smow blog compact: Depot Basel present The Collective Intention

As previously reported, Bauhaus Dessau are currently presenting “The coop principle – Hannes Meyer and the Concept of Collective Design”, an exhibition devoted to the second Bauhaus Director and for all his belief in the strength of the collective in almost all aspects of life, but especially in design.

Hannes Meyer himself never completed projects alone, but always as part of a collective, the Dessau exhibition celebrates that fact and Meyer’s unshakeable belief in the power of the collective; The Collective Intention at Depot Basel seeks to question the principle of cooperative creative work in a more fundamental sense.

What motivates the emergence of collectives? What creates a sense of togetherness? Can a collective have a collective philosophy? When is a collective a collective compromise? Could the collective serve as a sustainable model for the future?

Until August Depot Basel will attempt to answer such and similar questions in an exhibition which explores the subject through the eyes and experiences of a number of contemporary creative collectives including, amongst others, Design Displacement Group, Okay Studio, Postfossil or Syn-opsis.

That Depot Basel themselves are a collective of professionals from across a range of disciplines and backgrounds the exhibition is, we’re going to claim without being able to substantiate our assertion in any respect, as much an act of self-reflection as it is a general exploration of a very relevant topic.

And thus the sort of uninhibited project at which Depot Basel generally excel. We haven’t seen The Collective Intention, but we have see a lot of Depot Basel projects.

The Collective Intention runs at Depot Basel, Voltastrasse 43, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland until Saturday August 15th.

In addition to the exhibition itself The Collective Intention at Depot Basel features a number of events, including a screening and a lecture/discussion.

Full details, including opening times, can be found at http://depotbasel.ch

The Collective Intention @ Depot Basel