SAFE: Design Takes on Risk

The Museum of Modern Art in Chicago is doing an exhibition called SAFE from October 16, 2005–January 2, 2006. It looks and sounds really compelling. From their website, I found this image, which seems to take on the concept of an increasing surveilled society. I wanted to build something like this for Burning Man, but I didn't have access to a pile of security cameras unfortunately. Here's the describtion of the show:

SAFE: Design Takes On Risk, the first major design exhibition at MoMA since its reopening in November 2004, presents more than 300 contemporary products and prototypes designed to protect body and mind from dangerous or stressful circumstances, respond to emergencies, ensure clarity of information, and provide a sense of comfort and security. These objects address the spectrum of human fears and worries, from the most mundane to the most exceptional, from the dread of darkness and loneliness to the threat of earthquakes and terrorist attacks.

From we-make-money-not-art, I found out about one of the other things that will be shown at MoMA in the SAFE exhibition. Suited for Subversion by Ralph Borland is a wearable art piece which uses both low and high tech to create a political statement and padded target for riot police.

Suited for Subversion is a project to create a suit that protects the wearer at large-scale street protests. The suit also monitors the wearer's pulse and projects an amplified heartbeat out of a speaker in the chest of the suit.

I really like this suit, even if it does look pretty strange. It reminds me of this idea I had for a suit that would stick out spikes when the user felt threatened, much like a blow fish. Ralph Borland's suit on the other hand seems to engage conflict by use of the bright red color, but also discourages it by vocalizing the wearer's heart beat.

SAFE: Design Takes on Risk looks really cool, I wish I had some time in my busy schedule to go cover it in person.

[ Link via we-make-money-not-art ]