'Democratic Experiment(s)'

Who are the stakeholders in the creation you make? We look forward to works that attempt to engage in dialogues that transcend the boundaries of species, space, and time. Direct dialogue may not be possible with some stakeholders. Hence we are also excited to see experiments in communication methods that seek how to interact with such beings. It does not have to be a universal solution, so please give us the best solution you can derive from your locality. We do not limit the format of the work ― it can be furniture, food, architecture, vehicles, communities, or services.

Workshop ‘Eating Earth’ in FabCafe, Tokyo, Japan. Photo by Ming Wu. 2022.

Asa Ito: “Pain, by nature, is something that cannot be separated from the body that feels it. However in this work, with the power of technology, the pain was detached from a specific body, and has become something that can be worn by another person in the form of clothing. The wonderful thing is that, as a result, it is possible to have “demonstrations by individuals possessed by others” rather than “demonstrations by a group of individuals”. Generally speaking, group demonstrations tend to lose the diversity of stories that each individual carries in order to put forth simple slogans. The “talking clothes” however, are designed to create a strong visual impact while at the same time conveying the personal story directly to society. It was also impressive that people who witnessed the demonstration came personally and physically close to the clothes to listen to their voices. Furthermore, there are many hands involved in the process of making clothes. One could see that even the unvoiced thoughts were put into the textiles. Above all, the people participating in the project seem to be having a lot of fun. It was wonderful to see the lab’s system of creating spontaneous activities.”

Selection Criteria

YouFab is looking for ideas that are innovative, imaginative, and have a thought-provoking message.

innovative｜
Does your work draw out innovative ideas through a deep dialogue with the materials or beings involved (humans, animals, plants, fungi, minerals, the dead, etc.)? We expect works that have elements that not only connect to their own perspectives of the world, but also to the society, such as the environment, social issues, economics and politics.

engaging｜
We want to see to what extent your work can spark and stimulate people’s imagination to understand the world today, and to reflect what is happening now. Can your work remove our preconception and allow us to imagine and speculate the future? How well will your design let people feel that we are both independent but connected to society at the same time?

Message｜
What is the message you want to convey through your idea?
How did you incorporate the message behind it, and what rules or systems do you want to improve through your idea? How are you trying to deliver the purpose and value of your work to society?

Museum of Edible Earth during the exhibition ‘Democratic Experiments’ in FabCafe, Tokyo, Japan. Photo by masharu. 2022

The following are the judging criteria:
Is it innovative?
Is it aware of the audience?
What is the quality of the experience?
How is the theme interpreted?
Does it hold the “Fab” spirit and is it open-minded?

The Grand Prize has been awarded to two works, one of which was the Museum of Edible Earth! 19 works were selected under the theme “Democratic experiment(s).” An award ceremony and exhibition was be held in March. The global creative awards “YouFab Global Creative Awards 2021” (YouFab 2021) organized by FabCafe Global and Loftwork Inc. have announced the final results.

Workshop ‘Eating Earth’ in FabCafe, Tokyo, Japan. Photo by Ming Wu. 2022.

Judges` comments

Asa Ito.
Director, Future of Humanity Research Center, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology

Through the “soil” that is always and everywhere at our feet, this work extends our imagination beyond the human scale both in terms of time and space, not to mention human culture. To begin with, I was usually unaware of the fact that “soil” in fact is the “earth”. In Japanese, “soil” and “earth” are two completely different words. In English, however, “Edible Earth” means both “edible soil” and “edible earth”. Certainly, for the first life on earth, the earth must have been the food; and if this was the case, eating soil may be a way to relive the diet of primitive life. Furthermore, the act of “eating” reverses our inside and outside; because what used to be the external “environment” (soil) becomes our internal “self”. And after all, perhaps the “environment” may not be something external, but something that is within us.The perspective of redefining the environment and the thrill that comes with it were the major wonders of this work.

Cascoland
International Amsterdam-based network of artists, architects, designers and performers

Successful data communication is depending on the way data is presented, communicated and made accessible to the receiver. Scientific knowledge might have answers to the challenges of for instance climate change, sustainable use of resources and energy and a more circular and inclusive society but fails to communicate these successfully enough with society to convince us to adapt our behaviour in order to alter destructive processes in a positive and constructive way.

At the same time artists and designers, originally craftsmen and constructors, are collaborating more and more with the sciences, the realm of research, reflection and innovation. This opens up renewed opportunities for cross-fertilisation between the distinct practices of art and science, in past times considered one and the same discipline. Because of their different perspective on interpreting our world artists and designers have the ability to translate and build bridges between different knowledge pools like deducted scientific knowledge and inherited cultural knowhow.

The Museum of Edible Earth connects science, cultural and food heritage and awareness of our relation with our environment through the topic of soil, using different approaches from different disciplines. By performing and sharing the ancestral knowledge connected to the eating of soil for medicinal purposes or as part of cultural rituals it illustrates in a very ‘earthly’ way our relation with the world that surrounds us, where we come from and where we are part of. Attractive and inviting exhibiting of soil samples combined with the presentation of examples of unexpected practices of eating earth appeal to the imagination and arouse curiosity with the spectator and can contribute to the preservation of this cultural heritage.

More information: YouFab Creative Awards 2021