Research Critique | Maker Culture & DIWO

Write a 400-word essay discussing the concept of DIWO as explored in the essay, the Furtherfield Website, and Marc Garrett’s lecture.

The term, Do It With Others (DIWO), is centred on the idea of co-creation, it emphasises ‘co-produced’ and ‘networked’ initiatives as opposed to ‘top-down initiations’. It can also be defined as a ‘collaboration platform’ for like-minded people to ‘collaboratively work on a task, project, or any other service’. It is also a platform that allows for collaboration between a vast range of sources, creating new ‘hybrid’ experiences. DIWO also emphasises on process rather than outcome, ‘forming relationally aware peer enactments’. Ironically, it is also because of its own innovative nature that DIWO is not as widely-accepted; it is perceived as ‘complex’ and ‘too fast’ for some of the industry’s main stakeholders to catch up with. 

The article also discusses using technology as a necessary tool for survival and innovation, especially for artists. Being equipped with knowledge and skills in technology is beneficial especially in the creative industry as it provides artists with an advantage in a field of ‘creative capitalism’; with these skills, they can produce ‘new’ and ‘exciting’ works. Furthermore, in the case of ‘open networks’ brought about by Media Art and technology, it allows for practitioners to have a ‘deeper understanding’ of the medium and how to ‘creatively’ ‘exploit it’. As a result, practitioners across different fields are able to interact and collaborate with peer critique and ‘shared ownership of ideas’, all with a ‘variant of creative expressions’. 

 

Combining the skillsets of practitioners across different mediums can give rise to innovative works

 

DIWO is also regarded as a cutting-edge, versatile, and ‘socially informed’ initiative able to loosen up traditional infrastructural ties and frameworks. Not only does it provide a platform for collaborations between different artists and mediums, but it also exists within ‘mainstream culture’ and ‘networked shadows’, catering to the needs of a wide demographic. By practising DIWO, we can therefore, push the boundaries of creation, where we are encouraged to ‘changing the defaults’, thereby ‘changing the rules’ and opening up more possibilities. 

Personally, I feel that DIWO is a beneficial platform for us, especially as art students. With a space dedicated to the idea of ‘openness’, where we are encouraged to share ideas and knowledge across a vast range of mediums with like-minded people, and where there are materials and tools ‘open to all’, available for re-editing and redistribution, not only does it make learning experiences more convenient and easily accessible, but it also serves as an outlet of inspiration. With a wider access to newer technologies, we gain new knowledge as well as adopt new methods and ideas in further developing our projects, making way for more innovative works in future.

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