Paola Antonelli - MOMA Museum of Modern Art

The publishing online of files for a 3D printed gun in May 2013 not only challenged security services the world over it also caught the attention of MOMA Senior Curator of Design Paola Antonelli. At first Design and Violence was proposed to MOMA as an exhibition but somewhat akin to the open source ideas behind the 3D printed gun 'Design and Violence' has developed online through contributions and debates across the internet. #desviolenz

Museum of Modern Art Senior Curator of Design Paola Antonelli presents the Design and Violence public lecture at the National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne Australia.

The lecture topic at first might inspire those of us interested in design history in Melbourne to look at our history with military weapons. The work perhaps of a young architectural modeller from Carlton, Lance Corporal William Charles Scurry who invented the Drip (or 'pop off') rifles used to save thousands of ANZAC's at Gallipoli, or the work of Louis Brennan who invented the steerable torpedo in 1874. However Antonelli's powerful lecture inspired a more forward looking perspective, so instead, I left seeking to explore the open source ideas of colleagues Mark Richardson and Matthew Bird in their recent upcycling project Hydonaut at Monash University.

Drip rifle - invented by Lance Corporal William Charles Scurry from Carlton, Melbourne, Australia.

Hydonaut by Studiobird with Mark Richardson and Matthew Bird. IMAGE: Peter Bennetts

Antonelli was refreshing in her candid views on "design thinking' and how the sales of "post it" notes are up. The audience came alive with Antonelli's insights into the debate and controversy surrounding SPUTNIKO's menstruation machine.

Museum of Modern Art Senior Curator of Design Paola Antonelli presents the Design and Violence public lecture at the National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne Australia.

Mutant Material in Contemporary Design also got a mention. This was Antonelli's first exhibition at MOMA in 1995 and featured the work of Melbourne designers Christopher Connell, Celina Clarke and Simon Christopher.

Madam Ruby - ISM Objects. Designed by Celina Clarke and Simon Christopher featured in Mutant Materials in Contemporary Design curated by Paola Antonelli Senior Curator MONA Museum of Modern Art New York.

It is indeed a fact that in this era of open source and 'Ted' Lectures, yesterday at 5pm I could have lazed in the beautiful sunshine on the banks of the Yarra river……. but I am so glad I didn't. 

Design and Violence - Paola Antonelli Senior Curator of Design at the Museum of Modern Art MOMA New York.

http://www.studiobird.com.au

http://www.moma.org