Q&A with Ian Wojtowicz

 

 

Ian Wojtowicz is the editor of the new book Interrogative Design. Also an artist and engineer, he lives in Vancouver, Canada. 

 

Q: For those who are unfamiliar with the term, how would you define “interrogative design”?

A: The aim of conventional design is to solve problems through systematic creativity. Unfortunately many of society’s most important problems remain intractable and designers and the practice of design itself seems stuck.

Interrogative design changes the equation, creating conditions for people to think about problems that are difficult or perhaps impossible to solve. Instead of rushing to the endpoint of a challenge, interrogative design helps us to slow the process and expand the conversation.

In essence, it is a form of participatory design that borrows from public art and performance traditions to provoke new discussions around complex topics.

Interrogative design notably uses the aesthetics of industrial design and consumer electronics to give projects an air of familiarity. "What is this?" "How does it work?" "Where can I get one?" etc.

 

These social scripts for interacting within consumer culture give the public a starting point into interrogative design that more uncanny contemporary artworks often lack.

Q: How did you compile the various essays that appear in the book, and how did you decide on the order in which they appear?

A: The book evolved slowly over years through extended conversations with many people, some of whom are in the book.

 The structure and order of content in the book also took shape very gradually. While delving back into [artist Krzysztof] Wodiczko’s writing, I sought to understand what was unique about his ideas and the work of his students.

Even though I studied with him, I never really understood the topic well. So I structured the book to help me define or roughly sketch the outline of interrogative design.

 

The book’s eight chapters (and introduction) each explore one fundamental characteristic of the practice, and thankfully there was so much excellent writing and project work that it was easy and enjoyable to arrange. The structure provided the definition.

Once the chapters were in place, the bulk of the editing process was making the difficult decisions of what to leave out and then focusing on refinements and detail work. The marginalia, for example, interconnects the writers throughout the book. Their participation was crucial in shaping it.

The book is like a music score.

Q: The book also includes a variety of illustrations--what do you think they add?

A: It was important that the book be engaging for various audiences: practicing artists and designers, students, theorists and historians, and importantly: I also wanted my kids to be interested in the book. Some of the projects are visually bizarre and I hope the illustrations provide moments of curiosity and interest for anyone delving into the material.

“Reading is like wandering through a city,” (de Certeau) and the illustrations provide context and clarity and enjoyment. The book should be easy to browse and start at any place, letting the reader work forward and back.

It contains a lot of varied material and I hope the reader builds their own understanding, engaging with the content in a constructive way, much like how the marginalia connect the contributors in dialogue.

In a way, the reader is another commentator.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

A: The single most important idea is that design doesn’t have to create a solution — it can ask a question. And if the question is well designed, it can continue to be very productive for a long time.

Q: What are you working on now?

A: I’m making tables.

Q: Anything else we should know?

A: This project was to honor the amazing work of Wodiczko and his many talented students and peers. It was a privilege to work on and to learn from so many unique thinkers in art, technology and design.

I was humbled by the company, the process, and I hope the result is useful to a new generation of artists and designers.

--Interview with Deborah Kalb