Mea Hoffmann – författare

The Shakers: A World in the Making aims to both examine the lasting impact of the Shaker legacy as well as the more unexpected facets of their production, ideology and way of life from a contemporary perspective. Established in the 18th century, the Shakers were a free church that embraced principles of social equality, communal property and pacifism, viewing labour and design as expressions of their faith. The Shakers’ radically simple, functional objects have had a profound influence on modern design, inspiring generations of artists, architects and designers up to the present day. The Shakers: A World in the Making accompanies the eponymous exhibition – designed by the Milan-based studio Formafantasma – which will showcase a wide range of Shaker furniture, architecture, tools and commercial goods. Works by contemporary artists and designers enter in dialogue with the historic exhibits, reflecting on the Shakers’ enduring relevance. The publication includes a rich array of thematic essays contextualizing the Shakers within the wider design, architecture and art canon, detailed studies of selected exhibits as well as personal contributions by the participating artist. Contemporary object and architectural photography offers a fresh perspective on one of the most compelling communal experiments of recent centuries. With contributions by Glenn Adamson, Aaron Betsky, Jeffrey de Blois, Amie Cunat, David Hartt, Chris L. Halstrøm, Mea Hoffmann, Christien Meindertsma, Sarah Margolis-Pineo, Kameelah Janan Rasheed, Shoshana Resnikoff and others.

Plastic has shaped our daily lives like no other material. Originally associated with convenience, progress, even revolution, today plastic seems to have lost its utopian appeal. Plastic is everywhere, yet most conspicuous as waste and as a key factor in the global environmental crisis. This book examines the success story of plastic in the twentieth century and at the same time presents the different discourses on how we should manage the waste the material produces and also find solutions that take into account its entire life cycle in the future. Mark Miodownik, Susan Freinkel, and Nanjala Nyabola each contribute an essay that sheds light on the history of plastics from 1850 to today. A material-rich visual chronology illustrates how consumers’ perception of plastics has changed over the decades. Brief descriptions of a selection of 50 objects examine the importance of plastics for material culture. Reprints of fundamental texts about the history of plastics—for example by Alexander Parkes and Roland Barthes—provide a context from the history of ideas. The book reflects the current discourse and state of research on plastic with numerous individual interviews and panel discussions that were held with designers, representatives from industry, researchers, and environmental activists. Underpinning these conversations are comprehensive data visualizations on plastic production and consumption, recycling.