#72u

November 4, 2017

“BORN MODERN”

By 72U

43 muscles, 14 bones, 32 teeth, thousands of unique expressions. The human faces are key to identity—but is our face revealing more than we want it to?  —72U

Twelve children from nine different countries (Egypt, China, Romania, Ghana, Israel, Angola, Eritrea, Syria, and US) who recently became Dutch residents have been invited into 72andSunny Amsterdam to attend a five-day workshop during their May Holiday.

Cine Bizzkids is a partnership programme between 72U and Cinekid, the children’s film and TV festival, Fawaka entrepreneurship school and IMC Weekend School on Tour. The children taking part were challenged to make three short films, that once completed will be send in for the Shorts By Kids competition at the Cinekid festival this Fall. 

The British-Nigerian designer Yinka Llori was this week Artist in Residence at 72andSunny Amsterdam to create a number of unique pieces of furniture together with the people working in the Amsterdam Office. Previously Yinka and 72andSunny worked together on the spring campaign for eBay.

Yinka Ilori is a London based designer. He specialises in up-cycling vintage furniture, inspired by the traditional Nigerian parables and African fabrics that surrounded him as child. Humorous, provocative and fun, each piece of furniture he creates tells a story. Bringing Nigerian verbal traditions into playful conversation with contemporary design, Yinka Ilori’s work touches on themes as various as hope, sexuality and social class. Conscious that the parables are as relevant today as ever, Ilori wishes to share his work with people throughout the world.

Together with Zoku, 72U launched a pioneering new creative platform to facilitate meaningful connections. Highlighting the importance of close personal bonds between neighbors and rekindling the neighborly spirit of the past, "Doors of Zoku" will feature a series of talks and workshops, as well as a playful public installation.

Declining social cohesion, growing social isolation and the lack of neighborly ties are amongst the greatest problems facing the citizens of the modern global metropolis. In Amsterdam alone, there is a growing number of people of all ages that experience feelings of being anonymous or lonely (GGD, Health Monitor Amsterdam, 2016). Next to elderly, this group also includes students, expats and immigrants. Amsterdam will continue to urbanize, causing growing anonymity within the city (Theo van Tilburg, Professor Sociology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 2017).

To raise awareness for this serious social concern, Zoku and 72U have installed tiny interactive doors at several locations across the city. Passers-by will be drawn to the doors, and upon ringing the doorbells will be greeted by and participate in personal stories among neighbors. The installation will evoke the importance of forming personal relationships with neighbours.

For the future 72U teams:

Check out last Friday’s event at Zoku!