If the virtual evacuates a lot of daily hassles, it also tends to erase certain knowledge that previous generations in the industrial era had acquired. “We no longer have control over the material world, since the advent of the disposable, buying back ultimately costs less than learning to repair “ , explains David Enon. In his book, he invites us to apprehend the material to better understand it and therefore use it better.
Independent designer and teacher at the TALM School of Art and Design in Angers, David Enon demonstrates that our knowledge of our environment is quite poor. And it is through 11 very didactic practical cases that the reader can consider the world around him. From the cylinder made using an A4 sheet and a piece of adhesive tape that can support more than 400 times its weight to the use of the direction of the material or the importance of reading the instructions of assembly and instructions, the author provides us with the keys to take another look at the materials in order to reclaim them.
His statement highlights certain aberrations, obvious once explained: “Chipboard like MDF was designed to recycle wood shavings that had been discarded until then. Today, we no longer recycle them since we produce MDF directly in view of its success.” This material would therefore have lost its initial meaning. This intelligent and pragmatic work is to be shared and read without moderation.
Cecile Papapietro-Matsuda
Material life: a manual , David Enon, Collection Carnets Parallèles, 9 €
More information on the Premier Parallèle website.
