In a New York Times piece by Alice Rawsthorn1 we read that Enzo Mari once said that he wanted to make things that factory workers would like to produce.
In his UdK Berlin talk, Enzo Mari touched on a similar vein describing, in the course of various monologues, the drudgery of badly paid workers in factories producing goods that no one finds attractive and the majority of which are in any case destined to become waste. When I see an object he said, I ask who will this make happy? People working in factories? He seemed sceptical.
And we found ourselves thinking about… Napalm Death.
Back in the old (smow)blog student flat we once tried to study while listening to death metal. Thinking 130bpm and a grinding bass line would held us learn. It didn’t
But as a result we do know a lot about Napalm Death songs, including the majestic “From Enslavement to Obliteration” about workers toiling in a factory so that they can earn enough money to buy the goods therein produced.
And the fact that in the UdK Berlin, surrounded by many of the most important names in Berlin design, we suddenly found ourselves thinking about Napalm Death…. that for us speaks volumes for Enzo Mari’s ability to communicate across divides and to connect with us all.
We didn’t get the chance to ask Enzo Mari if he liked Napalm Death.
So we’ll presume he does….
We just wanted to share that. Sorry.
1. “Enzo Mari: A rebel with an obsession for form” by Alice Rawsthorn. New York Times, 02.10.2008
Enzo Mari at the UdK Berlin: We’d love to believe he was entertaining the crowd with Napalm Death songs….