Artikel

Sustainism@PICNIC '11

A movement has begun

PICNIC ‘10 had the privilege to premiere Sustainism publicly. Sustainism Is the New Modernism, A Cultural Manifesto for the Sustainist Era by Michiel Schwarz and Joost Elffers a bold document that combines a powerful idea with really strong iconic graphic design.

This is whatTim Brown, CEO & President of design consultancy IDEO has to say about it:
Sustainism will drive the creativity of the twenty-first century. By connecting the issues of sustainability, social networks, localism, biomimicry, community, urban planning, food and a host of others, Michiel Schwarz and Joost Elffers offer a canvas on which we might paint the future of our society.

Taken from the press release:
“Sustainism” — a new word for an emerging cultural movement — sees its first public presentation at PICNIC’10. The idea of Sustainism comes from Michiel Schwarz and Joost Elffers, who are publishing their “Sustainist Manifesto” later this year.

At PICNIC’10 a “sneak preview” of the book was presented— in the Gashouder (Sustainism billboard series), in the Lecture Hall (graphic video screened intermezzo), and on PICNICTV. As the authors explain: Sustainism, is where global connectivity, local initiatives and sustainable ideas meet. This makes PICNIC into a key “sustainist” event.

The manifesto by Schwarz and Elffers, Sustainism is the New Modernism, will be published in November 2010 by D.A.P./ Distributed Art Publishers, New York. It signals a new cultural era, where we (re)design a world that is more connected, more localist, more digital and more sustainable. With graphic aphorisms and specially-designed graphic symbols, the manifesto charts how Sustainism is already reshaping global and local culture, business, technology and media.

Michiel Schwarz and Joost Elffers, working from San Francisco, Amsterdam and New York, are currently developing Sustainism in design, communication, social innovation and exhibition projects. They are open to collaborations and commissions.

Buy the book when it’s out, because it is both beautiful and inspiring!