Suited for Subversion is a project to create a suit that protects the wearer at large-scale street protests. The suit also monitors the wearer's pulse and projects an amplified heartbeat out of a speaker in the chest of the suit.I designed and fabricated the first prototype of the suit as part of my Masters Degree in the Interactive Telecommunications Program at New York University. The project draws on my work as an activist involved in street demonstrations in New York, and is influenced by the work of other activists and demonstrators who wear protective clothing and make creative use of tools and technologies for protest.
Of particular influence are the 'white' or �white overall� tactics of the Ya Basta, WOMBLES, or the Tutti bianche, who wear white protective-wear to protests. Like the Pret a revolter clothing line produced by my friends Las Agencias, and pictured below, centre, my suit fuses white tactics with more playful, carnivalesque, or 'pink' tactics. As much as my suit is armour, it is also disarming; as much provocation as protection.
Suited for Subversion is part of the exhibition SAFE: Design Takes on Risk at the New York Museum of Modern Art in 2005/2006.
What the well-dressed denizen of rabble.ca will be wearing in the Spring Protest season. Far be it from me to dissuade them from running around looking like a bunch of sofa-bolsters, though I suspect it'll just encourage the police to perfect their baton-poking techniques.
They should try something like this. Cheaper, offers just as much protection, and perfect for taking in a World Cup game or two after the demo.
Comments (2)
a suit that protects the wearer at large-scale street protests.
Except from ridicule.
That outfit is just begging for some shin-kicking. (Works as well with a "t".)
Posted by marybeth | March 13, 2006 9:14 PM
Posted on March 13, 2006 21:14
Something interesting,
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Posted by louise | July 12, 2007 10:43 AM
Posted on July 12, 2007 10:43