Hydar has been a freelance photographer since April 2010 (although he started practicing in 2002), when he left his job as a technical support engineer at Microsoft.  But he hasn’t left his technology background behind him completely, it’s still very much a part of his practice, and it’s provided him with a unique take on collaboration.

Hydar in Paris. Photo by Thomas Crossman

 “We can’t only justify being individuals because we all need to do something together”. Hydar Dewachi

On inspiration

“When it comes to creativity, I enjoy working with other people.  Not just with other artists, but a group of people with different skills that can each add something to the mix”.  Recently, Hydar was commissioned to photograph the WAKE exhibition by Arts Admin at Dilston Grove – a six-week project where artists were invited to undertake a mini-residency, each picking up where the previous left off.  Although as photographer, Hydar was more of an observer, the act of being in an evolving collaborative environment like this enabled him to draw inspiration from the work that developed. Collaborations and conversations are most valuable when they bring people together with different expertise.

On ‘minglism’

Together with his friend Xavier Pick – a painter who mixes his work with digital photography – they developed the term “minglism” when they had the idea to combine their work and mediums. They preferred to let the collaboration develop organically rather than forcing it. “When we first met, we didn’t know how we were going to work with each other, so each time we had a conversation, we would record it.  A lot of conversations get lost if you don’t record them.”

On skills

“It used to be ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ but now I believe being a jack of all trades is mastery in itself” says Hydar. “You don’t need to be perfect in one thing, but you do need to have a wide range of skills, for example, if you’re taking pictures to be shown on a website, your knowledge of technology will help you to know what works in that medium”. Artists should reconsider how they define their skills.  Those that say they only do one thing are limiting themselves, as now you’re expected to have a range of skills just to practice your art – e.g. a photographer might use film but will still need to know how to scan them for digital use. Just as important is the ability to define those skills, and talk about them, so that others’ know your capabilities for potential collaborations.

On combining creativity, technology and identities

Hydar has always been sure to talk about all sides of his work – whether he’s someone that works in IT doing photography (when he was at Microsoft), or a photographer that used to work in IT (currently) – and these multiple identities regularly make an appearance in his practice.  A recent project explored the use of Google Earth for showing work.  Not a new thing, but Hydar used his comfortable relationship with technology to show that an art doesn’t always have to be in an exhibition – it can be online too.  “The project is to show my journey to become a British Citizen, and the distance I’ve travelled. After a year, I realised I didn’t need to be either Iraqi or British, I could be both nationalities together”.

This mingling and fusing is clearly demonstrated through Hydar’s website, which he has designed and developed himself to showcase his work – an online photographic gallery, a digital flick-through of his journals containing notes, sketches and collages; and PDF downloads of text pieces reflecting on his Iraqi heritage and dual nationality.   Hydar has developed an approach which means that he happily combines disciplines, skills and experiences, and has an openness to working with others to learn and develop his practice.

More info and examples of Hydar’s work at www.dewachi.com

Around 2 years ago, we wrote about the 24-hour book project, an ambitious initiative bringing people together to collaboratively write, edit and publish a book in just 24 hours. They succeeded back then, and now they’re back with a similar challenge for the South Asian Literature festival – this time with a South-Asian theme and working with contributors from both London and Delhi.

 ”On Saturday 15th October, writers armed with their bare imaginations, a lot of digital ink, and an industrial quantity of coffee, will commence the writing process. Then, on Sunday 9th October, a group of volunteer editors will move in to make the story ready for publication in the final 12 hours. The book will be printed using the latest print-on-demand technology and published under a Creative Commons license.”

It’s an interesting and exciting way of working, and also reminded us of the project that produced the Collaborative Futures book over a week in January 2010. The team have also gone on to create Booki, a downloadable platform which encourages others to produce and publish books using a similar open model. They call this the ‘book sprint’.

The ‘sprint’ has evolved from the technology community, where a group of developers come together over a specified time to develop software projects. Media Lab Melbourne, who have taken the concept to a wider creative community including artists, designers, scientists and technologists, describe the sprint as “short periods of intense project development based on a theme”.  Although there is a large emphasis on producing digital content, working collaboratively in this way also naturally lends itself to using online tools for participants to collaborate. The 24-hour Book Project and Collaborative Futures shows that it works in book publishing, and there are certainly other creative disciplines that could use this format too.

Would you attempt a ‘sprint’ for a project that you’re working on? Do you already work in this way? Let us know.

The 24-hour book project will be taking place at Rich Mix, Shoreditch on 15^th October from 10am. It is run in partnership between The Literary Consultancy, the Society of Young Publishers, CompletelyNovel, if:book, German Book Office New Delhi and the Young Indian Publishers.  They are still looking for experienced writers, proofreaders, copy-editors, and typesetters to participate, so if you’d like to get involved, check back for more details. View the flyer (PDF)

Time for a technology slow down?

Image by dogbomb on Flickr

Aleks Krotoski (Technology writer and broadcaster) explained how the web has provided exceptional opportunities for social interaction. The ability to make new connections and collaborate with speed is a positive development.  Our technology keeps us connected to the greatest archive that the world has ever seen.  But Krotoski also noted that as humans, we don’t always have the capacity to deal with this, particularly in terms of synthesising information.  As Nick Tyler (Chadwick Professor of Civil Engineering) stated, the rate of human evolution is much slower than the rate of technological evolution, so engineers need to start developing solutions that place the human first.

Perhaps this explains the discomfort that many individuals experience in trying to surf this wave  – they feel constantly behind, they don’t feel ready.  One audience member commented how she feels ‘forced’ to engage. Is it all moving too fast for us all to comprehend?

Sherry Turkle, author of the book “Alone Together: Why we expect more from technology and less from each other”, brings together 15 years of research on the impact of technology on our relationships.   Turkle says that it’s time for us to reassess how we’re using the web in line with the effect that it’s having on our behaviour, social etiquette and ability to communicate.  The answer is not to refer to it as an ‘addiction’ – technology is not going away.  But, we do need to look at issues such as privacy and how the ‘always-on’ culture is affecting our (and particularly young people’s) ability to be alone and to communicate effectively with others.  In one piece of research she found that business students prefer texting to real-time interaction.

Re-connecting with real-time communication

So it’s interesting that some technology being developed is focussing on how to enhance real-time visual interaction, as opposed to text-based.  Something that could have a major impact on the way that dispersed teams collaborate.  At the NESTA event, Richard Harper (Microsoft) explained that a reason that video conferencing hasn’t taken off in the workplace as yet, is that people prefer text-based communication to real-time as it gives them time to edit – it’s a performance issue.  He noted that on a basic level, people don’t like leaving voice mail messages because they don’t trust themselves to get it right first time.

At the same time, the technology capabilities are now improving.  Previously there were issues with quality and connectivity.  Now, as Nick Sheppard (CISCO) described, it’s almost impossible to buy a new communication device that doesn’t have video capabilities.  It’s something that we’re being increasingly exposed to, and it’s changing the face of communication, literally.

The future of video communications

Image by axel.voitier on Flickr

At NESTA’s Digital You event we heard from two companies at the forefront of video conferencing.  Gostai describe their Jazz Robot (pictured) as a “skype on wheels”, providing a two-way live video link to a location, but is mobile, enables interaction with colleagues and can be used to observe surroundings.    So for example, rather than cutting off the virtual communications at the end of a meeting, the robot enables an individual to maintain their presence.  Even though the image of interacting with a robot raised a few giggles at the event, Gostai have made it a reality.

body>data>space have been researching the area of telepresence which they describe as “realtime performance or connections using the internet to link two or more remote spaces”. This includes how technology can portray gesture development and body movement, particularly in the skills that young people will need for their future social and professional interactions.  They have a range of fascinating projects which explore the use of technology to enhance collaborative practice, one of which is the NESTA-funded Robots and Avatars.  Ghislaine Boddington (Creative Director, body>data>space) mentioned however, that when they run their projects they develop a timeline which integrates both physical and virtual meeting points.  This method of hybrid communication, she says, is vital in terms of building trust.

Virtual communication over physical?

And this is a key point in that ongoing question: will virtual replace physical?  In a word, no.  It was clear from all of the speakers, and in fact both events, that these tools are not a replacement, but are providing us with a wider choice in how we communicate.  What’s important is that future development takes human needs and psychology into account, and in turn we become better at recognising when it’s more appropriate to meet in person or when it’s relevant to use digital communications.  As one speaker remarked, “video is better than e-mail, but not better than face-to-face” and we often need an in-person meeting to kick-off effective virtual communication in a project.

Furthermore, it’s important for us to not blame online tools for unsuccessful collaboration.  People collaborate, not technology – it’s just there to make the process easier.  The team has to be right in the first place, have the willingness to work together and the skills to ultimately get the job done.

We’ve picked out a couple of events you might find of interest, looking at both the processes and outcomes of creative collaborations and partnerships:

OK Talk: design dialogues between Helsinki and London, 23 and 25 September
Where: 1-3 Wenlock Road, London N1 7SL
Entry: RSVP to hello@ok-do.eu before Tuesday 21 September

OK Talk brings together over 20 designers, artists and theorists from Finland and Britain to talk about emerging questions in design philosophy and strategic design:

• Strategies of Participation, Thursday 23 September, 8.30am-10.30am

Five individuals from research, design, art and architecture specialising in events, online platforms or exhibitions, will discuss how they create constructive collaborations.

• Borderlands, Saturday 25 September, 11.30am-1.30pm

This talk explores the crossing of boundaries between design, art and other fields with an emphasis on collaborative practices. What can working in between disciplines offer for creative professionals and the world at large?

More info

Friday Late at the V&A: Two’s a Pair, Friday 24 September, 18.30-22.00
Where: V&A, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL
Entry: free

A night that celebrates famous design-duos and collaborative working in Contemporary design.  The programme for the evening, curated by Designersblock, includes Couples Design Counselling – a series of films on how collaborators balance their professional and personal lives; Joined At The Hip – costumes designed by Puff and Flock which will only function if worn by two people; plus many other installations, talks, workshops and performances.

More info

Please check the event websites for the latest updates.  To see other events happening during the London Design Festival, visit www.londondesignfestival.com.

Making Ideas Happen – an essential read for anyone who generates ideas – takes readers through a series of suggestions, based on case studies from successful creative organisations known for “overcoming the obstacles between vision and reality” (the book’s tagline).  This ranges from practical tips on managing projects (including Behance’s own “Action Method”, thinking about how your workspace can help you become more action-orientated, and overcoming the stigma of self-promotion.  It also nods to some of the current trends driving our working practices such as the freelance culture, flexibility, digital developments and co-working, as elements that should be capitalised to support ideas execution.

A considerable amount of the book is dedicated to the “Forces of Community” using networks and contacts to get ideas through to completion.   Making Ideas Happen acknowledges the value of collaboration (“ideas don’t happen in isolation”) but identifies the challenges that can arise throughout the process for creative people, such as sharing ideas, transparency and tolerating feedback, whilst looking at processes for overcoming these.

Overall, Making Ideas Happen is an accessible read that encourages you to reflect on and re-evaluate the way you work creatively.  Belsky has been careful to focus on thought-provoking techniques for putting ideas into practice (99% of the work) rather than ideas generation which is well within the comfort zone of most creative people (the other 1%).  It’s one of those books that, when you find your brilliant projects aren’t leaving the sketchbook, you should dip into for actionable suggestions for getting them going.

For more information visit http://the99percent.com/book or pre-order the book on Amazon.

Did it work?  Even better than expected!

By the end of the two days we had:

-       a new website with a wordpress theme built from scratch, based on a new colour palette

-       a series of illustrations and text visualising the Bracket collaborative process, as well as text throughout the website

-       a range of characters to be used in an animation for an online viral video

-       a series of images to be used in a printed promotional campaign

-       and the beginnings of a film documentary

So how was this achieved?

We spent a long time (the first half of the first day), using Bracket’s developed techniques to generate ideas, set aims, and identify the tasks to be completed   Our essential toolkit for the two days included magic whiteboard, post-it notes, and coloured pens and markers.  By lunchtime, the walls of THECUBE were covered with words, diagrams, scribblings and plans of what was going to happen over the next day and a half.

Being in the same room together meant everything could happen quickly and seamlessly.  Laura (copywriter) worked with Emily (graphic facilitator/illustrator) to iron out the Bracket process which informed the text and illustrations; Naomi (graphic designer) worked with Joel (filmmaker) to develop the colour palette for the website and the characters used in the animation and illustrations; Matt and Andy (web-developers) worked together to set-up the website, and then Matt worked with Naomi to translate her page designs to the web, whilst Andy worked with Laura on the search engine optimisation (SEO) keywords.  It was great to see everyone’s ideas gradually coming to life.

Furthermore, everyone said that they enjoyed the experience – meeting new people, working with others and adding an interesting project to their portfolio.  Through the agency, Bracket intends to run more of these ‘labs’ to deliver commercial projects.  For more information on Bracket’s creative agency and to get involved, visit www.bracketcreative.co.uk

Here is who is involved (in order of how far the network spread):

Laura North – copywriter (a previous colleague)

Emily Wilkinson (Empathi) – graphic facilitator/illustrator (introduced through a mutual friend)

Naomi Ray (Studio Pixie) – graphic designer/illustrator (met through Twitter)

Matthew Smith-Stubbs – front-end web developer (fellow member of THECUBE, co-working space for creative businesses)

Andrew Davey (MediaBandit) – web developer (responded to a call put out through the Open Coffee mailing list)

Joel Somerfield (Order) – filmmaker (was passed on by someone through the Open Coffee mailing list. But turns out he has done work for mutual contacts also).

So we all know how important it is to stay networked to stay in the loop, but if you want to build a collaborative team quickly – it’s essential.

Stay tuned for the progress of BracketLab, which will be taking place on 2^nd and 3^rd June at THECUBE.

Thanks to Andrew for the link!

Delivered in Beta from KS12 on Vimeo.

On first impressions, the pieces in the exhibition seem to be un-related.  There are no visual or obvious themes running throughout.  But with a little time, the connection becomes more apparent.  There is a real depth and mystique to each piece, created by knowing that there was more than one individual behind it.  You find yourself stopping to imagine the conversations, the disagreements and the laughter that put each piece together.

And for the creatives, the final product is just a small part of a larger process.  They’ve had the opportunity to think about what they can do, and how much further they can stretch their practice by getting together with someone else.  They’ve been encouraged to be critical of themselves and each other, and think outside their usual realm of what is creatively possible.

Calligraffiti: Craig Ward/Sean Freeman/Alison Carmichael

There are the collaborations which provide a solution: Fred Butler/No Days Off’s campaign for an 8-day week, BCMH/Smith & Weightman’s alternative currency, and Praline/The Model Shop’s new font based on architectural shapes.  There’s the conceptual and abstract, where you’re keen to be let in on the ‘secret’ between the collaborators, or at least part of the conversation – when did Job Wouters/Roel Wouters decide what to wear for their film about numbers and the Rainbow spray-painting machine?!

Some collaborations are more practical, where artists chose to combine their specific technical skills: the illustrative Rob Ryan/Michael Marriott chair, Sam Messenger/Bart Long’s abstract canvas in vinyl and timber, and Jim Stoten/Andy Rementer’s series of illustrations.  And then there are the collaborations where it looks like a whole lot of fun was had developing the ideas: With Associates/Anthony Dickens interactive timepiece, Chrissie MacDonald/Marie O’Connor playful figures in wood and scrap material, and Karlssonwilkier/FrankDeRose music track (this is BRILLIANT!).  Details of all 33 collaborations can be found here.

The exhibition catalogue (available for £15) includes interviews with all the creatives and looks at the collaboration processes in detail (interesting to know that the most common challenge for the collaborators was managing their time).  The exhibition runs until 23 January, and it’s an essential visit if you want clear examples of the potential of creative collaboration.

www.ifyoucould.co.uk/collaborate

A group of writers have set themselves up with the task to write and publish a book in just 24 hours using online tools to work together.  The group has been using Google Docs to write and edit the document, as well as using Skype and face-to-face conversation to communicate, and have been updating us on their progress through their twitter profile.

The 24-hour book project

The group consists of one lead writer and ten other participants, and they also opened up part of the book on Google Docs to invite contributions from the wider public.  As well as this, they’ve been gathering photos, illustrations and other snippets of media for use in the book or inspiration over on their Ning platform (Ning enables you to create your own social networks).

The final book will be available online and in hard-copy (produced by web-based print-on-demand services) and sold at £4.99 a piece, with profits going towards future collaborations.

Briefly looking at the elements that contributed to getting this project going.  The team:

1. agreed on the focus of the story (“based around a group of city centre allotments and the story will explore ideas of shared and private space and the real and imaginary barriers between a range of different city characters”)
2. identified the desired outcome (an online and printed novel)
3. gave themselves a clear deadline within which to complete the project – they have a launch party on Monday 5^th October.
4. clearly outlined the tasks that need to be completed – writing, editing, proofreading, images, publishing etc – and who will do them – lead writer, participants, professional volunteers and the public.

(Check out Bracket’s toolkit for collaborative projects to see how it matches up)

And the intellectual property?  The group have been careful to inform the public contributors that they must own any material they submit, and will retain ownership but give permission for it to be used within the project.  The book itself will be distributed under a Creative Commons license.

A great example of what online creative collaboration can achieve!