PAI cordially invites you to “The Body as the Design”, a talk by Scott Summit inventor, designer and participating artist of “The Future Imagined: What’s next? The talk will be followed by “The Future is Design” a short presentation by Tim McNeil, professor of design and director of the Design Museum at the University of California, Davis, and a moderated discussion led by Jonathon Keats, experimental philosopher, journalist, art critic, and artist.
When we think of a prosthetic limb, the image that typically comes to mind involves titanium pipes, bolts, mechanical flanges, and a rubber, lifelike foot. The product, though a vital and intimate part of the wearer’s life, appears mechanical and utilitarian, devoid of individuality or personality. The forms appear disjointed and brutal in the context of the fluid forms of the human body. Why do we assume that this must be the definition for something intended to return normalcy to an individual’s life? This project set out to explore how design, technology, and a fundamentally new outlook may rethink the prosthetic limb. A combination of 3D scanning, parametric computer modeling, and 3D printing allows design and individuality to be infused into the product on a per-person basis. It invites design and style into an area previously defined only by mechanical necessity. It invites attention and engagement, attempting to celebrate the human it complements.
This panel discussion event is part of a series 2012 ZERO1 Biennial and “The Future Imagined” series of conversations that delve into an in-depth discussion about the intersection of art and technology, and the future of design.
This event is being promoted in collaboration with Codame (www.codame.com)