As a response to the multiple crises of our time – a crisis of reality, agency and traditional sensemaking structures – worlding is an emergent creative practice of re-imagining and prototyping alternative futures. Networked Worlds is a 60-page zine that investigates how artists and creatives are building worlds to find meaning and belonging.

Hyper aware of the rules and power structures of dominant narratives and infrastructures, worlding has become a vital strategy for artists and creatives to experiment with alternative futures and render the conditions of the present visible in order to change them.

Worlding as such is different from worldbuilding. While the latter has been established by writers, directors, set designers in creating believable imaginary worlds (think Star Wars, Lord of the Rings or the Marvel Universe), worlding signifies the continuous, ever-evolving, collaborative effort of making worlds emerge rather than creating a closed universe by an individual master creator.

Using a variety of technologies, from AI to blockchain to photogrammetry, 3D engines and ancient rituals, the worlds resulting from this practice are an enthralling mixture of the closeup and the systemic. 

The projects featured in this memo were selected from an Open Call hosted by WeTransfer earlier this year that resulted in more than 380 submissions from around the world. Following an in-depth selection process with a focus on showcasing a rich diversity of projects that apply worlding as a creative strategy, the ten selected projects were invited to participate in a collaborative research process that resulted in the memo. These projects were:

• Morphogenic Angels: Chapter 1, by Keiken
• post-office, by Bryan Wolff and the post-office cooperative
  
• Special Fish, by Elliott Cost
  
• Into the Void, by Limbo Accra
  
• Other Spring, by ZZYW
  
• LIOS Labs
  
• Tale of the Mammoth Goddess, by Wendi Yan
  
• The Orfelia, by Queer Futures Collective
  
• Waluigi’s Purgatory, by dmstfctn
  
• When we Love, by Chia Amisola
  

While the formats of these worlds featured are diverse - from a queer nightclub experience set in the year 2054 to interactive live performances, desert retreats and collectively owned physical spaces - they’re all attempts at creating reality through the act of worlding.

As a response to the multiple crises of our time – a crisis of reality, agency and traditional sensemaking structures – worlding is an emergent creative practice of re-imagining and prototyping alternative futures. Networked Worlds is a 60-page zine that investigates how artists and creatives are building worlds to find meaning and belonging.

Hyper aware of the rules and power structures of dominant narratives and infrastructures, worlding has become a vital strategy for artists and creatives to experiment with alternative futures and render the conditions of the present visible in order to change them.

Worlding as such is different from worldbuilding. While the latter has been established by writers, directors, set designers in creating believable imaginary worlds (think Star Wars, Lord of the Rings or the Marvel Universe), worlding signifies the continuous, ever-evolving, collaborative effort of making worlds emerge rather than creating a closed universe by an individual master creator.

Using a variety of technologies, from AI to blockchain to photogrammetry, 3D engines and ancient rituals, the worlds resulting from this practice are an enthralling mixture of the closeup and the systemic. 

The projects featured in this memo were selected from an Open Call hosted by WeTransfer earlier this year that resulted in more than 380 submissions from around the world. Following an in-depth selection process with a focus on showcasing a rich diversity of projects that apply worlding as a creative strategy, the ten selected projects were invited to participate in a collaborative research process that resulted in the memo. These projects were:

• Morphogenic Angels: Chapter 1, by Keiken
• post-office, by Bryan Wolff and the post-office cooperative
  
• Special Fish, by Elliott Cost
  
• Into the Void, by Limbo Accra
  
• Other Spring, by ZZYW
  
• LIOS Labs
  
• Tale of the Mammoth Goddess, by Wendi Yan
  
• The Orfelia, by Queer Futures Collective
  
• Waluigi’s Purgatory, by dmstfctn
  
• When we Love, by Chia Amisola
  

While the formats of these worlds featured are diverse - from a queer nightclub experience set in the year 2054 to interactive live performances, desert retreats and collectively owned physical spaces - they’re all attempts at creating reality through the act of worlding.

Networked Worlds is the third part of Networked Culture, a series of publications created in collaboration with WeTransfer that explore the effects of networked technologies on the creative process.

Released by WeTransfer on March 28, 2024
Created and produced by co—matter
Free to read as downloadable PDF

Idea & creative direction: Severin Matusek
Research & production: Kesia Inkersole, Nelya Rosa
Art director: Paloma Moniz
3D Design (Open Call): Lucy Hardcastle Studio

Networked Worlds is the third part of Networked Culture, a series of publications created in collaboration with WeTransfer that explore the effects of networked technologies on the creative process.

Released by WeTransfer on March 28, 2024
Created and produced by co—matter
Free to read as downloadable PDF

Idea & creative direction: Severin Matusek
Research & production: Kesia Inkersole, Nelya Rosa
Art director: Paloma Moniz
3D Design (Open Call): Lucy Hardcastle Studio