I had a meeting on Friday with Vicky and Evi who work in the Learning department at the ICA. We discussed the idea of 'free play' and how the most rewarding children's activites have a very simple concept that sows the seed of an idea, allowing the children find their own answers. We also talked about how sometimes a strong pedagogical agenda and desire for 'measurable outcomes' can stifle fun and learning. Also that relinquishing a desire to 'stick to the original plan' can be very rewarding when working with children.
We discussed the influence of this approach on my attitude toward this project, which I view as 'speculative'. By hosting it in a gallery, I am aligning the project with Fine Art. I think art provides fascinating alternative models for the design or research process based on the speculative interplay of ideas and objects, with a more open minded approach to serendipitous outcomes (influenced by the notion of 'free play'), and less of an emphasis on a proscribed agenda (such as the need for a 'new building' or 'manual') which is often found in architectural research.
Coinciding with the PLAYWORKS Shops, the ICA is hosting an exhibition by acclaimed international group exhibition "For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn’t there" which starts from the premise that confusion lies at the heart of wisdom, and aims to celebrate the speculative nature of knowledge, through artworks which imply that curiosity matters more than understanding. Arranged around the premise that the world--and art--is not a code that needs cracking, the works in the exhibition center on the fruitfulness of not-knowing, un-learning, and productive confusion.
"A mathematician is like a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn’t there."
Attributed to Charles Darwin
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