Join us for the launch of the new book Interrogative Design and screening of the film The Art of Un-War, at a panel event hosted at the University of the Arts Helsinki (Uniarts Helsinki) by Prof. Anita Seppä and Prof. Daniel Peltz on Monday, March 3rd 4pm-7pm.
What is the role of artistic practice in making sense of increasing xenophobia, militarization and war today? How do we engage critically with media arts and design to interrogate inequalities and injustice, while activating the public sphere and enriching public discourse?
These are the questions posed in the new book Interrogative Design, which features the work of renowned artist and designer Krzysztof Wodiczko, and reflective contributions by myself and others inspired by his extraordinary public artworks and media/design interventions. At the event, artist Pia Lindman, Prof. Nitin Sawhney, and book editor Ian Wojtowicz (joining online) will share their perspectives on art, xenophobia, militarization, and war – and consider these themes also in their own artistic and pedagogical practices.
Following this discussion, we will screen the award-winning film The Art of Un-War, a powerful documentary about the life and art of Krzysztof Wodiczko, directed by filmmaker Maria Niro who will join us online for a talk-back discussion. Event: https://www.uniarts.fi/en/events/questioning-xenophobia-militarisation-and-war-through-art/
Another parallel event will be held at Aalto University on Wednesday, March 5th, 13:15 – 16:00 at Marsio Cinema. It is hosted by Matti Niinimäki and Oliver Kochta-Kalleinen, Aalto Media Lab, Department of Art and Media at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Aalto University. Event: https://events.aalto.fi/en/3X3IKxA7/interrogative-design-and-the-art-of-un-war-4a3bQtExrR/overview
Interrogative Design (The MIT Press, Dec 2024), edited by Ian Wojtowicz, is a timely collection that shows how design can animate public space and catalyze democratic processes through vital discussion and public engagement. Interrogative design focuses on activating the public sphere and enriching public discourse through the production of questions. It traces its development to artist Krzysztof Wodiczko and his public art projects in the 1990s, featured in his influential book Critical Vehicles (MIT Press, 1999).
Maria Niro’s award-winning documentary, The Art of Un-War, explores how Krzysztof Wodiczko spent a lifetime using his art to denounce war and militarization. Combining sculptural elements with technology, Wodiczko’s projects serve as public interventions, disrupting the valorization of state-sanctioned aggression. Through archival footage and new documentation, the film showcases Wodiczko’s site-specific projections, which since the 1980s have illuminated the facades of office and government buildings. Over time, these works have expanded to incorporate recordings of personal stories from war veterans, refugees, and immigrants, their likenesses projected onto war memorials — often animating revered historical figures with contemporary voices.