These Things I Know For Sure!

At present moment I am researching for an essay on Andrea Zittel and I found this list of hers that I thought I would share. I am not sure I agree with all. However sometimes I feel it is useful to look at how other people define their world in order to think about how you define your own.

Maybe we would all benefit from making a similar list.

These Things I Know For Sure:

1:It is a human trait to want to organize things into categories. Inventing categories creates an illusion that there is an overriding rationale in the way that the world works.

2:Surfaces that are "easy to clean" also shows more dirt. In reality a surface that camouflages dirt is much more practical than one that is easy to clean.

3:Maintenance takes time and energy that can sometimes impede other forms of progress such as leaning new things.

4:Al materials ultimately deteriorate and show some sign of wear. It is therefore important to create designs that will look better after years of distress.

5:A perfect filing system can sometimes decrease efficiency. For instance, when letters and bills are filed away too quickly, it is easy to forget to respond to them.

6:Many "progressive" designs actually hark back towards a lost idea of nature or a more "original form"

7:Ambiguity in visual design ultimately leads to a greater variety of functions than design that are functionally fixed.

8:No matter how many options there are, it is human nature to always narrow things down to two polar, yet inextricably linked choices.

9:The creation of rules is more creative than the destruction of them. Creating demands a higher level of reasoning and draws connections between cause and effect. The best rules are never stable or permanent, but evolve naturally according to context or need.

10: What makes us feel liberated is not total freedom, but rather living in a set of limitations that we have created and prescribed ourselves. 

11:Things that we think are liberating can ultimately become restrictive, and things that we initially think are controlling can sometimes give us a sense of comfort and security.

12:Ideas seems to gestate best in a void-when that void is filled, it is more difficult to access them. In our consumption-driven society, almost all voids are filled, blocking from moments of greater clarity and creativity. Things that block voids are called "avoids".

13:Sometimes when you can't change a situation, you just have to change the way you think about the situation.

14:People are most happy when they are moving forward towards something not quite yet attained. (I also wonder if this extends to the physical motion in space. I believe that I am happier when I am in a plane or a car because I am moving towards an identifiable and attained goal)

Andrea Zittel 2005