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a stack of NOOO2 publication surrounded by screws, a fork and a networking cable

In collaboration with Varia, I worked on a hybrid publication that documents and updates some earlier collective projects. We took an interest in particular to those longer running projects with multiple authors, where the issue of maintenance becomes tricky to handle.

The publication is a way to talk about those issues, but more importantly, to also take time for that maintenance work in the process. A process that we called ‘active documentation’, not only documenting what has been but also making new steps towards longer term sustainability of those projects.

Detail of illustrations in the publication

The publication exists as a website and a risograph printed publication. A USB drive containing source files and the software in question is part of the printed publication.

a detail of a README spread

The digital parts of the publication (website and files on drive) have been made with distribusi, a tool we developed in varia to quickly generate websites based on folders containing media and text.

a detail of the USB drives

This work was done together with Manetta Berends, Yoana Buzova, Cristina Cochior, Dennis de Bel, Silvio Lorusso, Luke Murphy, Lídia Pereira, Femke Snelting and Colm O’Neill.

Where to order?

Order through Underbelly or contact varia to order physical copies. Alternatively, have a look at the website: https://networksofonesown.varia.zone/

More info about NOOO2

Taken from the varia website

Networks Of One’s Own is a para-nodal periodic publication that is itself collectively written in a network. Each of the episodes is thought of as the ‘release’ of a specific software stack, contextualised in its specific practice. The series aims to document a set of tools, experiences, ways of working that are diverse in terms of their temporality, granularity and persistence. Three takes on taking care is the second volume of this series.

In our activity as artists, designers and researchers working with and around free/libre open source technology based projects, we often encounter situations where collective authorship gives rise to complicated interrelationships of ownership. Specifically, these involve the practical aspects of care, maintenance, documentation and overall commitment.

Three of these projects, homebrewserver.club, Bibliotecha and Relearn, have been influential for the individual practices of those involved, but also for a wider international network of actors, including exhibition spaces, festivals, collective and both formal and informal learning communities. The maintenance of those projects, however, which is long-term and requires ongoing engagement, often lags behind since it is taken up by individuals on the basis of their ability and time.

This publication is the result of an act of active documentation of the networked projects developed in and around Varia. Active documentation means that we not only documented, but also revisited these projects, spending time on their maintenance and consolidation:

With this publication we hope to improve their resilience, portability, long-term sustainability and accessibility.

The first issue in the series was initiated by Constant and documents the project ‘Etherbox’, a collaborative writing and documentation environment. The publication included a genealogy of the events, ideas and practices in the Constant network that influenced or reversely were influenced by what eventually became known as Etherbox. This way of documenting stresses how a project like Etherbox is the work of a heterogenous network of practices that each in their way contribute to its formation.

https://networksofonesown.varia.zone/

https://networksofonesown.constantvzw.org/

All photos on this page have taken by Dennis de Bel

NOOO2 was made possible with financial support from Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie, Varia and Constant Vzw