The Anticipation Letters No.7 – The Rich Layers of Time
Amaro Freitas at Fasching, Stockholm, Thursday night Feb 20th.
The rich layers of time are deeply connected to design and creativity
This Sunday I felt like writing something connected to last weeks focus on creative rituals. If we’re as creatives pay more attention to concept(s) of time rather than static functions and results only, it will unlock layers of conscious creation, quality, collaboration, beauty and joy! This explores No.6 of the Entière 10 Principles for Holistic Design – Relate to Time.
Une Liste de Cinque
How design and creativity is linked to the concept of time
Design is a (collaborative) process – not just a result
Design is a process where we ask questions, experiment, learn, propose, listen, and iterate, actively participating in forming the way we live.
All we really have is our time, and we should spend it wisely, collaborate well to build value through shared knowledge. Let’s inspire and evolve together. In these times more than ever.Designing experiences – not static functions
We strive to always go beyond the necessary functions and design richer experiences, moments with meaning, and an understanding of progress in time and space. From interiors and objects to exhibition design and multisensory experiences like our fragrance.
Layers of time and space
While presence and focus is essential in creativity and life, humans have the ability to gather the layers of time, looking back for inspiration, learnings and reflections. It inspires us to see connections, synergies, and cross combinations of ideas in a contemporary and forward looking way.
How can we regain some of knowledge, skills, and qualities that was lost constantly pushing to speed things up, not to mention the negative impact on the planet?Time is cyclical
Time is more cyclical than a straight “timeline”. A continuing interchange between day and night, of seasons. Humans used to follow these naturally, but we almost designed away this rewarding relationship. It’s fulfilling to again explore how to work with it and be rewarded with the sense of natural direction it entails.
Everything in nature moves, evolves, grow, create. It is a natural state. Nature creates in a sustainable way. In highly intelligent symbioses that we’re just starting to understand.Set up for flow
Time moves slow and fast, it seems to stretch, jump or stand still. Clock time only captures some of it’s qualities. Flow is a desired state fully immersed in the creative work. But you cannot simply wait for flow. You set yourself up and work to enter it, designing and engaging in your path of the creative process.
As a designer I’ve always been interested in situations, moments, rather than mere functions. And how we can invite all our senses in rich experiences.
Thursday evening one of my very favorite musicians, Amaro Freitas, a Brasilian piano jazz artist, performed at the jazz club Fasching here in Stockholm. The experience was so intense, so vibrant, I suddenly felt with such clarity that I was fully in the moment, not going anywhere, not separated from his absolutely wonderful playing, alone on stage, but using different tools to change the perception of what a piano can do. Tactility, flow, waves of melodies and emotions running from his skilled and expressive fingers. And at one point he invites us in as co-creators. A sense of ONEness in the space, so very far from the hostility in the political climate and events.
I’ve been working on a project for Vasamuseet for the past few months. The warship Vasa needs a new support structure. With time the ship is sinking from its own weight.
The exhibition – a compact wood stand opposite the magnificent ship – tells the story of what and why this work is necessary, and invite the visitors and sponsor to collectively donate to save the future of the ship.
I’ll update with more photos on this project soon.
I find it so intriguing to be able to walk through portals of time, places, people, researching for my work as a designer.
Especially as an museum exhibition designer, something I’ve been invited to work with a lot the last 10 years, I get a chance to dive in to that, and weave those insights together in spatial and graphic storytelling, enabling the visitor to experience the texts, the objects, the stories in an intuitive and guided way.
The Gone Fishing Concept Restaurant, a Biennale Interieur awarded project. Layers of time, knowledge and experiences coming together in one space.
My own memories of a childhood in the Archipelago outside Stockholm, my team mates’ from Norway and Zimbabwe. The concept starts with the problems of over-fishing, the depletion of fish stock, large industries trawling the sea beds. From this point we were looking back to more sustainable and small scale fishing practices, using ghost nets to weave a fishing net kind of pavilion. In a wave-like embrace we invited into the experiences of staying a moment while learning more as a guest at this concept restaurant.
On my reading list is to re-read “In the Bubble – Designing for a Complex World” by John Thackara, a quest for more focus on people, less on stuff, tech and devices, and it has some really interesting perspectives on the notion of time.
Playlist:
ENTIÈRE ENTENDRE
pt. 10 Relate to Time
I’ve previously put together a playlist on time and creativity, and thought I’d share it here again.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0C9tiDfPpjAo8Id9m6q5PG?si=f63d720a22c74789
“Our quality of time, is our quality of life.” Bruce Mau
A Sunday Note to self (to create anticipation)
When so much around us creates absolute dread in these times, keeping us in a state of flight or freeze, losing our paths for continuously create what we believe in, It’s more important than ever to stay put, to continue exploring the shift we need.
How we see and relate to time is essential, and I’m reminding myself to dare to more often step away from the grip of clock time, from moving too fast, and missing too much, to dare stay in and explore the present moment, letting it unfold.
xxx Charlotte Ryberg
In Pursuit of Beautiful Concepts
Thank you for reading The Anticipation Letters – The new Sunday ritual. A more personal and intuitive letter on design, life, work, philosophy, inspiration, creating anticipation for the week ahead. Words by ENTIÈRE founder Charlotte Ryberg. If you wish to receive it in your inbox each Sunday, subscribe below.