design

Feminist Technology

caitlin — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Edited by Kate Boyer, Linda Layne, Sharra Vostral

On the cover of this book, a silhouette of what resembles a hand holding a speculum, above the words feminist technology, prompts questions. Whose hand holds the speculum? Is it just me, or is it kind of shaped like the letter “F”? The image hints at Feminist Technology’s project: to look at technologies in the context of the hands that design and use them, and to consider how they might or might not facilitate feminist social relations.

The scope of both feminism and technology is vast, and where they meet is no small place. So, the editors focus on just a few medical technologies, with articles on the menstrual suppressing birth control pill, the breast pump, the home pregnancy test, and the tampon. In her introduction, Linda Layne writes, “…clearly technological fixes are not enough. Feminists must also work toward undoing patriarchy in all its forms. This means not only introducing new technologies, but changing technosocial systems…”

Aengst and Layne’s article on menstrual-suppressing birth control pills explores effects of the pill on ways of thinking about gender by looking at how the construction of a monthly period as biologically “natural” gets disrupted by the birth control pill’s ability to suppress menstruation and to create new cycles. The article ends by imagining how different strains of feminism would interpret the pill. The two scant paragraphs under the header “African American feminism” are a rare glimpse, in this book, of a feminist of color perspective cognizant of the reproductive injustices historically directed toward women of color. Aengst and Layne implicitly marginalize this politic by naming it so fleetingly. The article ends by proclaiming that the pill Seasonale “might very well be a useful technology for middle and upper class women who seek convenience and can afford to choose among many contraceptive technologies.” One wonders: what about everyone else?

While the language of feminism used in the book is quite universalizing, the focus remains largely on technologies in the US and Canada marketed towards cisgender women, implicitly economically privileged. While Anita Hardon’s piece does mention the disturbing ways in which the Population Council used Norplant coercively in Brazil and Bangladesh, it does so in a way that lacks an analysis of the underlying racism that constructs the bodies of people of color as unworthy of care. In reading, I hoped for more outrage from the author at how technology has been used in decidedly unfeminist ways.

In looking at the book’s final articles on the training of feminist designers in universities, I wondered about how feminist design might be imagined even outside of the increasingly inaccessible world of higher education. Considering means of production, in what conditions would people create these new objects, and how would their labor be valued? What materials would be used?

While Feminist Technology provides a trove of historical anecdotes on the development of various technologies, it could do better at revisiting the question of what makes a technology feminist by critiquing the very model of feminism it uses—and the voices it might implicitly exclude. If this topic interests you, consider also the feminist technology blog Difference Engines, whose “concerns are not only with gender, but all manner of differencing, including race, ethnicity, and humanity.”

Written by: Vani Natarajan, September 26th 2010

Ad Nauseam: A Survivor's Guide to American Consumer Culture

admin — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Edited by Carrie McLaren, Jason Torchinsky

Faber & Faber

Ad Nauseam: A Survivor's Guide to American Consumer Culture is an anthology of articles (plus some new material) from ‘90s ad-busting zine Stay Free!. Since I write a zine that deconstructs feminine hygiene advertising, I couldn’t have represented more of their target demographic if I’d tried. So when I saw that it was up for review, I immediately requested it.

I was a little miffed when only a cursory mention of the industry that lent its name to Stay Free! was covered in Ad Nauseam, but I was not disappointed in any other regard. This book is ace. And it’s funny.

In a series of short, sharp essays written over the past fifteen years or so (and the older articles are, revealingly, still very relevant to current marketing trends), the editors and other contributors cleverly debunk, deconstruct and delight in the many ways that advertisers try to put several over on us. There is something for you here whether you are completely new to the topic or have studied it before. Subjects include (but are not limited to) television’s influence on the U.S. legal system, the ins and outs of subliminal advertising, brand loyalty taken to almost unbelievable extremes, and the techniques magazines use to sell ad space by marketing, well, us.

Spoof multiple-choice quizzes at the end of each chapter reveal creepy tidbits you can use to impress your friends. (This worked well for me at the pub last week.) There’s also a brief history of the advertising industry that will catch up anyone new to it, and refreshingly refresh those who've already got the basics down.

The final section is my favorite part—a chronicle of the merry ad-busting japes undertaken by the editors and others, followed by an encouraging word—and a few resources—for any potential japesters out there. Carrie McLaren and Jason Torchinsky acknowledge that although one small prank can’t combat the financial might of major corporations, it can still raise awareness and educate on a small scale, forging personal connections. McLaren continues this with a blog and Brooklyn-based alternative lecture series.

Does this book pass the feminist test? Yep. Historically, most of the advertisers were men, and most of the shoppers they targeted were women. Again and again, Ad Nauseam chronicles in detail and handily exemplifies that old traditions die hard. It’s an excellent tool kit for any feminist, male or female. At $18 in paperback, it's also an expensive toolkit, but its 335 pages are stuffed full of wittily presented stats and examples—all backed up with extensive references and notes, so it is actually very good value for money.

Ad Nauseam would make an accessible companion to a high school or undergraduate module on advertising or media studies, and I’d even go ahead and recommend some of the shorter segments that illustrate each chapter (easy to find on gray background pages throughout the book) for middle school students. Read it all in one sitting like I tried to at first, and your world may be so deconstructed that you can’t put it back together again. As a zine anthology, it’s made for dipping into, and I plan to keep mine on my bathroom bookshelf. (It’s the modern coffee table. You know it is.)

Props to Faber and Faber for allowing Torchinsky to design the cover, which sports a lovingly rendered airsickness bag emblazoned with the book's title on a fetching field of blue. Can a barf bag be beautiful? Scarily, yes. It’s great to know that Torchinsky and his co-editor understand the industry well enough to manipulate it to their advantage, and that they’ve chosen to use their powers for good.

Written by: Chella Quint, October 31st 2009

Bliss Bodice and Bamboozlement Bloomers

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:39:00 +0000

By Under the Root

That which is covered or veiled in chiffon, silk or lace can intrigue more frequently than the rawly exposed. The scene that continues once the screen fades makes me smile more than any clinical documentation. (Obvious, boring, lacking subtlety...) Also, most agree that some sort of underwear is a practical necessity. Under the Root offers comfortable and charming designs of historically inspired but contemporary coaxing clothing. All items are hand-made, custom, made-to-order vintage reworkings that are not your corporate-endorsed inflatable Stepford silicon lingerie by any stretch of the imagination. And referring to 'clothing' and 'imagination' in the same paragraph is a delightful change. Inspirations include the burlesque, cabaret, can-can (not Cancun), circus, vaudeville (not Victoria's Secret), theater and stage.

I was reminded not only of literature, but also Toulouse-Lautrec's sketches and paintings of the female performers of Montmartre, such as the The Clowness (1895), depicting Cha-U-Kao. Despite their relative rarity in the rings, women have clowned throughout history, from Dorian Mimes in ancient Greece, to the 'Glee Maidens' of Medieval England. The seventeenth century French court jester Mathuine is credited with a joke used in circuses well into the 19th century: she was escorting a woman in to see the King when the lady sneered, “I don't like having a clown on my right side.” Mathuine promptly stepped around her and replied, “I don't mind at all.” I have no doubt that the “Tinker Bloomettes”—flamboyant elaborate pleats of turquoise and magenta—would have flattered her and could also wear well on stage today, or at a more private locale. Drama queens of any gender can invest in some arm spats.

The Bliss Bodice and Bamboozlement Bloomers are made of 'repurposed' butter-yellow ribbed cotton jersey and are trimmed with narrow dove gray lace. The straps are black grosgrain. If you favor petroleum-based buttfloss, that's your business, but if you're looking for something interesting to look at and delightful to wear, seek it 'Under the Root.'

Photo depicts Banniki Bloomettes by Under the Root.

Written by: Erika Mikkalo, July 1st 2009

13 oz. Silver Parsley Water Bottle

admin — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:15:00 +0000

Directed by Earthlust

A new baby inspired the fine bottles available at Earthlust: it was time to start thinking about the future, and giving generations to come a clean place to stay seems reasonable. There is the Native American saying: “We are not inheriting the planet from our parents—we are borrowing it from our children.” Even the childless can appreciate the folly in generating unnecessary garbage, so why not use a water bottle? Also, once you compare it to the cost of bottled water, a larger model used twice daily will pay for itself within two weeks.

Sizes include thirteen ounce, twenty ounce, and one-liter versions, and there are also twenty ounce insulated mugs available in two patterns. Crows and hawks perch and fly on the stainless steel sides, ginkgoes leave, dragonflies fly, and mine sprouts silver parsley.

Those inclined to garden can acquire parsley seeds through Seeds of Change, easily planted in a container or garden, and then water them with liquid poured from a non-toxic, food-grade stainless steel container with its BPA-free polypropylene #5 cap. Uses of parsley include getting brewed as a tea for renal and digestive difficulties, and its high chlorophyll content has made it popular as a breath freshener, hence its persistence as garnish. I did hear a Depression-era anecdote of one restaurant saving, rinsing (one hopes) and reusing parsley garnish in order to cut costs. Desperate times... at least you can make sure that your water is fresh from the tap. And I should get an insulated version by winter for parsley tea.

Written by: Erika Mikkalo, June 28th 2009

Spouted Lazy Ladle

admin — Sat, 09 May 2009 21:38:00 +0000

By Eco-Artware

Chicago has ample historical precedent for soup kitchens and breadlines, manifestations of want that more may revisit in our bright shiny here and now. Gangster Al Capone even sponsored one as a public relations boost after the 1929 crash—no word on whether Scarface spooned out minestrone or his grandmother's Italian Wedding Soup recipe. Seeing that everything old might be new again, it's splendid to note that there are many socially conscious soup opportunities in the Chicagoland area. Unfortunately, I missed the season for the Hideout's weekly Soup-on-Wednesdays fundraisers for the Chicago Food Depository, but they're scheduled to resume in the fall. If you'd like to help out in the interim, the recently downsized can donate their time and stay out of trouble by bagging donated foodstuffs or serving soup at sites listed at the CFD's website. Also, Jane Addams Hull House Museum sponsors a Soup-and-Conversation series at lunchtime on Tuesdays, and the area arts organization INCUBATE coordinates a Sunday soup brunch that doubles as micro-grant arts funding.

Whether you're scooping soup for the public good, or serving your own homemade freegan or marked-down culinary efforts, it's nice to know that you can do so with a tool that is actually a work of art. William Morris observed, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful,” and this is among my favorite injunctions. The site eco-artware.com offers unusual, solid, ecologically aware and artfully crafted items for all parts of life. The Spouted Lazy Ladle is a smoothly designed utensil that combines usefulness and aesthetics, and the wild cherry spoon was sanded to a satiny finish by artist Jonathon Simons. Also, this wooden spoon promises not to drip on the stovetop or scald. I frequently question the social role of the Arts, so finding things that combine usefulness and beauty are an encouragement. Right now, it appears that we could use all the encouragement we can get.

Written by: Erika Mikkalo, May 9th 2009

An Illustrated Life: Drawing Inspiration from the Private Sketchbooks of Artists, Illustrators and Designers

admin — Wed, 06 May 2009 10:08:00 +0000

By Danny Gregory

HOW Books

Danny Gregory’s An Illustrated Life: Drawing Inspiration from the Private Sketchbooks of Artists, Illustrators and Designers will inspire many to pick up a sketchbook and try their hand at drawing the world around them.

Gregory explains his reasoning for writing this book as something he had been searching for since he started drawing as a boy. An Illustrated Life is simply a gorgeous tribute to creativity, art, and getting lost in the object you are drawing. The pages are filled with examples from the sketchbooks and illustrated journals of an assortment of creative people. Some are professionally trained while others haven’t taken an art class since grade school. The pages are funny, sad, weird, and personal, yet all encourage the feeling that creativity lies within each one of us.

I’m one of those people who collect sketchbooks, but never use them. However, after reading the first couple of profiles of artists and being allowed a glimpse into their private thoughts and inspirations, I have diligently been taking my drawing supplies everywhere I go.

One aspect of Gregory’s book that is so interesting is that each profile is unique. Every artist has his or her own style. Some prefer not to attach words to their illustrations, while others write a story to go along with their sketch. Melanie Ford Wilson describes drawing as “vital as oxygen,” while Venantius J. Pinto draws because it gives him clarity and understanding.

Some of the artists keep a sketchbook to jot down ideas for future projects; others to capture a moment in time. Many use it for their eyes only. All the artists seem to have a recurring theme throughout their profiles—that sketching and keeping a journal has brought enlightenment, happiness, and contentment into their lives.

The lesson from An Illustrated Life is to draw for yourself and not worry about the person looking over your shoulder. As popular as photography has become, sketching remains even more personal and close to the artist. It is a treasure representing not just the art created, but the individual who created it.

Written by: Su Lin Mangan, May 6th 2009

Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design

admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:14:00 +0000

By Faythe Levine, Cortney Heimerl

Princeton Architectural Press

I don’t usually have high hopes for books based on films. Luckily, Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design, which is based on the documentary by the same name, rises above what one would typically expect from this genre. Chock full of large color photos and interviews with crafters from fifteen cities around the country, this book provides a window into the modern craft movement in America. The book itself is something of a work of art, as anyone familiar with Princeton Architectural Press should expect.

As a crafty person myself (I hand-silkscreen garments and sell them on etsy.com), living in Portland, Oregon (a DIY craft epicenter), it was interesting to read profiles of fellow contemporary craft artisans, see some of the amazing work they are doing, and to hear their thoughts on craft. The embroideries of Jenny Hart are particularly breathtaking, as are the garments of Shannon Mulkey. The most fascinating profile of the collection describes Knitta, a knitting collective who “tag” using their knitting, wrapping it around street poles. When asked about their intentions with this project, members of Knitta said that by doing this they are “adding a human element so you are not so disconnected from your everyday environment” and “there is a lot of cement and steel that we are not very comfortable seeing on a daily basis.”

Levine gives a brief introduction and makes some intriguing statements that piqued my curiosity about the history of this movement and the idea of thinking about craft as a politicized feminist phenomenon. From a feminist perspective it was interesting to read that ninety-five percent of the crafters Levine interviewed were women. As Levine says in the introduction, “Our handmade goods were influenced by traditional handiwork, modern aesthetics, politics, feminism, and art. We were redefining what craft was and making it our own.” Unfortunately Levine doesn’t go into greater depth or offer perspective other than the three page preface. She lets the crafters speak for themselves, which is great, but it would have been nice to have an overarching essay to tie together these sketches, particularly given the abbreviated length of most of the profiles.

Handmade Nation reads like a good coffee book table and definitely inspires me to go to the screening of the documentary film when it makes its Northwest premier this month.

Written by: Liz Simmons, April 20th 2009

Hot Boy Shorts

admin — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 22:47:00 +0000

By Girlie Pants

GirliePants is a fun company that creates cute and ironic designs for underwear and tank tops. The pair of underwear that I was sent were a royal blue color with a wickedly cute drawing of a flame on the butt that simply said “Hot” underneath. The design of the image is wonderfully playful, and I think I would wear the underwear all the time if they were actually comfortable. Maybe mine were a size too big, but I experienced the underwear riding up my ass all day long. The cut on the boy shorts is simply awkward. The short part is too short to be considered shorts, but they’re longer than plain-cut underwear.

In spite of the cut, the actual feel of the underwear was great. GirliePantss uses American Apparel for all of their designs so you know the cloth is going to have that soft feeling that is totally addictive. I wear American Apparel’s boy brief underwear as though it’s my uniform. If GirliePants decided to put their designs on a more comfortable cut of underwear, I would buy all of my underwear through them. The boy shorts from GirliePants are $14, compared to the $10 that American Apparel charges you for the same pair sans-cute design. I think an extra four bucks for some spunk is well worth it.

A final note: I’m curious about companies that use American Apparel for their clothing items. While American Apparel does create incredibly comfortable clothing in a socially responsible way, their advertisements are horribly sexist at best. Regardless of their labor practice ethics, why would a feminist (or at least female-friendly) company use products of a corporation that is known for its blatant objectifying advertising and an owner who has multiple sexual harassment charges filed against him? And yet, we still use their clothing for our feminist designs and I’m addicted to their underwear, socks, and thermal shirts.

While I love GirliePants’s funky designs and their desire to do something different, I challenge them to use a more comfortable cut for their underwear and to find a company for their clothing items that does not objectify women. And maybe my challenge for GirliePants is one that I need to make for myself as well.

Written by: Chelsey Clammer, April 5th 2009

Silk-Screened Bird Patch

admin — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 23:23:00 +0000

By Andy Eats Only Candy

Andy Eats Only Candy (also known as Finnish student, designer and textile maker Niina Katinka) is an incredibly Earth-friendly little outfit that specializes in silk-screening, one-inch buttons, and various clothing and purses. With a focus on squirrels, rabbits and birds, the designs are cute and a tad whimsical, without being too precious. All of the silk-screening is done with environmentally-friendly, water-based ink, and whenever possible, items are shipped with recycled or recyclable packing materials.

The patch I received is quite large, which is perhaps the only real drawback from my perspective. It wouldn’t easily fit on the back of a sweatshirt or jacket (my favorite place to adhere patches), but it would fit on a large messenger bag.

Andy Eats Only Candy has perfect feedback ratings, and refunds are also allowed, which says a lot about a designer’s commitment to her work and to your satisfaction. Hosted online in an Etsy storefront, the selection can be a bit limited, but custom orders are available and the merchandise rotates frequently.

Supporting a student and fledgling designer with a pleasant selection of green products makes this an easy call. If you’ve got some extra cash and need a new tote, check her out.

Written by: Brittany Shoot, June 21st 2008

Devine Color: When Color Sings

admin — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 23:55:00 +0000

By Gretchen Schauffler

Inkwater Press

What do you do when the taupe couch you loved in the store looks green when you combine it with the other furnishings in your living room? Before you return the couch to the store, read Devine Color: When Color Sings by Gretchen Schauffler.

In Devine Color, Schauffler educates readers about color and the effects it has on home décor. Her goal is to help her readers appreciate the beauty of their surroundings. She tackles common color myths, discusses color combinations and explains color associations.

Schauffler explains that every color in your home can fit into the six color categories (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple). Another color problem that is discussed is neutral color. She also claims that neutrals are not really colors on their own. Rather, neutrals often pick up the colors around them and can end up looking quite different than what was expected in the paint store.

Furthermore, Schauffler encourages readers to be proactive about color, put the items in their homes into color categories, and then to try new paint colors that enhance their surroundings. She maintains a friendly and helpful tone throughout and provides plenty of tips and tricks for enhancing home décor with items that are already present in the home. Schauffler makes readers feel like they can go out and pick the right colors for their home. The advice in Devine Color can be applied to home décor, as well as art and fashion.

Written by: Rekesha Spellman, June 7th 2007

Making Room: Finding Space in Unexpected Places

admin — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 17:48:00 +0000

By Wendy A. Jordan

Taunton Press

Living in a small studio apartment, I was excited to look through the home-help book, Making Room. The premise of the guide is to create new spaces in the home you have, instead of moving elsewhere or adding on extra rooms. With hopes set high, I eagerly dove into the book only to face-plant into glossy pages of disappointment. While the pictures are interesting and fun to look at, this book is aimed towards the middle-to-upper class homeowners with kids and dogs. The suggestions are interesting to think about, however. For example, Wendy Jordan shows the reader how to make extra drawers out of your stairs. With some tools, wood, a couple of trips to the hardware store and lots of spare time, you can find a built-in space in your stairway to store your canned goods, extra paper towels and an iron. If I made drawers out of my stairs, I’m sure my landlord and neighbors would have a problem with it considering that I share those stairs with about eighteen other people. Plus, I don’t have time to do any of the major house-renovating projects that Jordan suggests. I have time to buy plastic bins, and that’s about it.

But I can’t be too cynical. It’s obvious that this book is not intended for the recently graduated, low-wage making and, probably, disorganized young person. Putting my socioeconomic status aside for the moment and pretending that I own a multiple story house, this book is actually a radical idea. Due to mass-consumerism, our culture believes that the answer to any life problem is to buy more. So what are you going to do with all of that extra plasma TV, drum set and kid’s toys lying around? Jordan’s serious suggestions are radical in the sense that she encourages people to make due with what they have. Stop adding on rooms and buying bigger houses, already! Every page is filled with detailed suggestions of helpful projects to find extra space in the home. An extra closet, for example, can be turned into a small office space. By adding bookshelves into the walls instead of buying new ones, the homeowner adds space and finds a place for all of her books. Maybe by changing our current approach to finding more space, our cultural approach to buying more stuff will change along with it.

And for those of us that can’t actually find the book pertinent to our lives, we can at least get a laugh. Jordan’s language is more entertaining than the projects she creates: “Before it was liberated from its confining walls, the kitchen in this small house was dark and isolated…a solid wall between kitchen and family room blocked social interchange entirely.” Oh, the horror! But seriously, keep this book in mind when you have the house, time and modern desire to find extra space in your home.

Written by: Chelsey Clammer, April 23rd 2007