How to make freedom and playfulness, traditionally granted to artists, accessible to a wider audience? And, how to design situations or objects that stimulate activity and participation, that could lead to a transformation in a viewer or a social context? During this talk, Amsterdam-based designers Vit & Tereza Ruller (studio The Rodina) try to answer these questions. They step out of separated media constraints by identifying performative components in graphic design processes and results. With examples of their recent projects, The Rodina propose the term “performative design” for a practice that incorporates playfulness, bodies, action, eventness (understanding this as a unique time and space) and graphic design. Performance becomes an alternative mode of value production.

Curatorial Research Bureau at YBCA