May is “crit month” at RISD and I am wandering about campus to visit the various “critical reviews” occurring in each department. One unique aspect of RISD crits are that they engage faculty from all over the campus. Along with faculty in the Architecture department there is pictured in the foreground Professor Mairead Byrne of the English department who provided critical feedback from a literary perspective. She impressed upon the graduating student the need to consider story as a pivotal tool in the explanation of absolutely anything.

As I left the crit I headed over to the Industrial Design department where I met an undergrad carrying a strange wooden pole. I asked what it was, and his response was that he was designing a new kind of tool for digging holes in the garden. I then asked how he planned to present the work, and he started off with a kind of logical explanation all about the tool. My suggestion was that he begin from more of a humanist perspective — to draw upon his readings and exercises in a liberal arts context. By doing so, I promised, he would have a grander entry path into his design work … that a story could be told a la Prof. Byrne. He looked me in the eye and said, “Hmmm. I’ll do it.” I’m curious if he did.

The battery in my camera ran out so apologies for this week’s poor photos (they are shot with an iPhone this time).