What are Chindogu’s?
- In literal translation, Chindogu means, “unusual tool”
- Originates from Japan, and is a seemingly ingenious everyday gadget that seems like an ideal solution to a specific problem, but is actually a gag
- You are not allowed to use Chindogu, but it must be made
- They represent freedom of thought and action
- Must be understood by everyone
- Are not traceable commodities
- Are innocent and a fundamentally problem solving activity
- Examples of Chindogu:
What is culture jamming?
- Dictionary definition: “a form of political and social activism which, by means of fake adverts, hoax news stories, pastiches of company logosand product labels, computer hacking, etc, draws attention to and at the same time subverts the power of the media,governments, and large corporations to control and distort the information that they give to the public in order to promoteconsumerism, militarism, etc.”
- A form of subvertizing (making spoofs of corporate advertisements). Many culture jams are meant to expose questionable ideas behind commercial culture
- A form of disruption that plays on the emotions of viewers and bystanders, disrupts the unconscious thought process
- Examples:
What is surrealism?
-
a 20th-century avant-garde movement in art and literature which sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind, for example by the irrational juxtaposition of images.
Max Ernst
- Max Ernst was a German born surrealist painter. His paintings were dreamlike, and mocked traditional artistic social conventions. He investigated his deep psyche in order to explore the source of his own creativity (one of the first to apply Sigmund Freuds dream theories). This unleashed his primal emotions and his personal traumas, which can be seen in his work. He was deeply interested in the psychology and the art of the mentally ill, due to his experience in World War I.
- Ernst’s work is very delicate, detailed, and small format, which seduces the viewer into looking at it. There is often a large, central figure which dominates his compositions. I think his dreamlike yet detailed style can inform the style of my Chindogu. I can apply this concept to my Chindogu by making it small scale as well, yet detailed and very personal, much like his work, which was inspired by his inner consciousness. I can also make my Chindogu very colorful, in order to attract attention like his work.