How to…, DIY and Life Hack – with Johannes Büttner

Originally coming from an anti-consumerist approach, the aesthetics surrounding DIY (do-it-yourself) manuals and life hack videos were finally incorporated into the internet meme genre. What people wanted to build, modify, or repair by themselves has always very much influenced by the era they are living in. From Steward Brands iconic Whole Earth Catalogue until today's neoliberal „how to get things done“-hacks, DIY speaks about contemporary dreams and fears. DIY practices are also responding to social and geopolitical tensions, such as in the form of home-made Cold War nuclear fallout shelters or the dark aesthetics and nihilist discourse in punk fanzines in the 1970s.

In this workshop we are going to explore how to make the aesthetics of DIY and life hack videos productive for our own artistic work.

DAY 1:

In the first part of the workshop we are going to take a look at artists and works who are using the specific style of DIY videos to follow their own agendas. We are investigating what hacking and our own art production have in common.

DAY 2:

In the second part of the workshop we produce our own DIY manuals and videos and gonna hack objects, systems and situations. We stay in the analogue sphere and alter everyday objects and electronic devices in the tradition of the life hack.

DAY 3:

In the third part of the workshop we are coming together, presenting our outcomes and producing a compilation video, fanzine or other kind of documentation.

This is a hands-on workshop which encourages to work fast and intuitively. No prior knowledge required.