Page 25 - Studio International - June 1968

with them. would learn something in the noise from the machine operation was too
process. The project addressed itself to loud and distracting for people not involved
children. partly because of Simon Nichol­ in its manipulation. Among the positive
son's own strong feelings in this direction, comments relating to the properties com­
and because the creation of self-instructional mon to all structures of a specific class.
structures that would stimulate adults would were: arouses intellectual curiosity, dis­
pose some intractable problems which covery and rediscovery of unknown. un­
could well prevent the scheme from going predictable and unexpected relationships;
ahead. encourages insight which can be extended to
The first step in this course was more akin real life.
to computer programming than attacking a These last comments do not have to apply
canvas with a brush and a pot of paint. It to self-instructional structures for children­
was demanded categorically that the student they are all criteria which comprise art's
be very specific about his intention and the usefulness. Other things could be added to
purpose behind it. The actual design (stage make up _a list of those qualities without
2)-its appropriateness and feasibility in which the painting or sculpture or object or
manufacture-had to be tested (stage 3) by happening, fails to transform the canvas.
the student himself, who later was asked to stone. old saucepan. or a few semi-naked
assess its effectiveness on the basis of an people in a heap of paper. into those in­
objective trial (stage 4) performed by the ventive or creative acts which we associate
users-the children. Finally, a report (stage with art. Art is an act of transformation
5) had to be produced by each student which may sometimes appear miraculous
describing the failures and successes of his but which does not depend on miracles.
creation. When firmly based. it is likely to produce
Perhaps because the course was too good test results and then it may be quite
demanding-and many students may have safe to leave the usual accompaniment of Projct 23: A game that does work-participants
found such a critical confrontation with their metaphysical explanations alone. have fun increasing mechanical advantage:
own work too difficult-it came to an end consists of standaridized components, and
children can assemble the components to construct
after a year. It became quite clear that this · different types of pulley block. and invent their
approach of designing/making/testing/ own activities with them: no ratchet is provided,
assessing requires considerable resources which greatly enhances the structure: built by
and maturity which one could not rely on R. Nathanson and T. Chinn, and tested in Croker
finding consistently in the student popula­ Simulating the invention, construction, Highlands School, Oakland.
.tion. It is also quite clear that if the 100 artists and testing of a building-
who have been asked by the Welsh Arts Structures for self-instruction:
Council and the ICA to produce a toy were Design 12
further asked to make a toy that would be Simon Nicholson
self-instructional, and that actually could be
played wlth by a child, the number of entries Design 12 was instituted by me in 1966 to·
would prove rather small. Even without think­ fill a need in the education �f artists (most
ing about a toy that is self-instructional, one works of art are self-instructional) and archi­
wonders (and I have been wondering for tects ( see preface to Design 12). Nearly 50
some time) how many of the toys one will projects were completed and tested in
actually be able to play with and how many schools. pre-schools. _playgrounds. parks.
will actually work. hospitals. schools for the blind, and the
The resistance to the notion of testing art University of California itself: the photos are
objectively by its maker is understandable. I of four of these projects-namely projects
imagine that most artists would consider Nos. 2. 4. 6 and 23.
such a requirement absurd and irrelevant. Design 12 was undertaken in the machine
Nevertheless, a lot can be said in favour of tool shop and photo-lab in the College of
considering the issue of art's usefulness in Environmental Design. but assistance was
terms of the responses elicited from those also given by the Lawrence Hall of Science.
for whom it is intended. It is interesting to and the Science Curriculum Improvement
consider. in the case of the Nicholson teach­ Study. both on the same campus: assistance
ing project. what comprised the major for testing came principally from the Berkeley
critical comments on the various objects Unified School District: Oakland Public
made by their makers. High on the list was Schools: City of Oakland Recreation and
the failure to be self-explanatory; then Parks Dept: and the California School for the Project 2: Co-ordinates in Space: participants
neither fun. nor exciting to use; and lack of Blind. The principal schools for testing were assemble their own platform out of components,
versatility. One student commented that his Berkwood School. Berkeley (e.g. Project 4) and can then place acrylic plastic rod units into
project left the dull children confused and and the University of California Child Study holes: cubic blocks are engineered to fit rods
the bright ones bored. Another wrote that Center. Berkeley (e.g. Project 2). exactly, and do not jam or drop : the blocks may
his object in the final analysis lacked rele­ The University of California set no pre­ also be used as connecting rods for skyscrapers:
built by P. Lee, S. Swift. C. McDonald.
vance to the real world and that it could not requisites for students enrolling in Design K. Mccardle, and A. McDowell, and tested at the
• be repaired. Another comment was that the 12: enrolment was limited to 25 per quarter. Child Study Center, Berkeley.
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