Propelland’s Summer Roundup: Our go-to culture guide for books, podcasts, and art exhibits
What have we be digging into this summer season when the temperatures are rising and the days are longer? We’ve asked Propellers from all of our studios to share some of their favorite creativity-sparking sites, sounds, and pastimes. We’ve narrowed it down to some of our favorites. Enjoy!
Things to Read
Georgia O’Keeffe was an artist who lived by her beliefs: rise early, work hard, and learn from your mistakes. This article is an inspiring reminder to examine our own creative processes and adjust them as needed. After you’re done pondering O’Keeffe, meander through Artsy.net’s other offerings. The website is a virtual treasure trove of biographies and features about artists.
Buckminster Fuller, an inspiring futurist, inventor, and all-around brainiac, constantly challenged the status quo. The institute that bears his name is dedicated to spreading his vision of a design science revolution. BFI’s ongoing programs are heavy on the topic of systems change, and the website features Trimtrab, a monthly digital newsletter that will keep futurists up to date on all of their latest initiatives.
MAD is a community that puts food, community, and sustainability above all else. Originally created as a two-day symposium, the organization inspires and empowers cooks, servers, and eaters to create sustainable change. This active online community reflects a paradigm shift around food, where it comes from, and how we can use it as a way to build and strengthen bonds between humans looking to build a better world.
Humankind: A Hopeful History, by Rutger Bregman
In his provocative and award-winning book Humankind: A Hopeful History, Rutger Bregman shows us that the generosity of the human spirit can be a catalyst for change. From generosity springs collaboration, and from collaboration springs new ideas. It’s never too late for creatives to heed this reminder.
Weapons of Math Destruction, by Cathy O’Neil
If you’re in the mood to dig into something deep, mathematician and data scientist Cathy O’Neil has written just the book for you. O’Neil makes a case for rethinking how we gather and use data, and how that data has perpetuated biased thinking and systemic racism. Democracy’s demise is at the heart of her impassioned argument.
Things to Listen To
The Conversation Factory: Dr. Lesley-Ann Noelle on decolonizing design thinking
Is the design process inclusive? In this podcast, Dr. Lesley-Ann Noelle discusses how people aren’t necessarily aware of the biases that they introduce into designs. She shares resources designers can leverage to embrace design thinking that won’t succumb to archaic expectations.
Host and creator Hrishikesh Hirway opens a window into what musical artists were thinking during the genesis of their creative process. With over two hundred episodes, these musical stories skate across genres and generations.
Places to Visit (in person and online)
Stepping into Meow Wolf, an immersive multimedia art experience located in Santa Fe, Las Vegas, and Denver, is like walking through a door into another world. Meow Wolf is an arts production company that transports its visitors into mind-bending realities like an extraordinary “Omega Supermarket” (Las Vegas) or a “House of Eternal Return” (Santa Fe). The Denver location is coming soon!
Contemporary Optics exhibit, San Francisco MOMA
Inspired by natural and cosmological spectacles, this exhibition features sculptures by contemporary artists, Olafur Eliasson, Terisita Fernández, and Anish Kapoor. Wander through immersive sculptures evoking a rainbow, a glacial ice cave, and even a black hole. There’s plenty of time to catch the show — it’s up until March ’22!
Travel Remotely is an incredible website/ app that allows you to visit cities around the world, virtually. Glide around at the speed of a taxi, or see the local sights by foot. You have the option of controlling how much ambient street noise infiltrates your tour! Local radio stations amplify the experience.
Classes to Take
The Art of Sketching, and other courses on Domestika.org
In this online course, illustrator Mattias Adolfsson demonstrates how his sketchbook is the first tool he goes to in order to spark his inspiration. When a student completes the course, there are plenty of others to dive into on Domestika.org, the largest online community for creatives. Domestika will inspire anyone who’s interested in dipping their big toe into a new art form. Grab your sketchbook or old 35mm camera and go!
