Dedicated to clever and innovative trends of art and design in activism.

Jill Danyelle conceived of fiftyRX3 as a “project in style and sustainability.” On film, she documented her outfits daily for a year, having set a goal of averaging fifty percent sustainability. She explored the relationship we have with our clothing, commenting on consumer culture with her own recycled pieces. The project also probed others’ conceptions of what we wear and how it represents us. Jill asked folks on the street about their perceptions of her, based on what she was wearing.

In her own words, she “took on the role of a green fashion promoter and advocate,” and knowing that she has inspired others to become more eco-conscious (especially about what they wear), she says, is the greatest compliment that she could have been paid for this project. Additionally, she was featured in I.D. Magazine for her recycled umbrella dress, below.

You can follow what she is up to at her personal website, or in her laboratory.

Thanks to Aaron for the link! Also, if anyone has photos of their recycled fashions, let me know!

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Founded in 2005, Designbreak is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charity organization, dedicated to mediating and promoting solution-oriented collaborations towards solving human problems of all scales. The immense success of open source software, Wikipedia and social networking organizations have shown us that intelligent collaborations and discussions through the internet are not only possible, but are practical. Designbreak has developed a broad open design initiative focused on bringing the internet to bear on pressing issues of global importance, focused around the following three principles:

1. Our civilization is facing intractable problems of unimaginable magnitude.
2. To face these problems we must work together, within our local communities.
3. No single community has the all skills necessary to address these issues, and so we must support other communities by using Internet collaboration as a tool.

Groundswell friend and Designbreak founder Zac Apte tells us that the organization is waiting for confirmation of 501(c)(3) status from the IRS. We’re looking forward to watching their site become a platform for advancing socially conscious design.

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Sorry for the delays in posting this week, we’re still trying to iron out some database issues. Here’s the week in review!

• Take Up the Song
• friendly/agitate Recommends…
• An Evening of Radical Puppet Theater
• Sister Mary Corita
• AIDS Action Illustrator Needed!
• Do Government Agencies and Non-Profits Get ROI From Usability?
• Join the Resistance: Fall in Love
• An Atlas of Radical Cartography

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I love maps, and most people know this about me. The idea of visually representing space in a way that conveys information fascinates me to no end, especially when that information is uniquely presented and is singularly important. So, discovering the Atlas of Radical Cartography is a big event in my life. Published by the Journal of Aesthetics & Protest Press, it’s a 160-page book with 10 maps/posters, and a cover price of $30.

The collection addresses social issues from globalization to garbage; surveillance to extraordinary rendition; statelessness to visibility; deportation to migration. The map is inherently political– and the contributions to this book wear their politics on their sleeves.

What’s more, they have a traveling exhibition of radical cartographers. Purchase the book here.

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I’ve been rediscovering Crimethinc lately, and just wanted to pass on one of my favorite pieces they’ve done. It’s from their book Days of War, Nights of Love. Here’s a brief excerpt to get you started:

Falling in love is the ultimate act of revolution, of resistance to today’s tedious, socially restrictive, culturally constrictive, humanly meaningless world.

Read the text in its entirety on their website. Enjoy!

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