LA MANUFACTURE - A LABOUR OF LOVE @ LILLE DEIGN CAPITAL
ABOUT A LABOUR OF LOVE
ABOUT A WORKER is proud to be part of La Manufacture - A Labour of Love an exhibition curated by Li Edelkoort & Philip Fimmano for Lille Metropole World Design Capital 2020.
“La Manufacture is a place of discovery where new scenarios and ways of producing are explored at La Gare Saint-Sauveur in Lille. This direction unveils the future of humanity and the planet. A return to work where the designer is simultaneously strategic, aesthetic and autonomous. Developing new ideas about sharing between designer and the artisan, designer and the underprivileged, designer and the amateur, designer and the designer. Everything is about sharing.”
For the event, ABOUT A WORKER has been collaborating creatively with Chandy, Mohamed, Sabina and Emily, 4 young workers from Anti_Fashion an association currently based in Roubaix giving millennials the possibility to follow a free of charge fashion & textile production education. Over the confinement period these young talents have made masks for the manufacturing cooperative Projet Résilience.
Through different creative steps, the participants have been asked to embellish blue aprons, the exhibition uniform. By using their craft & artistic talents, they will expose the many facets of the North of France: their current territory. The workers/designers will work on sight for the whole exhibition time and organise creative workshops open to the public & the exhibition staff.
STEP 1 - EXPLORING LILLE
As the first step of our “made on site” design initiation, we asked the workers to represent their vision of their region, by exploring the exhibition surroundings. Through shapes, textures and structures found in Lille: they took pictures revealing their vision of Home. This exploration brought up links between heritage and modernity, particular solidarity and kindness feelings found on the current questionable territory.
STEP 2 - COLLAGES
As for the second part of the design initiation, we asked workers to illustrate through collages, their pictures. The goal was not to copy paste what they have photographed, but to focus on what feelings they have wanted to communicate through their images. We asked them to interpret their vision in two ways: by constructing paper and fabric samples. This illustrative exercice was their opportunity to understand the constraints and freedoms found in each medium.
STEP 3 - PROTOTYPES
Finally, the workers had to customise their own statement piece: a blue apron representing their vision of Lille. They used their own process techniques in order to produce them. Since the opening day, they have been asked to create and produce as many new designs on site.
CO-CREATE YOUR DREAM APRON WITH THE TEAM!
ABOUT A WORKER X A LABOUR OF LOVE apron is the official uniform of the exhibition!
If you are a staff member or a visitor, go get yours and co-create your dream apron with the ABOUT A WORKER team! The workers on site, are present each Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 6 pm until the end of the exhibition: November 10th 2020.
LA MANUFACTURE: A LABOUR OF LOVE
09.09→08.10.2020
Apron workshop with workers
Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday
Gare Saint-Sauveur
17 Boulevard Jean-Baptiste Lebas,
59800 Lille
