Fixperts is about fixing for someone. It is a creative social platform and education project that encourages people who are good at making and repair to work with people to find solutions for things or situations they can’t fix for themselves. Fixperts sets out to make an immediate difference to peoples’ lives by applying creative skills to solve problems; the Fixperts network and online platform is about sharing that knowledge and insight, and inspiring others to do the same. The programme harnesses the imagination and skills of the next generation to make with a purpose.The Stanley Picker Gallery is hosting a 48-hour Fixperts Super Salon of live fixes, how-to-repair demonstrations and presentations by Fixperts partners from both education and professional spheres to discuss the Fixperts campaign and to begin to map its social impact.
Day 1: 24 June 11am-6pm is about making, and everyone is welcome!
Do you have something that’s broken and that needs to be fixed? A hole in your jumper, a broken pair of sunglasses, chipped crockery or a toy that won’t work? Or something that needs to be improved or added to? A better handle for your walking stick, an extra support for the back of a chair, a mud-guard for your bike? If you’re interested in having something fixed or just to find out more about ways you can mend and improve the stuff that’s around you, why not come join us at the Fixperts Super Salon on 24 June between 11am – 6pm at Stanley Picker Gallery.
There will be a Fixperts A&E for your stuff, ‘how-to-repair’ and ‘making’ demonstrations by their network of expert designers, makers and craftspeople, and our Fix Café will be open all day in the Gallery Lobby with free coffee, tea and pastries too. Plus the screening room will be playing some of our favourite FixFilms and you can find out more about how to get involved in Fixperts.
You can either book an hour’s slot for some one-to-one attention (email picker@kingston.ac.uk or ring 0208 417 4074) or just drop by for a coffee, chat and a look at the stalls. You are then welcome to join us for our Fixperts Drinks Reception from 6pm.
Day 2: 25 June 11am-5pm is about talking, an RSVP-only Think-Tank that brings together organisers and participants from Fixperts to present and share their experience; and begin to map out why it works and how we can make it better.
FixFilms Selection:
Dublin: Bob has rheumatic condition and wants to close his buttons himself.
NCAD students design a custom made button-fastener, allowing 82 year old Bob independence. This short film was viewed by over 20,000 people with in a month:
London: A post stroke wheel chair user, with one able hand, John would like to independently open and close his trousers. Designer Alon Meron invents a belt based device to be operated by one hand. This film won a Helen Hamlyn Design Centre Award:
Berlin: Born without fingers in both hands Sarrisha struggles to hold a knife or open Jars. Students from Industrial design course invent a kitchen vice to grip jars, enabling the 11 year old to make sandwiches for her younger siblings:
Johannesburg: Broken chairs and toys being used as they are. Design studio opens its workshop to locals offering tools and skills to fix things together:
Barnes Wetlands: Changing water levels and pesky pigeons make feeding the ducks difficult. Students from Brunel university devise and new floating gradual feeder, designed to be manufactured by a local metal spinner.
