Sustainism

I have been very interested by “Sustainism is the New Modernism: A Cultural Manifesto for the Sustainist Era”, by Michiel Schwarz and Joost Elffers. (Distribution Art Publisher, New York).

Sustainism includes what makes, or what could make, the world sustainable, but it is much more than that. It is about a world where everything is connected, interdependent, local and globalized, ecological and digital. 

This is the culture of networks, sharing, borrowing, and open exchange.

It is about being in phase with time and places. 

“Sustainity is not intent on making everything global but recognizes that all locals are globally connected”.

It favors selective slowness and appropriate speeds, which replace the modernist fascination for the “Beauty of Speed”.

“Sustainist design connects with our life-world, focusing not just on function and form but on the meanings we create and the experiences we produce”. 

Modernism:  Form follow Function. Sustainism: Meanings follow Connections.

Sustainist design is responsible design, it is socially and environmentally conscious”.

“Smart consumerism equals socially and environmentally conscious consumption”.

Being myself socially and environmentally conscious, this book made me think about how I could evolve my work in a more sustainist way. We designers-makers are already part of this cultural movement, in the way that we oppose mass production of short-life products. My reflexion is now how to do more, producing locally with local artists and makers, sourcing materials locally, recycling, though inventing new ways, new designs, always looking forward to the future and not turning back to the past.