04 PROTEST - Blow Up!
Joining an interdisciplinary team of curators, designers, citizens, and activists, we delve into the tumultuous protest history and present of Graz.
Our ambition is to not only investigate and portray the diverse forms of protests that have emerged but also to make the essence of protesting tangible for one's own body.
Year: 2023
Collaboration: Graz Museum
Benedikt Haid
Michael Moser
Franz Gasser
Schultes Wien
How does one effectively convey such a crucial theme, driven by the physical involvement of individuals growing into powerful masses?
As a Design Trio, Benedikt Haid, Michael Moser, and I have crafted a concept that plays with a dynamic shift in scales. We believe in the importance of gaining a comprehensive overview, taking a step back, briefly detaching from the emotional aspect, and examining protests on a purely formal level.
Detached from scale, to find space in your own body and emotion again, we confront the audience with interactive playful stations where they can explore the corporeal nature of activism through their own bodies and voices.
With a deep love for playful objects, I chose to acquire an iconic medium of protesting history - the Inflatable. Being light and rising towards the sky, they are easy to carry. And because their body consists of just air, it is material-saving, allowing for the generation of a lot of volume and presence at low costs. Just the thought of a giant blown-up megaphone with a fluttering paper tongue sounded amazing.
(c) Martin Schnabel