THE 11 CONTAINER PROJECT 

A collaboration between Linda Loppa (author) and Ops.1335 (the partner)

The 11 Container project is based on critical thinking;

The 11 Container project gives a voice to future generations;

The 11 Container project is against monopolisation;

The 11 Container project is based on solidarity, unity and mutual support;

The 11 Container project is a collective curatorial process;

The 11 Container project must connect existing social textures;

The 11 Container project is a horizontal structure;

The 11 themes become a methodology for connecting cultures worldwide;

1. THE DIGITAL CONTAINER 
We live in a hyper-distracted world. The Internet makes us smarter, faster, better informed and probably more curious. We are updated in real time, and our relationship with time has changed. The perennial dance of information in the digital world contains the danger of becoming too fast and therefore superficial; and that’s a good reason, while developing the DIGITAL container, to study the role of the Internet. We will study the opportunities of communicating the work of local communities to give an alternative to the globalisation of the creative industries. Big players are buying most of the smaller companies, and the very small or niche ones will hardly survive without strong support from institutions, private or public. But prior to giving them visibility, we need to find a way to support their businesses in order to grow. Visibility is key to their success. The digital container will help them acquire visibility and generate a better turnover by supporting them with advice and a strong network.

2. THE EXHIBITION CONTAINER 
The minimalist shape of the cube creates the friction between complexity and simplicity; the museum space creates the friction between a walk and an emotional heartbeat. The content, the visual impact, the dream and the enlightenment of the moment are impressions to last in the human cycle of life. The suffering behind the painting, the search for power or the humiliation of the wearer has a hidden story in the museum space. Behind the object, a colour, a word, a space, a world of storytelling is hidden; what we see and what seems monstrous is when it appears for the first time and, consequently, is not yet recognised. Beauty might reveal vanity, sexiness might reveal activism, and darkness could mean loneliness. As curators, we must put greater attention on not only exploring intuitive expressions of ethics, but also go deeper into the human relationships between society and the political and economic power of the creative industries. The EXHIBITION container has a lot of stories to show and to discuss.

3. THE CRITICAL CONTAINER
The timelessness of art, the sensorial environment, the olfactive domain, the senses and the sensuality of touch are fading away due to the overuse of computer screens and the technology we use and overuse daily. Tactility is a subjective experience and is very close to our body and skin because we have an emotional connection with what we wear. The CRITICAL container will analyse the relationship that generations and social groups have with creativity; voices of designers, architects, writers, commentators will provoke different emotions and comment on all the topics of the creative industries. Positive criticism will create a confrontation with negative criticism in terms of the lack of action to create a better world. Individual positions will have to confront crowds and movements created by grassroots energies. Debates will provoke tensions to be resolved because there is too much concentration of power in a few hands; this is an unhealthy situation, subject to criticism.

4. THE SCIENCE CONTAINER
Scientists are looking for ways to make our world more sustainable; we are advanced in the use of new bio-fabricated material substitutes such as leather, cotton or wool, but consumers are not aware of the amount of water and chemicals those fabrics require, and the poor conditions of workers to produce a garment that consumers will only wear for a year or two. Scientists are working on improving the relationship with what we consume through the use of clean energy, ethical manufacturing and innovation technologies. The SCIENCE container brings topics of researchers and their inventions to the table to inform our audiences, not about problems, but solutions. Technological and digital processes are breathtaking, but we must not forget the manual actions needed to make a sustainable product. This container connects all the topics of the 11 Container project. 

5. THE NOW CONTAINER
Teamwork has to be diverse; flexible programmes, web-based projects, apps, Instagram accounts, the METAVERSE and all communication systems are creating a new planetary vision. Global experiences are combined with local experiences, but the biggest change is the understanding and the transition of knowledge between generations; we have to learn from each other in order to avoid a homogenised society based on speed and greed. We are in search of the world’s diversity, preventing cultural exclusion; we are looking for order in the chaos, and this needs the involvement of the younger generation who might show us other values, another language, other work ethics; using fragments of our past experiences NOW can help us understand the reality of the future, alert us about today’s problems. The individual makes room for the collective. Grassroots movements or campaigns will attempt to mobilise individuals to take action to influence an outcome for creating the new society we desperately need to work on. We, all generations together, are conducting ourselves through narrow communications such as mail, email, phone calls, Zoom or face-to-face Zoom conversations rather than in-person meetings. It is a constructive learning process to give a voice to under-30-year-olds. 

6. THE LITTLE HISTORY CONTAINER 
The 11 Container project will analyse the creative object as seen in front of a camera, on an Instagram account, in an art exhibition, on the floor or on a hanger in a showroom, in an urban space or in a shop window. The LITTLE HISTORY container will be the meeting point between the human and the non-human, the material and immaterial forms of production. Design and the object of design are all related to time and the moment we live in. We will study the element of ‘causality’ because the object produces an event, a process or a conversation where the cause and the effect create sparkling moments in the society we live in. We will study the politics, laws, religions, customs, habits, financial, commercial and economic regimes, educational systems, the arts, and the philosophy behind the object of creativity and style.

7. THE SPEAKERS’ CORNER
We live in a world where it seems normal to speak and create freely. But, is this true, and can we voice what we think behind four walls? SPEAKERS’ CORNER will give a platform to the voices of the world! This means that we will not edit what people have to say or what they comment on. The fact that the 11 Container project is a reaction of a corporate system, based on globalisation and greed, consumerism and turnover, is a good reason to believe in the success of Speakers’ Corner. Journalists are bound by comments as criticism can be given, but in a very subtle use of language and style. History books comment on a passage in history, but rarely comment on the absurdity of the styles and trends. This container is not a provocation but a free, open platform for people expressing an opinion.

8. THE SURPRISE CONTAINER 
The freedom to express ourselves has to be preserved; it is not always very clear what the artist, the designer, or the performer has in mind and how we can support or coach their creative processes. That is the reason why the SURPRISE container was born. It is the freest platform of the 11 Container Project and must be the most surprising, the most intriguing, the scariest or the most fascinating. The word ‘surprise’ holds an unexpected element, a surprise, a discovery, a story or an experience that was not told and that we are happy to listen to, or to share with others. We must share those surprises and ask our community to send their weekly surprise. We might discover new ideas for the existing 11 containers or use them to develop a good idea, a concept, or a project. This container has no format, but contains a « news » element; therefore, it might become the radio, the TV surprise container… like… did you know that …?

9. THE PATTERN CONTAINER 
Human connections are becoming complex and difficult to predict on a long-term basis. Changes are rapid, very demanding, and we have to be Internet savvy to not fall out of this digital world. Therefore, we will study today's and tomorrow's society, politically, socially, ethnically, and verbally, and study the creative outputs of our taste in these different societies. Cultural behaviour is a result of education and traditions of different social groups, and although we are merging our affinities with what we call taste, luxury and personality, we are quite a distance away from understanding our differences and patterns of behaviour in the world. The PATTERN container will analyse shapes, meanings, cultures and attitudes related to society and social behaviour. 

10. THE BRAIN CONTAINER 
Anthropo/centrism and Humano/centrism are the belief that human beings are the central or most important entity in the universe; this concept of humankind is seen as separate from nature and superior to it; the BRAIN container will analyse that feeling of human supremacy over animals, plants, trees or apes. Studies of functions of the brain will relate to cultures that are expressing their identity through clothes; plants are expressing their identity through colours, as do animals. The BRAIN container will speak about togetherness and collective learning from each other. Science & Art are merging into a new consciousness; the most important reason for the existence of the BRAIN container is to highlight the fact that we have to use our brains by developing personal statements and actions. The brain is too important not to use properly! Many studies have been conducted about the brain; let us invite speakers and philosophers to better understand the use and the function of this wonderful organ. 

11. THE DINING CONTAINER
Can two realms such as art and food converge? Can two realms, such as economic success and creative illusion, converge? Can the analogue and the digital converge? We must map networks and social relationships; we must find human connections and diversities to encourage a debate as well as new energy in a world that is tired of talking exclusively about turnover and investment capital for growth. The DINING container is the only possible connection between people, creators or curators of different worlds. Around the table, with nice food, people usually talk freely. Human connections are easier with a glass of wine, sake, or water. They can unite in a common interest focused on cultural and economic forces that work in different local communities that understand the need to collaborate. We appreciate the food of the restaurants in our neighbourhood, but do we appreciate and understand our cultural differences and common inspirations?  

September, 2024
Revisited from 11 NFC 2020/2021/2022/2023