Rhode Island School of Design
Graduates: 2023
Specialisms: Industrial Design / Furniture / Sculpture
My location: Providence Rhode Island, United States
First Name: Maxwell
Last Name: Fertik
University / College: Rhode Island School of Design
Course / Program: masters of industrial design
Graduates: 2023
Specialisms: Industrial Design / Furniture / Sculpture
My Location: Providence Rhode Island, United States
Website: Click To See Website
There is no such thing as an undisrupted ecosystem. Every inch of the planet is impacted by industrial development and its chemical legacy has mutated the soil and water. As a response, this thesis is designed to promote abundant over extractive resources and visualize a post-industrial reality. It consists of a series of objects, writing and design research on the relationship of industry and ecosystem. In many ways it is a playbook++, laying out possible strategies or “plays’’ for making do with what exists around us amid collapse. Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) (虎杖), a plant that grows in the most degraded landscapes, is the central case study for this project. By making knotweed objects at three different scales, (silverware, table and raft) and discussing the xenophobic language around invasive species, this project investigates resilience and local resourcefulness within a post-industrial future.