Aim: /have the intention of achieving/

If there was written manifesto on waste, on pollution; what is the aim of trash?

Manifesto: /a public declaration of policy and aims/

As human race, as the sole producers of waste, do we have an aim with that specific production? As designers and/or creators, do we have an aim for the afterlife of our creations, when their purpose has been used to their full extent?

Waste: /use or expend carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose/

We could declare ourselves creators, the minds that are producing projects, objects, pieces, processes that in current time, at least for us, have purpose. Each thought we create is a seed that will bear fruit sooner or later – or will rot as a thrown away idea of the contaminated mind.

As we move on to the next thing, purpose slowly fades away and our minds get preoccupied with the next goal. Left behind are artifacts of previous mindset, scattered object with vaguely memorable purpose. Can we then also declare ourselves creators of waste? As we create, we waste – we produce waste, mental or physical, therefore we could say that we ARE waste; producing physical waste and being mental waste.

Pollution: /the presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects/

When the goal is achieved, is the next life purpose of our creation also waste? Then we can also proclaim ourselves as contributors to pollution. As we proceed to make »trash«, by designing it, which at the end is going to be buried in the same pile of waste, we are all equally participating in the global phenomenon of the modern society. Therefore, are designers any better? Can we judge others for doing the same? To inculpate is not the aim of this written stream of thoughts and questions. The aim is rather to start a discussion.

Waste of our time and waste of our physical manifestations of thoughts. In the end, do we just become contributors to the Pacific trash vortex?

To look at our work and our aims, to strip it down to bare intentions, we don’t find the rational excuse for our doing. We can find a ton of irrational reasons as to why we do what we do. There seems to be no good reason why we create if we don’t have a vision for our creations’ afterlife, for that to be in either physical form or in immaterial matter.

May it be trash, could it be art, may it also be time, could it be thoughts…

If the aim is gone and our minds are trying to find the next goal, is there such a thing as a waste of thoughts? Although it can’t be seen or tangible there it is in the shape of waste.

The waste we made.

pH15

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The manifesto was written in support of the Contaminated minds editorial in New Edge XI – WASTE issue.

Concept & production: pH15 (Ana Jazbec, Katja Grčman, Maruša Kranjc, Nika Batista, Vasja Vasilij Brilj)

Photo: Sara Rman