MARIO MINICHIELLO: Keeping the ‘Human’ in Post-Machine Humanity

Mario Minichiello at his home studio.

Designer, illustrator, artist, academic and motorbike enthusiast… just some of the things that Italian-born Professor Mario Minichiello is, and sitting with him in his eclectic home studio, his artwork invokes a striking sense of this mix.

His drawings show human figures exposed, like a woman sitting in a smoky café, bare and tired in dirty charcoal looking wretched but real — these images are daring, and they’re difficult to look at.

He has a reputation for innovation, taking risks and developing new ways of thinking, and now this world-renowned creative is on a mission to ‘rehumanise’ society and its technological innovations.

Minichiello said “If you want technology to be useful, humanise it. ‘Rehumanising’ the system — that’s what we’re doing in the Creative Industries.”

As Professor of Design within the School of Creative Industries, Minichiello’s research is focused on how the role of design and art can make an impact in areas of physical environment, economic betterment and human behaviour.

As Head of Research at SOCI FASTLab, Minichiello explained he is thinking outside the box to ensure that new studies are helping to drive real change. Whether it be in the form of visualisation, design or animation — he said, “I want to use these tools to get the public to engage, understand and respond”.

He paused, he stared thoughtfully into his tea, steam curling up past the ‘Don’t panic, have fun’ mantra printed on his shirt, then continued, “we’re an agent of change in the world. I want things to get better”.

To meet the future challenges, Minichiello wants the chance to positively intervene in a world that is increasingly concerned with consumerism and self-interest. “The Blade Runner movie… that’s where we’re headed if we don’t consider human emotion”.

Author: Sarah Webb