16.1.2018 - THOMAS THWAITES "MAKING A TOASTER, BECOMING A GOAT, POLICING BEES… DOING DESIGN PROJECTS ABOUT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY"

On January 16th 2018, 7-8:15 pm we are honoured to have Thomas Thwaites giving a talk at the MCTS's Room 270 (Augustenstr. 44-46, Rear Building).

MAKING A TOASTER, BECOMING A GOAT, POLICING BEES… DOING DESIGN PROJECTS ABOUT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

Could one person make an electric toaster entirely from scratch, beginning with mining the ore? Could a person take a holiday from being human by transforming himself in to a goat, including making prosthetic quadruped legs and a prosthetic rumen? Designer Thomas Thwaites uses his attempts at these absurd and impossible tasks as vehicles to explore across disciplines. He will talk about his recent attempt at becoming a goat, his nine month quest to make an electric toaster, as well as some of his other design work situated at the intersection of science, technology and culture.

Thomas Thwaites is a critical designer, interested in the sociology of science, technology and economics. Thwaites’ work has been acquired by the Victoria & Albert Museum for their permanent collection, and is exhibited frequently and internationally, including at the National Museum of China, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, the Science Museum (London), 21_21 Design Sight (Tokyo) and the Zero 1 Biennial (California). He is currently a visiting assistant professor in Industrial Design at Rhode Island School of Design.