Blog of Wade Making Connexions

Human Creations

We’re alive in the most wonderful of times, a time where world-class design is infused with even the most humble of items, the toilet brush.

At Target, you can also buy an $8 toilet brush designed by acclaimed architect Michael Graves. And if you’re really a showoff you can try Excalibur, the $32 toilet brush by French designer Philippe Starck. — Salon.com

Excalibur, the $32 toilet brush, by Philippe Starck

 
A designer toilet brush is an interesting place to start writing, but it’s also the end of a very long what the fuck. There’s 2 issues with this:-

21% of the world lives on less than $1.50 a day, and society’s focus is on making mass producing designer everything. This is part of my general awareness. This is really important. I’d like to point it out for now, just to raise the W T F, and move to where I’m wanting to take this. It’s somehow connected. Feeding people, instead of companies.

 
Over the last year, I’ve been lucky enough to find some lovely people making real-world things by hand. Things they care about and want to share. It’s refreshing and warms my heart.

Ex-a-Sketch – “we put together all of the drawings done at the pub and make a zine!”

To me, creativity is about coming back to our self, about becoming real. Zines, What ever the form of expression, it’s the output of something both personal and deep. Some call that place God, others call it stillness, or The Void. Regardless of what it’s called, in each of us it’s expression is both the same and unique. We are all different manifestations of One.

Through these differences I feel something. It both enlightens and reflects within me. It’s through this personal expression I find myself, and my humanity. This is where the toilet brush comes in. Mass-produced goods are generally, as emotionless as possible. In the industrial era, goods were functional, today, they must be designed. Yet mass-produced design goods are still alien. They rape and pollute the planet and under pay workers. No where in this process is there any signs of humanity, in the production or the item.

Consumption eats self-esteem; creation makes it grow…Making things makes up happier, more whole people. — Callie Janoff, Handmade Nation

Almost typographic, Zine love by Pashrash

Judging by the huge resurgence of DIY and Zines over the past few years, I’m not the first one to discover the joy of being human. I’m sure the internet’s played a role in re-starting this scene. Once isolated creators, are now an army of talented peeps over on websites like Deviant Art and Etsy.com.

I think that handcraft is popular right now as a reaction against a whole slew of things, including our hyper-fast culture, increasing reliance on digital technology, the proliferation of consumer culture, and even war. — KnitKnit, Handmade Nation

Felt Grump by The Fetus

Having a recent run-in with the law for my preferred form of expression, coupled with a move to San Francisco, I’m waiting to see what bubbles to the surface to get creating again. Whilst waiting for something to manifest, if anyone’s got some Zines they’d like to share with me, I’d love to read them…

I Read Zines

Hey Wade,

Glad that you enjoyed our zines, and even more amazing that they’ve been recycled and found a new home!

Kudos.

Cheers, Simon.