In the Dan Phillips TED talk, he discusses how the housing industry has created a large amount of waste because of their obsession with perfection and perfect materials. So he decides to make houses out of scrapped materials that are considered worthless. He transforms them from spare materials that no one wants into beautiful houses with a ton of personality. In this way, the synergy between different “waste” materials is incredible. His houses include various blemishes, which give the houses more character than the more perfect expensive materials.
Through the use of non-perfect wood, Phillips can combine them into a harmonious final piece. He explains two types of people, Apellonian and Dionysian. Apellonians are more concerned with perfection, for example perfectly straight 2x4s, and smooth surfaces. This form of thought creates a lot of waste, as the slightest imperfection results in things being scrapped. On the other hand, Dionysians are much more accepting of the hand they are given, so they use everything, even things that are considered worthless by Apellonians. These people are much more likely to embrace the blemishes, allowing their creations to grow out of ‘worthlessness’.
Philips also explains how humans create understanding through repetition. Through repetition, a pattern is created, and pattern creates a harmony to the eye. Overall, his idea of using scraps and other “worthless” materials is really intriguing, and it makes me want to make more art pieces and other crafts using scraps.
