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This is how social media has affected our lives. Everyone does it, and so do we. It’s all heightened reality. Yeah, the guy might have a new car that is fancy – but he doesn’t share how he had to work 12 hours a day in a shitty job to get it, and during that process he lost his girlfriend because he was never home. We are trying to live up to ideals that are not realistic. That exist only because of a status update or an image with no context.

It’s become a social norm to send ‘LOLs’ without physically laughing, or smiley faces without being happy. It’s a façade that we indulge in because it’s human that we want to be liked… to be noticed and accepted. Showcasing ourselves – or our lifestyles – as something they’re not makes us feel like we fit in… But is this a bad thing? Who knows. Spending so much time and energy ‘living’ as someone you could not be confident being in ‘reality’, dreaming bigger dreams, or just feeling a sense of confidence… Well, this might at some point cultivate into reality! If it does, well good for you. Just do not say ‘LOL’ to someone. Ever!

Seeing as you spend most of your time on social media, comment your thoughts on this addictive craze bellow or hit us up on twitter @onesmallseedSA

Words: Matthew Alexander

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Image: readmyego.com

From Learned Evolution to The Meta Agency and #FEED, your work is strongly tied to social media and the physical space. Lots of people assume different identities online. How do you facilitate interconnectivity in the physical world from online interactions when people behave differently in the two dimensions?

I tend to look at things in terms of evolutionary metaphysics:

we all have varying degrees of self that manifest in different vehicles at different times within different environments

So first, it’s best to understand the possibilities and limitations of each and design within those parameters. It starts with intention of the ‘feeling’ – the emotional resonance is the core mission – and builds from there. Waving your hands and making things move is cool for a few seconds, but without the feeling it won’t leave a lasting impression be it physical or online. But over all else it has to be FUN!

Image: ©Jenny Sathngam, facebook.com

Social media works through Internet access. Less than half of South African households have Internet access. How do you respond to the challenge of building communities and experiences in the physical word using online media when so many people have limited online access?

Wow, that is quite a question that I’m afraid has to start at the political level and how they define basic needs.

Can Internet be considered as fundamental as food, clothing, shelter, electricity?

This leaves more responsibility in the hands of those that do have access to fight that much harder and find creative ways to get access to those who don’t. Information is power… a dangerous fundamental need from a political power standpoint.
 

Technology is constantly changing, but Twitter and Facebook have been hegemonic of social media trends and behaviors for a while now. What do you think will be the next evolution or wave of social media?

Every evolving system will eventually face this challenge, and eventually the large hegemony will bifurcate into smaller more niche entities. The next evolution will find more action based tools that drive people offline into definitive action, then back to online to share their results so we can them optimise that data. We call this the ‘self perpetuating feedback loop’. The more we can create a ‘positive hall of mirrors’ the deeper the impact will be.

Soon we will look at social media channels as a vast toolbox for action: be it social, cultural, personal, political, entertainment, etc.

#FEED powered by Twitter: Day 1 – “Generating Synchronicity” from #FEED powered by Twitter on Vimeo.

Image: ©Jenny Sathngam, facebook.com

#FEED was an experiment in ‘generating synchronicity’. In this context what’s the difference between synchronicity and interactivity or interconnectivty?

Synchronicity is the subjective/internal ‘meaning’ based side of interconnectivity, while external/objective side of the same coin is interconnectivity. Blurring this line of duality is at the heart of everything we do.

Between the subjective and objective is where the meaningful, resonant magic is made

The majority of South Africans access online content through cellphones. Do you think mobile phones can have the same level of community-based connectivity as computers?

Even more connectivity… they are better for action based platforms that drive the self perpetuating feedback loops. They are more active tools, rather than passive resources.

Image: ©Jenny Sathngam, facebook.com

Social media interactivity seems to be primarily geared to younger audiences and users. Are you interested in using social media in relation to older generations?

Absolutely! I think it is more about stage of conscious evolution than age. I know some pretty interconnected older folks who are incredibly self aware. Thus, the focus needs to be how to raise awareness levels. Doing so will by default get more people into interconnected social media platforms. This is focusing on creating tools that advance internal, subjective mechanisms. Focusing on the causal influences rather than on the bandaid solutions that perpetuate the problems.
 

You say interactive social media art at #FEED was about capturing social media and putting it into the physical form of art before it became lost. Do you think there other ways to use the user generated content of social media before it floats away in a cloud?

Of course there are. The field of predictive data analytics is incredibly fascinating, if a bit Big Brother.

Using social media to predict and foster positive change is going to become more and more prevalent for applications in medical/healthcare, cultural and social action, politics, entertainment, etc

We like to say we’re ‘making Big Data FUN’. But of course there are infinite ways to use Big Data.

Image: ©Jenny Sathngam, facebook.com

A lot of the #FEED installations were based on visual integrations. Online media in general is focused on images over the texts. Do you think people are too lazy to read or are images just that much more exciting?

Visual images are the carrot, but at the other end of the stick the content still has to be meaningful in order for quality change to occur

The visual content is a Trojan horse, but you have to get past the wall before the warriors can jump out and make change.

Laziness is likely a factor, but I think it has more to do with how our brain processes patterns of information more than any other factor.
 

#FEED was incredibly successful at SXSW. Do you hope to evolve it beyond festivals and maybe move it beyond American borders?

YES! Now that we’ve done two years of successful events, it’s time to scale the model to other events around the world. #FEED can’t exist in a vaccuum; it has to ‘feed’ off other enviroments to work. We’re planning on Art Basel, Fashion Week(s), Cannes, and similar events. Ultimately, we can be doing #FEED somewhere on Earth all year round.

It’s a meta-linear platform that can exist as a permanent installation (think: #FEEDnyc – a museum that just feeds manifests social happening around NYC) or in conjunction with another event. It can be a single installation, or a three-floor megaplex. It’s designed to scale and modulate as needed.

Image: ©Jenny Sathngam, facebook.com

You say that simplicity and consistency are crucial in using and building a brand via social media successfully. You need to ‘carry the same voice across all media but understand the different nuances of each’. How do you make this voice appeal to a variety of different people with different interests?

One of my favorite quotes of all time is Heidegger’s ‘Language is the house of Being’. So it all comes down to creating systems of language that are designed for simultaneity, rather than myopic targeting.

Again we find the Trojan horse scenario.

Certain words have loaded meanings for certain stages of consciousness, and if you choose these loaded words you’ll in effect scare off a certain market

Sometimes that is a good thing, but most if not all of our projects, from Brooklyn Bowl to #FEED, are grounded upon inclusivity and integration, so creating language systems that reflect simultaneity and inclusiveness at their core is the first step to success. Or, so I ‘say’.

Image: ©Jenny Sathngam, facebook.com

Images: facebook.com, Jenny Sathngam, readmyego.com

Questions and introduction: Ra’eesa Pather

The videos document #FEED’s creative approach to ‘generating synchronicity’ and ‘facilitate hidden connections’. Social media art may seem like a foreign notion that inspires skepticism, but #FEED has made social media art a community experience through physical installations that use online features. One piece saw #FEED use the SXSW Twitter hashtag to pick Instagram photos from the Twitter stream and create an inventive Instagram wall featuring hundreds of SXSW revelers and artists. Other media art allowed people to move photos with their bodies, and tweet into installations to change their narrative.  Musically #FEED used apps like ‘Pulse’ – which senses people’s emotions through their pulse rate and chooses tunes to match these emotions – to show people how digital designs can affect their physical experiences. Wellness saw #FEED helping people to care for their bodies through rooftop yoga sessions, cycling and bootcamp in an effort to emphasise fun, healthy and social living. 
 

In each of these experiences #FEED used social media to help people collaborate and build communities in the physical world. #FEED was a feature that brought SXSW to life, and if the concept successfully becomes global, it will help bridge the gap between online and physical dimensions to form new relationships and encounters.

#FEED powered by Twitter: Day 1 – “Generating Synchronicity” from #FEED powered by Twitter on Vimeo.

#FEED powered by Twitter: Day 2 – “Social Media Art” from #FEED powered by Twitter on Vimeo.

#FEED powered by Twitter: Day 3 – “Music” from #FEED powered by Twitter on Vimeo.

#FEED powered by Twitter: Day 4 – “Wellness” from #FEED powered by Twitter on Vimeo.

#FEED powered by Twitter: Day 5 – “Conclusion” from #FEED powered by Twitter on Vimeo.

Words: Ra’eesa Pather

Image:& Other Stories, Facebook

Traditionally, H&M are known for their ability to spot the latest catwalk trends and quickly materialize these pieces into accessible fashion for the public at large. & Other Stories maintains the feminine chic established by H&M through personal stories founded in the threads of fashion.
 

The store’s creative director, Sarah Hilden-Bengtsson explains the concept saying,

‘We went to different cities and looked at how the impact of social media, street style and bloggers has made women more fashion savvy. Women create looks differently than they did 10-15 years ago. They create their own stories through their personal style and they know fashion.

Image:& Other Stories, Facebook

Social media has made it possible for the personal to become public, and as we Tweet, Facebook or ‘pin’ our favourite trends on Pinterest, we inspire new ways of wearing and using clothes and accessories. From wearing your grandfather’s bowler hat to slinging your sister’s belt around your mother’s old shirt, social media fashionistas are narrating their own fashion stories and publishing them on an array of social media websites. Designer wear – while still glamorously cool – has taken a backseat to individual style.
 

Ultimately the giants that master the ramps of New York, Milan and Paris create fashion for a global public, while & Other Stories markets the impulsive, unpredictable, self-defined style worn by Internet users as they stride through online channels. The retail outlet has incorporated installations that allow customers to edit looks and create a spontaneous style that appears ‘thrown together’ instead of meticulously store-bought. & Other Stories provides the means for women to tell their own stories without the hassle of cutting t-shirts and rolling pants to get the look they want.
 

Image:& Other Stories, Facebook

Image:& Other Stories, Facebook

A section of the London store is called ‘Contradiction and Minimalism’. The installation features a leather dress, and a small selection of shoes, bags and jewellery that will create a full look. The ready-to-wear concept also provides nail polish to match iPhone holders and lipgloss to complement jewellery. In this way, & Other Stories allows women to customise their purchase to suit their individual style.
 

Image:& Other Stories, Facebook

Image:& Other Stories, Facebook

H&M worked on the brand concept for three years before the first & Other Stories store opened in London earlier this month. Since then a store has opened in Copenhagen with more planned for Berlin, Paris, Barcelona and Milan.
 

Images: & Other Stories, Facebook

In the latest and sixth anniversary issue of one small seed – issue 23 “Cult of Self” – we showcase a feature titled Dream a Little Dream of Me that gives insight to our changing online persona – with a very apt starting quote:

We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be
Kurt Vonnegut

…Now just imagine the surprise when one of our endless tweets can lead to a work of art.

In December 2010 we posted a video (as seen above) on one small seed network titled ‘Secret Portraits’ – remember it? Don’t fret if you don’t, The Feed is still making its mark, now louder than ever. What is The Feed? It’s The Feed is an interactive website that encourages ‘doing something small to get something super.’
 

It uses responses from the public and converts them into illustrated representations. The Feed has created many humorous applications in the past, ranging from predicting when a chicken is going to hatch to uploading pictures of what one’s feet look like after a festival. The Feed has just turned one, and over the past year they have pimped people’s profile pics, created customised royal plates and even commandeered an ice cream van to deliver to people’s doorsteps. Upon celebrating their first birthday, The Feed has reincarnated one of their most created yet another intriguingly awesome features on the website called Secret Portraits.
 

All you need to do to have your own personal profile picture crafted for you is: Tweet a description of yourself followed by hashtag: #secretportrait onto The Feed’s website and one of their illustrators could make you, your very own customized portrait. If you were wondering if random acts of generosity still do exist for free, the answer is yes. Checkout this website at thefeed.orange.co.uk/ and partake in the sweetness. Your profile picture can be the coolest kid around town pretty soon. Start spreading the news…
 

Some of The Feed’s secret portraits inspired by the following tweets:

Owl and squirrel fan. Yellow shoes and a flowery dress. Can I pleeeease have a #secretportrait

I’m a happy boy, blond hair and green eyes #secretportrait

An insomniac who likes to resist a rest #secretportrait