3132 research outputs found
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THE BUSINESS OF ART: HOW CAPITALIST BUSINESSES CAN DO MORE TO SUPPORT CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ARTISTS
Full text linkArt can serve as a catalyst for introspection, dialogue, and solace amid turbulent times. In today's world, art's role is pivotal. However, the supply of art remains constrained, as aspiring artists face hurdles to creating impactful art. Career success in art largely hinges on a select few businesses within the Contemporary Art ecosystem, acting as gatekeepers. These entities, rooted in capitalist values, shape the ecosystem. While capitalism does not inherently stifle artists, the relative power of these actors within the ecosystem impedes many artists in growing their careers. Given art's societal benefits, the control these businesses exert warrants public scrutiny. This report researches the historical underpinnings of the most prominent businesses operating in today’s ecosystem, provides an overview of each business’ underlying business model, and puts forward a series of new business models that aim to serve contemporary visual artists in new, or unaddressed, ways. The ultimate purpose of this report is to provide a foundation of knowledge, insight, and ideas for entrepreneurs or businesses interested in serving emerging, contemporary visual artists
Brand Sustainability: A Biomimicry Approach to Regenerative Design Inspired by Mycelium
Full text linkWithin capitalism, many commercial brands grow at the expense of the environment, contributing to degenerative systems, and leading to the irreversible damage of the Earth. Knowing this, how might we develop a method for brands to interact with its environment in a sustainable way? This research aims to find a lens for designers to rethink their current methods and bring about positive change through the interactions of brands with and within their environments. The outcome of this research is a regenerative model inspired by fungal mycelium, The Mycelial Framework, which is meant to guide brands towards sustainability by collaborating through symbiotic interactions
The Future of Work: Exploring the Future of Work in Canada and How Human Connections Are Made Through Workplace Design
Full text linkThe role of work in our lives are changing. The landscape of work is rapidly evolving, driven by technological advancements, shifting societal norms, and the aftermath of global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper delves into the changing nature of workspaces in Canada and the implications for leadership and organizational culture. Through a qualitative research approach incorporating interviews and literature review, this MRP explores how the role of work in our lives is transforming, challenging the traditional notions of office-based employment. The research project examines the tensions between the desire for flexibility and the need for productivity, as well as the evolving role of physical office spaces in facilitating connection and innovation. Drawing on insights from thought leaders and practitioners, recommendations are proposed for leaders at all levels of organizations to navigate this era of change effectively, allowing organizations to create environments that support employee well-being, innovation, and long-term success in the evolving landscape of work
Regenerative Innovation: Improving Ethical and Sustainability Decision-Making
Full text linkCurrent approaches to innovation tend to be based on rewarding decision making based on speculative investment strategies that do not take into account the negative externalities of the innovation. This has led to overconsumption and resource usage that undermines the planet’s ability to support life in the long term, and the ability for societies to flourish. Global income inequality, the gap in women’s empowerment, increase of global pollution, reliance on fossil fuel-based energy, and food systems that use too much water have resulted in the degradation of our planet past life-sustaining and safe-operating zones of the planet.
Much work is underway to improve long term sustainability and ethical decision making in small and medium sized business like the circular economy movement, and the rise of regenerative economics. But how can we embed these longer-term movements into sustainability and ethical decision making today? In this paper I propose a set of principles for Regenerative Innovation to use as guideposts when approaching innovation projects to improve sustainability, and ethical decision-making that can support innovation that considers holistic impacts of the innovation and supports sustainability efforts and long-term human flourishing
How Digital Tools Changed Art Exhibitions
Full text linkThe COVID-19 pandemic declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in early 2020, has affected the landscape of art exhibitions. This paper investigates the impact of digital media on exhibition practices during and following the pandemic times, drawing upon a blend of autoethnographic methodology and academic research. Reflecting on personal experiences with installations by Andy Warhol and Monet, the paper discusses the significance of the relationship between digital and in-person engagements. The research emphasizes the transformative role of digital media on art exhibitions, articulating its effects on curatorial practices, and audience interaction in the pandemic and post-pandemic times
A Broken Palace
Full text linkPromising a life of luxury, the fashion influencer lures victims into her palace. Glamorous and shiny, it grasps onlookers in all their insecurities and questions about identity – their place in the world. The palace is the American Dream promised through countless ads and marketing campaigns. The palace is a hyper-capitalist world that takes labor from the underprivileged and the naive. Yet, the palace is broken, weak and only able to persist through the attention viewers provide and the self-esteem it consumes. This thesis is part of an MFA research-creation project that examines the impact of influencer culture on a larger scale, critiquing its impact on fashion cycles and the rise of overconsumption. Asking the big question: what role do social media influencers play in fashion and consumer culture? Examined through understanding social identity and consumer habits, the role of a fashion influencer becomes predominantly clear.
Through phenomenology and grounded theory methodology, the fragile nature of the palace is unveiled.
A Broken Palace, exhibited at OCAD University’s Ignite Gallery, presents a series of six large oil paintings installed within a collection of objects, antiques, and detritus that allude to ruins of old wealth. The older antiques convey the contrast between that old luxury and the contemporary idea of wealth in a hyper-capitalist world. The paintings combine eighteenth- century Rococo paintings by mainly women artists of a soon-to-be-deposed aristocracy with the images of online personalities in the social media landscape.
Keywords: capitalism, consumer culture, digital age, social media, fashio
Protecting People with Disabilities: A Guide for Non-Technical Committee Members in Understanding the Regulations Needed to Design Ethical AI
Full text linkArtificial Intelligence (AI) promises large-scale efficiencies that enable faster and “better” decisions. What was once a tool for researchers and technologists has now been made accessible to corporations, regulators, and individuals. Through its rate of development and increased adoption, AI systems and tools are being used to replace human decision-making at a speed that surpasses regulation and intervention. The speed of mass AI adoption and lack of regulation towards protecting communities most impacted by the technology. This is resulting in statistical discrimination and cumulative harm against the most vulnerable groups in society, people with disabilities.
To bring attention to the statistical discrimination and cumulative against people with disabilities, this design and research project contributes to the work of the Capacity Building Seed group and their efforts in standardizing and publishing equitable AI regulations as part of the Accessible Standards Canada priorities. This design and research project contributes to bridging the technical and legal gaps for non-technical committee members that require this information to make informed decisions about the proposed clauses. The outcome of this design and research project is a capacity building resource, which supports a larger working group who developed the Seed Standards, which are proposed regulatory standards for equitable AI regulations that protect people with disabilities in efforts to prevent further harm.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, AI Regulation, Trustworthy AI, People with Disabilities, Statistical Discrimination, Data Outlier, Cumulative Harm
The Evolution of Spatial Computing and its Impact on UX Designers
Full text linkWith the impending global release of the Apple Vision Pro, spatial computing has become increasingly mainstreamed in today's world. User experience (UX) design will have to adapt to new technologies, but little practical research is available for guidance as UX moves towards the new era of spatial computing. Exploring the intersection between spatial computing and UX design requires extensive research which will be guided through the research question: 'How might the evolution of spatial computing impact UX design?' Spatial computing is on a trajectory towards a more seamless integration of both digital and physical worlds. To understand the future of spatial computing, a contextual analysis of the world was launched by gathering signals and identifying trends. The trends were cross referenced with spatial computing to understand how spatial computing could evolve in the next twenty years. The futures wheel identified eight themes that demonstrated potential future scenarios that UX designers must be mindful of. The study explored the impact of spatial computing on UX designers and developed recommendations to help them proactively prepare for the future.
Spatial computing will need product designers to build ergonomic products to facilitate the easy transition between the digital and the real world. UX designers will need the skills to design for 3D and integrate spatial conceptualization when researching, prototyping, and designing. Designing to limit cognitive overload, distractions, and to visualize data safely will be the responsibility of UX designers. As Al is increasingly integrated into spatial computing, UX designers will have to understand how to utilize the personalization and data synthesis capabilities of generative Al, both responsibly and ethically. UX designers should be aware of the industries that are embracing this technology and explore opportunities in high demand sectors, such as the companies using digital twins. UX designers must learn the skill of designing collaborative spatial computing experiences to help remote work become more productive. UX designers must inform themselves of the harms and benefits of these technologies on the human brain, social life, privacy, and wellbeing, to design ethical experiences that enhance human life. Overall, UX designers have a large part to play when it comes to ensuring that this new era of spatial computing is beneficial to humanity
Nose Contemplation: Contemporary Meditative Olfactory Photography and Synesthetic Aesthetics of Song Dynasty China
Full text linkThis paper examines China’s olfactory culture of the Song Dynasty and explores the intersensory aesthetics between scent and visuality to search for a Contemporary artistic rendition of the traditional practices. The project conducts research on synaesthesia-related theories in Chinese aesthetic tradition, such as Nose Contemplation (biguan, 鼻观), aiming to untangle the mystery of olfactory imagery in Chinese culture and investigating how this aesthetics of synaesthesia can be revived in the setting of contemporary art-making and meditational multisensory photography.
Incorporating research outcomes from textual analysis, poetry and art historical case studies, personal meditation exercises and incense-making practices, this study demonstrates that visual artistic mediums, such as photography, can trigger or be infused with intersensory experience through olfactory meditational skills of utilizing Qi. There are two potential ways to aromatize the visual: first, through a pictorial composition and through self-moral cultivation and dismissal of secular desire. The process of scenting one’s art with Qi constitutes a contemporary meditative artistic practice, which I term Olfactory Photography
From Data to Mind: Memory and Cognitive Liberty in the Age of Predictive Technologies
Full text linkAs digitalization becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives, it significantly reshapes our communication habits, relationships with technology, interactions with society and individual and collective memory. With the proliferation of data being recommended to us at an incredible speed and amount, our cognitive liberty is at risk (Farahany, 2023a, 2023b) — a concern that has evolved from early debates over social media impacts to discussions about internet tracking for monetization and current concerns about digital ethics.
This research focuses on how predictive technologies embedded within our current social, political, and economic frameworks influence our thinking processes. These technologies often diminish our capacity for critical and pluralistic thought in favour of simplified, profit-driven content interactions. While these technologies facilitate information exchange across borders, they also promote a homogenized global culture, where views that do not align with the profit motives of digital platforms may be suppressed or manipulated.
The study examines these technologies' systemic behaviour and interactions across individual behaviours (micro), group and community dynamics (meso), and societal structures (macro), analyzing the roles and practices of various actors within the system to understand how they influence decisions and propagate specific worldviews. The primary aim is to explore how predictive technologies, often perceived as neutral, support worldviews founded on user engagement and monetization.
Ultimately, the research provides strategic responses for designing toward resilience to preserve cognitive liberty, aiming to foster a future that supports more worldview diversity and societal discourse. By addressing digital technologies' subtle but pervasive influences, this study contributes to the ongoing dialogue about maintaining human agency and diversity in thought in an increasingly algorithm-driven world