Hands on Heads

Research Background & Significance: Hands on Heads workshop series asked participants to produce items for exhibition. The designing of scenarios that encourage freedom and playfulness from participants became the focus and the gallery as an active site of production. Artist and designer Daniel Eatock. Eatock opens up the art making process to a variety of collaborators, that respond to scenarios and problems of familiar items. Configuring a design investigation around the encountering of these items opens it to chance, spontaneity outside of concerns for the resultant artefact. Within the Hands on Heads series jumpers, pens, bread and chairs were the basis of the workshops. We deliberately engaged participants in strange, intimate and imaginative encounters with these items and materials. Craft Victoria invited Adele Varcoe and myself to conduct this workshop and exhibition series curated by Nella Themelios. This was also part of the 2011 State of Design Festival. Research Contribution: The deliberately strange proposition of 'head-making' sought to challenge the fashion objects produced, and investigate the potential of different ways of configuring design processes. The use of participatory and collaborative models of fashion practice is an emergent area of research. Holding significance in art and design milleus, this way of working deviates from the models of fashion practice that align or aspire to those proffered in commercial fashion systems. The contribution relates to proposing ways for fashion practitioners to open up the design and production process. The Hands on Head workshop series revealed the tacit knowledge and engagement users have in regards to everyday items and materials and how this might be used by designers to re- re-evaluate products and patterns of use. The 'workshop' can be used to extend ideas around what can be designed and also increase social engagement in the fashion making process.