Lunch Lecture

‘Lunch Lecture’, was written in a comic-sans font, around yellowish soup with croutons half-submerged on the surface. The appetizing poster didn’t need to do much else. 

Guest lectures are always pleasant. In the span of an hour, one becomes instigated to reflect on their own work vis-à-vis the lecturers. This mainly relies on the narratives in which most lectures are conducted. Plus, the food was always good. Dutch lunches mainly consisted of several circular plastic containers, containing olives/pickles, a hard cheese, a variety of dips, crackers and bread. 

Although many of the lecturers till now where well-established in the Dutch artistic/ architectural scene, they showcased ambitious projects, and, most importantly, processes and hurdles in a manner that was easily digestible. 

Two-years into Dutch lunch lectures, guest lecturers featured a diverse range of speakers, including interior architects, architects, journalists, social designers, ministers, artists, feminist artists, activists, engineers, writers, filmmakers, fire engineers, a junk architect, a social worker and a psychologist. 

Walking into the kitchen-turned-lecture hall, the lecturer was already sitting on the floor, sandwiched between his MacBook Pro on the chair, and his projected slides behind him. He was tall, tall. His legs were extensively folded by his waist, his hand wrapping around the entire mug. 

The fact that he was Dutch alluded to the highly social, workshop-driven architecture he had managed to create. Creation here alludes more to the craft in weaving discussions and taking on facilitator roles. Despite his successful works and powerful conceptual graphic illustrations, his revealing process was inspiring.  

Quickly, I was confronted with thoughts of "Aha! I can do this in Malta". However, I also acknowledged that the 'Dutch' architectural environment I had formulated for myself over these two years was somewhat too social, with the role of the architect too diminished. More important than what was said was the way it was said. The enthusiasm, humor and body language when delivering his presentation struck me. 

"Sleep it, fight it, eat it, study it" he blurted out as he sat on the floor, sharing his screen as he navigated his desktop.

He was giving us a 'lazy man's' presentation on work he had done in Venice. Through designing a graphical language with Italian squatters, the community printed and plastered their new found graphic identity on their squatted allotments. Plazas, streets, facades, and balconies were portrayed with red and white illustrations, similar to the marketing strategy of the Venice Biennale. 

"I only gave them a language, a symbol they could get behind", he exclaimed. 

His involvement extended further to setting up outdoor makeshift tables and chairs for use in the semi-squatted, semi-public spaces. Images of himself setting up his MacBook on a plank supported with trestle legs or sawing away at wood in the middle of Piazza San Marco resonated with me the most. I had seen similar hands-on, provocative work from the late Virgil Abloh. He reaffirmed that it was this kind of work that mattered, that had a larger impact than if he sat at his office in Germany, conjuring up ways to help the Italian squatting movement. 

He highlighted that the now formally branded squatter group garnered traction and began to organise parties and popular dinner events in collaboration with local bars and stakeholders. "All business is good business", he argued. 

This eventually led to the government-affiliated 'Visit Venice' to fund a few events.

"Once Visit Venice got in on it, I knew we were onto something,” said the lecturer. 

“The squatters, facing eviction, were now partying with the German Housing Minister in a small square in Venice”, he continued. “That was a real what the fuck moment for me. How did we go from screen printing a few t-shirts in narrow streets, to partying with squatters, tourists and The German Housing Minister?” 

He concluded by informing us that these squatters were granted a cluster of buildings in which they had been residing. This last remark served as a happy ending moment to an overall positive story. It was as if through Adobe Illustrator, a silk-screen machine, a few speakers and a lot of alcohol, change could really be achieved. 

"Italy to enact a tougher Anti-Squatting legislation in the coming year", read a headline on ‘La Reppublica’. I searched further to find more information on the matter.

I closed the article. Nothing favourable towards squatters came up.

The lecture room had already emptied. Lunch was over. I opened Adobe Illustrator.