UNDER ONE SKY

LIGHT THE WAY
in collaboration with The Illuminator

As part of a recent collaboration with The Illuminator collective, Forth Position animated 50+ short clips to be projected throughout New York City to promote the Under One Sky rally. Rallies were held in 70 locations around the globe to support the new UN Sustainable Development Goals and to add pressure for their implementation. The clips feature a diverse group of individuals searching, finding their way, and ultimately coming together in common cause.

DESIGN FOR AWARENESS

From its inception Forth Position Design has focused on producing meaningful work that makes an impact, assisting those with something to say in “raising their voice.” We call this work Design for Awareness.

Our design process accesses the particular perspectives / perceptions of the intended audience to allow the design to be more easily internalized. This attention to, and respect for, what is relevant to the people who will interact with the design, is quite different from the after the fact customizing and personalized tagging so commonly seen today.

There are those who argue that the nature of the information being communicated should have no bearing on the quality or functionality of design - that the true test of a good designer is to make the message relevant through the force of their design alone. Forth does not subscribe to this notion.

We conceive of design as a holistic process both informed and empowered by the message. To this effect, every message may not necessitate or even be deserving of good design. A powerful message can inspire a sense of purpose during the design process and a sense of satisfaction at the completion of the project.

We believe good design work is inextricably linked to this sense of purpose / satisfaction.

CLICK IMAGES TO VIEW PROJECTS

NO TECHNO IN THE NYC DANCE PARADE?

The 9th Annual Dance Parade is just a week away and I am having a hard time deciding where I want to be this year. Participating organizations are listed alphabetically along with their dance “styles.” Many of these dance “styles” also double as musical genres. This year there isn’t a single group listed as TECHNO. Perhaps this is because TECHNO isn’t really a “style” of dance as much as a musical form. There are certainly a number of dance forms that have developed in response to TECHNO music, but the sound has never really been about one dance “style.” Over the years I have met many who love this music as I do, their movement a direct response to the sound, a direct line to their heart and soul. I feel there is a correlation between the freedom the form provides and what I find most precious about the Dance Parade itself. For me the Parade has always been about reclaiming our bodies through movement: you don’t need to be qualified to dance, know the steps, have the moves, or be a “good dancer” to express yourself and explore your world...



The first few years I participated in the parade, I was fortunate to find my TECHNO sisters and brothers among the Blackkat / Septik Nexus crew. For two years I helped facilitate an Occupy Dance presence in the Parade rekindling some its underlying political roots. The last couple of years I have danced down Broadway with Grand Marshals Louie Vega and Hex Hector respectively. I enjoyed the music and it is always fun to be in the Parade, but I would rather be dancing to TECHNO. I am not sure where I will be this year. There is a STORM RAVE (featuring Frankie Bones, Adam X, Heather Heart, Lenny Dee, and Rob Gee) following the Dance Parade, that very night in fact. I wish I could import some of that into the Parade. Many of you reading this may be familiar with Berlin’s MAYDAY and LOVE PARADE festivals, and I know many who will be trekking to Detroit two weeks from now for the MOVEMENT (DEMF) festival. Political movement echoes through the streets of New York. Movement itself will take to the streets on May 16th. Will TECHNO be in attendance? Does TECHNO still dance in NYC?