Internet Studies Lecture Series: Design No Solutions

Design No Solutions: Interrogative Design and Participatory Speech Instruments

Since coining the term 'interrogative design' in the 1990s, the work and teaching of Krzyztof Wodiczko has influenced innumerable artists and designers. Despite being a well-cited idea, only a few pages have been written on the topic. This talk will detail the unique characteristics of interrogative design through the work of dozens of creative producers influenced by the concept. The talk will also describe how interrogative design differs from other forms of art and design, including: speculative design, design fiction, participatory design and social practice art. Interrogative design connects with many of these concepts, yet holds its own in a specific way. For artists and designers wishing to face future social and technological challenges with criticality, ethical alertness and humane kindness, interrogative design may be a useful methodology to adapt.
 

Ian Wojtowicz is an artist living and working in Vancouver.He uses design techniques and public interventions to provoke discussion of issues around structural violence, prejudice, cultural reconciliation and democratic agency. Themes of futurism, historical dissensus, editing and repair run through his work.

Wojtowicz has shown projects at the International Symposium for Electronic Art, SIGGRAPH, MIT Media Lab, and Harvard University and has lectured at The New School, Carnegie Museum of Art, California College of the Arts, Carnegie Mellon University, Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. His projects have been featured in Wired Magazine and Atlantic Monthly and he has taught at Emily Carr University of Art & Design. Wojtowicz holds a master’s degree in Art, Culture and Technology from MIT’s School of Architecture where he studied with Krzysztof Wodiczko.