"The future should not be predicted, but created." Excerpt from the book "The Future"

Contents:

• Facets of Fiction: Design Fiction and Science Fiction

In September, Strelka Press published Nick Montfort's book "The Future. "Principles and Practices of Creation," by a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This work explores how "creators of the future"—artists, designers, writers, and inventors—implement new visions in their works. The book also explores the relationship between their creativity and modern technology, emphasizing the importance of innovation and creative thinking in the creation process.

We present an excerpt from the book, translated by Nikolai Okhotin. This text offers a deep insight into the topic and reveals key ideas that may interest the reader. Okhotin's translation is distinguished by its accuracy and attention to detail, allowing for a better understanding of the author's original intent. We are confident that this excerpt will be a valuable addition for literature lovers and those seeking new horizons in reading.

The Edges of Fiction: Design Fiction and Science Fiction

Studying literature that presents bold visions of the future offers several practical lessons for creating our future. One key lesson is that radicalism and originality alone do not make these visions compelling. They only begin to work in the context of understandable realities and the existing order of society in which we live today. Another important aspect is that, despite the need to focus on humans, productive work on the future can begin with an analysis of specific materials and technologies. Finally, thinking about the future and the consequences of technological progress can take both positive and negative forms, and both approaches are valuable for understanding our path forward.

The term "design fiction" first appeared in Bruce Sterling's 2005 book Shaping Things and was explored in detail by Julian Bleecker in 2009. The concept encompasses the realm of the speculative and imaginative, allowing for the expression of ideas through writing, video, presentations, prototypes, and other formats. Design fiction is closely linked to future research and aims to improve the social and cultural environment. Rather than solving current problems using current technologies and materials, it focuses on expanding the horizons of possibility. Although design fiction can manifest itself in text and video, at its core it is a design process accessible even to those without professional training. It is important to identify the key characteristics of design and define its role in contemporary society. Design fiction is becoming an important tool for shaping discussions about the future and generating new ideas.

In a 1972 interview, American designer Charles Eames eloquently defined design as "a plan for arranging elements to achieve a specific purpose." This definition remains relevant today, as evidenced by its inclusion in Bleecker's seminal work, Design Fiction. In general, designers set goals and solve problems. However, creating new objects is not always necessary. For example, a tall desk may perform functions traditionally associated with a chair, but the chair itself is absent. This approach demonstrates the flexibility of design and its ability to adapt to new requirements and contexts, which is important for contemporary design and its application in various fields.

A designer's name on clothing or furniture serves as a signal of high quality. This is especially noticeable in the case of jeans and designer furniture. Although non-designer jeans are also created by talented professionals, there is a general perception that they have not undergone such careful and deliberate development. Designers focus on aesthetics and comfort of their products, ensuring a stylish appearance and ease of wear. Similarly, architects design buildings with functionality and visual appeal in mind from various angles. Thus, choosing designer products becomes a guarantee not only of fashionable style, but also of thoughtful convenience.

There is a perception that design is always preferable to its absence, but what is the relationship between design and art? Prominent figures such as John Maeda, artist and designer and head of design and inclusion at Automattic, do not emphasize this contradiction. However, many professionals—both designers and artists, as well as those who combine both roles—distinguish between the two practices. In an interview, when asked whether design is an expression of art, Charles Eames responded that "design is more of an expression of purpose. However, if design is truly good, it can be judged by artistic criteria." This underscores the importance of understanding the relationship between art and design, as well as their impact on perception and functionality.

Artists, unlike designers, lack a direct responsibility to clients, although gallery owners, curators, collectors, and clients perform a similar function. A more precise distinction between these professions can be expressed in Ames's words: designers solve specific problems and work toward predetermined goals, whether it's creating a functional and attractive teapot or effective visual communication through a poster. Although the Museum of Modern Art in New York City houses an outstanding design collection, and many galleries and museums exhibit designers' work alongside high art, the status of artists' work in the public consciousness remains elevated. This status helps artists attract greater attention and respect, both in the United States and abroad.

Design fiction is a concept in which systemic imagination is a key element. Unlike the full definition of fiction, design fiction focuses on the creation of imaginary worlds that may intersect with reality while remaining figments of the imagination. Authors of fictional works create unique universes by using familiar elements while simultaneously introducing unrealistic aspects. Design, like literature, is systemic in nature and is not limited to specific objects such as chairs or furniture. This emphasizes the relationship between the process of creating artistic works and design, where imagination and creativity play a central role. Creating design fiction allows for the exploration of new ideas and concepts, proposing alternative solutions and approaches to existing problems in design and architecture. Design fiction offers a more focused and practical approach to solving specific problems than traditional fiction. It plays an important role in establishing a connection between systemic design and conceptual thinking, enabling the development of effective solutions based on fictional reality. Through this approach, design fiction becomes a powerful tool for generating innovative ideas and concepts that can be applied in real life.

It's important to draw a clear distinction between the concept of design fiction and Edward Bellamy's utopia. In his novel, After a Hundred Years, Bellamy created a striking image of an ideal society, but offered no systematic approach to its structure. A professional designer, by contrast, would have developed a detailed project, describing how such a society would solve current problems. Perhaps it was this lack of depth that led to the rapid fading of Bellamy's influence.

If there were a genre called art fiction or art fiction that combined elements of design fiction, its core message would be different. Instead of arranging elements with the goal of changing a way of life, the emphasis would be on insight and impulse. The Futurists, in my opinion, were engaged in precisely this kind of art fiction, directed toward the future but devoid of a specific goal. In their literature and other art forms, they expressed admiration for technological progress, industrialization, and war, doing so consistently and systematically. Futurists also welcomed media technologies that aligned with their ideals. However, their enthusiasm focused on technological progress in general: they made no distinction between technologies based on their human uses and purposes. In their works, the futurists did not propose specific paths for technological development - they simply praised the roar with which progress rushed towards them.