informal urban practices

Irene, Ka Ming,LEE & Jiazhen Chen (KEN)

KEY IMAGE

Irene, Ka Ming,LEE & Jiazhen Chen (KEN)

KEY IMAGE

PRESENTATION VIDEO

Jiazhen Chen (ken) ‘s portfolio

SWAP MARKET 28 OCT

KEN& IRENE

Irene’s self assessment

Ken And Irene

In Melbourne, informal barter run online popularly in local and overseas. They reclaimed and deal with ‘unwanted things’ by swapping into ‘want things’. Their strategies, terms and instructions are varying. This informal swapping activity challenges current money economic system. It is out of the boundaries of existing tax and value ratio. Currently, tax and money are the major indicators in values of a product, service or information. The values of visible objects are fluctuated by the time and needs. However, we cannot evaluate immateriality items by money or tax. In this project, we are challenging the current materiality value, but also the immateriality value.

Aristotle said: “People came to the city in order to survive, to live better and stay in the city”

In 2010, there are more than half the human live in urban. By 2030, the world’s urban population is likely to exceed 60%.With the developing of the city; people’s living style tends to a fast-paced. The urban and life become much more heaviness than ever before. Online social network, highly efficiency are emphasised which led less directed conversations and interactions. As a result, physical and mental problems become worse, such as stress, obesity, cancer, etc. The city needs to ‘slow down’. The purpose of this project established a “slow” opportunities for citizens to relax in a fast-paced city.

Jiazhen Ken Chen & Irene Ka Ming,Lee

This week we focus on swapping with services, objects and information. We run our mobile booth at dockland next to designers market. We choose our location carefully, co that we catch as many pedestrians as we could but out of market area. We ask people pick their favourite souvenirs, then we start our conversations about what did they brought, the feeling of today, what did they visit, etc. it seems they swapping the souvenirs by spending their time, emotions and information. While we were chatting, we start object swap activity. A graphic design student would like to swap a butterfly souvenir with a batch that she bought in the market.

From the activities, we recognize that people would like get a ‘free’ souvenirs/ objects by spending their time and start a conversation for a few minutes.

We plan to do our activities indoor in building 8 and 88. we ask them to get a bookmark or craft object by motivated themselves to start a conversation with someone they don’t know in computer labs. It gives their opportunity to enlarge their social network in campus. Also they get a rest and escape form the assignments.

Irene and Jiazhen Ken Chenvedio are below

Last week we have a barter testing in Victoria market.

• We found people like to swap some cute crafts such as book mark and pendant.
• We were droved by security; because of we don’t have the permission. So we had to pack off pur fold booth, moving to another place and set up again. Next time we are going to use a trolley as a mobile swapping.
• Weekend lunch time and afternoon is a good timing for our activity.

Irene and Jiazhen Ken Chen
object swap week 10