An Interview with Metahaven
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- Date Added20 February 2013, 20:02
Notes
In the interview, Metahaven discusses their approach to design as a form of knowledge production and a tool for critical inquiry. They see design not just as a way to make things look good, but as a method for exploring and questioning the realities of our world—especially in relation to power, transparency, and information1. Their work often involves collaborations with organizations or movements, such as WikiLeaks, for which they created visual identities and merchandise as part of a broader investigation into the politics of transparency and the role of media in shaping public perception
1
MoreNot soft power, but “network power” should be regarded as the structural force behind presence and identity. This idea, which is explored in more detail in Uncorporate Identity, takes globalization as a process unfolding through various standards: of communication, exchange, payment, travel, language, etc. Such standards both enable and limit actors in their agency and choice of alternatives. Importantly, such network standards are ultimately predominant over the positive or negative emotions associated with particular actors in or on the network. In the case of the Innocence of Muslims video, for example, American soft power is volatile, while its network power—YouTube—is stable. In other words, the network power is a prerequisite to even have soft power.