Suomu brings kid’s protos to the Milan Triennial 2019

 

The Finnish Association of Design Learning Suomu is selected to participate in Aalto University’s “Suomi Finland” exhibition in the Milan Triennial 2019:

XXII Triennale International Exhibition 1.3. – 1.9.2019 /
Finland’s section of the XXII Triennale: Everyday Experiments

The event will open in March 2019 and continues the following six months. It is one of the most significant events in the area of design and industrial art, and approximately 500 000-800 000 visitors are expected to see the exhibition. The theme of the year is – Broken Nature: Design Takes on Human Survival. Please explore the official La Triennale di Milano web page here: brokennature.org

The exhibition curated by Aalto University presents Finland and Finnish design through the lens of sustainability. Twelve actors across Finland were chosen to participate in the exhibition.

The participating actors represent diverse areas of sustainable design and practices:

‘Everyday Experiments’ presents projects that address and raise debates around real-life demands, such as the growth of Arctic tourism, the relationships of policymaking and civic life, the rights of indigenous communities, or the pursuit of sustainable consumption.

Design cannot understand or solve complex problems on its own. New forms of collaboration are needed. In order to achieve societal change, it must join forces with the natural sciences, social sciences, technology, craft, policy-making and activism. The experiments that are presented in this exhibition, each in their own way, push and challenge the boundaries between design and these disciplines. (Aalto University, Lead curator Kaisu Savola 2019)

The Finnish Association of Design Learning Suomu will exhibit the results of explorations for the learning opportunities of a sustainable future: What is the role of Design Learning in a sustainable future? How can we teach sustainability and equality for future generations?

Suomu arranged Mutku Design Learning workshops in Helsinki, Lapinjärvi, Loviisa and Riihimäki. In the workshops, children explored ideas for sustainable solutions. In the workshops, participants develop apparatuses that can save the world,  “Saving-the-World-machines”.

Design approaches are used to delve into what possibilities various recycled materials offer. Through the hands-on work, children explore questions such as: How can different materials be used? How to design for the healing world?  The idea is to examine children’s visions of the Earth’s condition, and recognize their thoughts on what should be fixed, developed further and changed. With the support from designers facilitating the workshops, children create prototypes of their apparatuses.

Through the apparatuses, children will be sharing their message and vision to the world and test, try and concretize their thoughts and ideas. The prototypes will be mostly made out of metal- and electronic waste, for example, electric cables and tape, and additionally, wood and plywood.

In addition to Design Learning, the exhibition’s theme “Everyday information” is showcased through a circular economy perspective. Electronic waste is a major problem globally, and as new technology innovations enable new solutions to complex problems, they also embed threats and dangers. Children’s vision of the better world and what is needed to achieve the set goals presented through the prototypes they have ideated and built themselves.

The collaborating schools include:

1. Elias-school, Helsinki. Instructor in charge: Panu Hatanpää. Other persons in charge: Johanna Kurikka and Viivi Lehtonen
2. Koko Kylän työhuone, Lapinjärvi & Koskenkylä school, Loviisa. Instructor in charge: Pete Rantapää. Other persons in charge: Oona Niemelä and Mari Savio
3. Visual art schools in Riihimäki and Hyvinkää. Instructor in charge: Sampo Malin. Other persons in charge: Paula Susitaival and Arja Taskinen

Workshop materials provided by Uusix

For further information, please contact:

Viivi Lehtonen and Mari Savio, The Finnish Association of Design Learning (Suomu)

suomu@muotoilukasvatus.info

Lead Curator: Kaisu Savola, Aalto University

Commissioner: Guy Julier, Aalto University

PHOTOS: Suomu ry / Olga Poppius
Protos: Elias-school, Helsinki

See also a video of our proto workshops in Elias-koulu by Helsingin Sanomat Kid’s news:
https://youtu.be/DuC9JShBO6w

 

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