENJOY: Are any of them totally appropriate?  If not can I word-play with them?  Can I make a neologism?
RETHINK:  Will this word be appropriate in a weeks time?  A years time?  etc


First blog post on this thought here

Stroud Textiles - Slow Textiles Event Review

http://nigelweaving.wordpress.com/a-letter-from-stroud-textile-festival/

This is a good review of the Slow Textile event at the Stroud Textile Festival 2010, with a quick mention of me right at the end!

Slow Playgrounds

http://www.playlink.org/articles/?p=33

An interesting article sent to me by a friend about Slow Design in relation to playgrounds.  I think the diagram is particularly informative about the crossovers of Slow Design in different disciplines.  I am working on a Slow Design diagram for textiles and also on a general one at the moment, I will publish them here when they are done.

Slow as an outdated word

Is Slow as a word misleading or outdated?  How up to date are words to do with sustainability ?  is there a comfort or familiarity with words such as green and does that lessen their impact?  These are questions I will be looking at further.  One of the many things that has got me thinking about these words, their true meanings and their implications is this quote:
'I ... prefer to use the term "trade" over "craft" to emphasize the prosaic nature of my subject (though I won't observe this distinction rigorously) '      p5-6 Shop Class as Soulcraft; An inquiry into the value of work, Matthew B. Crawford

Also a conversation had in the TED office about the greenwashing of green terms.

Slow Textiles, Degree Show

This image is of my degree show.  It is on at Chelsea College of Art and Design, Pimlico, London until Saturday 26th June.

I created my final pieces by hand, while applying my Slow Design theory (some of which I posted about here) to my work to ensure that it was both environmentally sound as a final product and also as a series of processes and material choices.  Wood is not a material generally associated with textiles however when I thought about the materials I wanted to work with and the results I wanted to achieve it seemed to be the most appropriate.  The resulting rug is threaded and can be reshaped to fit any space, entirely biodegradable and the wood used is offcuts from a timber yard.  Wood is a durable and tactile material, it has a warmth which is pleasant underfoot.  I printed some of the pieces using non-toxic inks and they are threaded on a 100% cotton rope.  I feel that working in a Slow manner enables me to make sound choices and feel confident that the decisions I make are the most appropriate for my work at the time.

Critical Mass

Friday night saw London cyclists gathering and going for a slow cycle ride round the city. I caught up with Critical Mass when they were in the banking district and joined them for a couple of miles.  As I have an interest in Slow living and thinking I particularly enjoy this free-for-all slow ride.  With no leaders and no direction the mass rolls its own direction, with the occasional splinter group breaking off.

When the mass reaches a junction some riders will cork it, blocking the oncoming traffic for the mass to pass.  I find the reaction of motorists very interesting - some turn off their engines, sit back and enjoy the spectacle of hundreds of cyclists pottering past them and some get very irate, shouting, getting out of their cars and sometimes trying to drive through the mass.  This kind of aggression feels odd to me as generally the mass will pass in under 10 minutes and to me 10 minutes does not seems like a critical amount of time to 'lose'.  However sat in the comfort of a vehicle a sense of (unnecessary?) urgency or disempowerment (as the motor vehicle is normally king of the road) seems to overcome some of the corked drivers and they become angry.

Within Slow principles is the thought of enjoying time to sit back and relax, and this unexpected moment of enforced stillness appears to me to be the perfect opportunity for those motorists to take a surprise break from their day.  Slow Food UK says "May suitable doses of guaranteed sensual pleasure and slow, long-lasting enjoyment preserve us from the contagion of the multitude who mistake frenzy for efficiency."  I think this little break from everyday motoring qualifies as a sensual pleasure, both for the driver who waits and watches and for the cyclist who can enjoy the ride in comparative safety and good company.