Toronto International Film Festival, and the first stop of a 3-week trip to Asia starting with Seoul, Korea
Toronto, Ontario; Seoul Korea
Bongeunda Gangnam:: Arrived to first hear drumming, and then saw Buddhist priest swinging log into bell for a big bong. Climbed up stairs to find a big Buddha. After visiting the shrine, crossed street south into Starfield Coex Mall, a haven for shoppers. (Bongeunsa, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea) 20230927
Samilgyo Bridge, Cheonggyecheon Stream:: Took elevator down from street level above to rest by urban stream, on a long walking route from Seoul Museum of Art, through Myeong-Dong, then towards Insa-Dong. Forecast for rain didn’t come true, weather was sweaty and a sun hat would have been a better plan. Second full day following afternoon arrival, still battling jet lag. (Samilgyo Bridge, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea) 20230928
Samilgyo Bridge, Cheonggyecheon Stream:: Took elevator down from street level above to rest by urban stream, on a long walking route from Seoul Museum of Art, through Myeong-Dong, then towards Insa-Dong. Forecast for rain didn’t come true, weather was sweaty and a sun hat would have been a better plan. Second full day following afternoon arrival, still battling jet lag. (Samilgyo Bridge, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea) 20230928
DDP Design Lab:: Curtained-off section of Design Dream Land: Fall in K-POP exhibition, showing how design, fashion and illustration come together to develop a musical group. Foil walls, colored lights, video screens and mannequins give visualization with reality. We’re not the target audience, so unfamiliar to the K-pop groups. (Dongdaemun Design Plaza Design Lab, Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea) 20230930
DDP Dongdaemun Design Plaza:: Arrived at dusk at the cultural hub in the traditional fashion district, this Metonymic Landscape replaced a stadium in a major urban development project completed in 2014. The entry into the Dongdaemun Design Museum was hidden on the B2 level, with a bank of elevators towards enclosed parking. The Design Lab had an exhibition to experience how K-Pop is nurtured into a larger societal pheonomenon. (Dongdaemun Design, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea) 20230930
Catching up with family and friends, locally in Toronto, west to Iowa, and east to Nova Scotia
Toronto, Ontario; Fairfield, Iowa; Iowa City, Iowa; Salina, Iowa; Ames, Iowa; Des Moines, Iowa; Sackville, New Brunswick; Parrsboro, Nova Scotia; Amherst, Nova Scotia; Shediac, New Brunswick; Moncton, New Brunswick
Stanley Museum of Art:: In the lightwell, from the ground floor up to the third floor, Nnenna Okore (2023) Spirit Dance reflects the Nigerian notion that change can be enacted by non-human, humans and spirits. The sculpture is made of wire boning, dress in burlap, cheesecloth and jute in browns, reds and oranges. Just revealed at the beginning of August 2023, the installation is exposed to rain and snow that will weatherhe materials, through its showing into 2024. (Stanley Museum of Art, Burlington Street, Iowa City, Iowa) 20230818
Transportation Discovery Centre:: Hands-on exhibits not just for kids. Light attendance on late Thursday afternoon, so adults play unimpeded. Grownups may interpret the science differently. (Transportation Discovery Center, Resurgo Place, Moncton, New Brunswick) 20230831
Enjoyed early summer in Toronto with multiple festivals, and made a quick trip to Vancouver to visit family
Toronto, Ontario; Vancouver, BC
David Crombie Park: Appearance by @walkwithamal in St. Lawrence neighbourhood, on weekend of @Luminato, a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year old Syrian girl looking for her mother and a new home. Visiting multiple venues in town each day, children gathering to the sound of drums and music ahead. Message of hope and solidarity has already visited 13 countries since 2021, will tour the USA in fall. (David Crombie Park, The Esplanade, Toronto, Ontario) 20220610
The Theatre Centre: Slowed down to listen to stories @iankamau #LossInIsolation interactive installation curated by @oddsidearts @LuminatoFestivalTO in the upstairs space. The couch welcomes visitors to hear experiences of Trinidadian diaspora in Canada, and their heritage families on the big screen, with a subtlety of slow movement on some small video screens amongst the pictures. Doilies and pens are offered, should some want to share similar journeys on the Clothesline Memory Wall. (The Theatre Centre, Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20230613
Little Italy: Latin trio @micheldequevedo drums, @Ericstlaurent guitar, @YoserBass bass, @TOLittleItaly encouraging couple to engage in close dancing. Many onlookers at the street festival at dusk, some recording selfies. Much more action on the street than one year ago, even as street lights came on. (Little Italy, Montrose Avenue at College Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20230618
Emily Carr University of Art and Design: Overlook onto machines for Great Northern Way – Emily Carr segment of Broadway Subway Project due to open in 2026. We came to view the art, and inadvertently crashed the Summer Patio Party sponsored the the Emily Carr Students’ Union. Hospitality was shared with the offering of gourmet popsicles, we enjoyed one mango and one lime, in addition to viewing the Student Exhibition The Show 2023. (Emily Carr University of Art and Design, East 1st Street, Vancouver, BC) 20230621
Gardiner Museum: Standing on a stool on a raised plaza for #TorontoJazzFestival big stage, the Royal Ontario Museum was much easier to see than #BadBadNotGood. Crowd scene isn’t my style, I prefer less commercial musicians. Biked past two concert stages for Pride 2023, wending around Toronto Metropolitan University on the way home. (Gardiner Museum, Queens Park, Toronto, Ontario) 20230624
Victoria University: Dreamy moody performance @jonahyano @torontojazzfest #TDMusic Main Stage on university quad. Audience of young adults, the categorization of music as jazz is loose. Bike route to venue evaded Pride Parade route on Yonge Street, but didn’t account for barricades on Bay Street by Nathan Phillips Square. (Victoria University, Queens Park, University of Toronto) 20230625
Village of Yorkville Park: Rainy day cleared to sunshine for @nickyschrire singing selections from Nowhere Girl release @torontojazzfest, with #TaraDavidson sax, @ChrisDonnelly99 piano, @DangerHerring bass, @ErnestoCervini drums. Cheerful tunes, and the band was laughing at jokes onstage. Closing singalong encouraged, “Everyone can sing. Bob Dylan is a living testament”. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Torotno, Ontario) 20230626
Village of Yorkville Park: Scheduled to record first album next week, @andrewmarzotto guitar @torontojazzfest leading @ewenfarncombe piano, #JonathanChapman bass, #AustinGambora drums. Rain delay was 30 minutes, stage still partially covered after crew swabbed the stage. Crowd accumulated after the sun came back. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20230627
Victoria University: Attentive audience for @MarkGuiliana drums @torontojazzfest with @JasonRigby sax, #JasonLindner piano, @ChrisjMorrissey bass. Commented that 10 minutes before taking stage, the band saw a large lawn of open grass. Speaking with a volunteer, a large contingent from the Humber College music program anticipated the talent. (Victoria College, Queens Park, University of Toronto) 20230627
Varley Art Gallery of Markham: Lion dance at opening of Longing Belonging & 100 Years exhibition extending the #LongTimeNoSee community works from Spadina Chinatown downtown in 2021. Recognition of 100th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act in Canada, and the Williams Treaties (1923) surrendering lands by seven First Nations in Southern Ontario. Photographic installations inside extended participation to Scarborough and Markham ethnic Chinese Canadians, and newer immigrants. (Varley Art Gallery of Markham, Main Street, Unionville, Ontario) 20220513
Pine Hills Cemetery: By the monument on high ground at the north end of the cemetery, the elders of the Lowkong Society gathered to remember ancestors. Planted flowers, read a proclamation, distributed oranges. Our family has been regular attendees since our sons were children, we noticed new directional signs added by grounds management. (Pine Hills Cemetery, Birchmount Road, Scarborough, Ontario) 20230522
Sightseeing one day in Vilnius, then variable weather in spring in Toronto.
Vilnius, Lithuania; Toronto, Ontario
Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania: View from second floor down into archeological artifacts and original walls dating back to the 1400s, destroyed the Russian invasions in the 1650s. In the 2000s, the palace was reconstructed as part of nation-building after the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989. During the Grand Duchy periods 1500s-1600s, the palace was favoured not only by the Dukes of Lithuania whom maintained political distinctiveness, but also the King of Poland who established a commonwealth through the marriage of royalty. (Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, Vilnius) 20230401
Uzupio Meno Inkubatorius: Opening day for #IrmaLescinskaite personal exhibition Painting (Tapyba) at #UžupioMenoInkubatorius. Entering the building with windows covered for a dark space, the canvas frames were not affixed to the walls, but suspended with straps tethered from the ceiling, and illuminated with spotlights. Instead of walking up to the artwork, walking around the abstract splashes of colour adds dimensionality to the experience. (Užupio Meno Inkubatorius, Vilnius, Lithuania) 20230401
Cathedral Square, Vilnius: Sunday market on a rainy second day of a connection visit, hat still wet from yesterday. Approached from Gedimino Prospektas, on the way to Vilnius Cathedral. Not in a shopping mood. (Cathedral Square, Vilnius, Lithuania) 20230402
Gerrard – Ashdale: Live Qawwali led by @SufiShahidKhan in early evening @GerrardIndiaBaz Ramadan Kareem. Learning about another heritage culture, within bicycling distance on the east side of town. Observed local politicians posing for publicity photos. (Gerrard – Ashdale, Little India, Toronto, Ontario) 20220419
Beyond city-building as urban planning is the idea of a Music City. This sees development of cultural life across a wide variety of arts, alongside economic benefits brought to the region. At the 119th meeting of Systems Thinking Ontario in March 2024, socio-cultural designer Adam Hogan and musician-designer Ziyan Hossain joined moderator Zaid Khan in conversation. […]
Having reached year 6 of an espoused 10-year journey, the Systems Changes Learning Circle is (again) convening monthly Dialogues on Social Innovation at the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto. Starting up in 2019, the Circle was convening regularly in the Climate Ventures space at 192 Spadina Avenue. The pandemic interrupted in-person meetings, and the […]
EQ Lab runs Dialogic Drinks, “the kind of philosophical discussion you have in a coffee shop or bar”, twice per week. Wtih this group interested loosely in questions on leadership, I was invited to host an online session on March 12 (evening in Hong Kong and Singapore, really early in Toronto) and on March 14-15 […]
At the 118th meeting of Systems Thinking Ontario in February 2024, behavioral scientist Cameron D. Norman and design strategist Tara Campbell were invitied for a conversation guided by Zaid Khan. The panelists are both alumni of the Strategic Foresight and Innovation program at OCADU. Some time ago, they had conducted a research project on evaluation […]
An article on “sciencing and philosophizing”, coauthored by Gary S. Metcalf and myself, has been published in the Journal of the International Society for the Systems Sciences, following the ISSS 2023 Kruger Park conference in South Africa, last July. There’s a version cacned on the Coevolving Commons. This article started in a series of conversations […]
For the January 2024 Systems Thinking Ontario session, educational game designer Scott DeJong and innovation designer Geoff Evamy Hill joined a conversation moderated by Zaid Khan. Mutual interests in the new field of educational design and games were at the core of the discussion. This was an opportunity for systems thinkers to expand their knowledge on […]
David L. Hawk (American management theorist, architect, and systems scientist) has been hosting a weekly television show broadcast on Bold Brave Tv from the New York area on Wednesdays 6pm ET, remotely from his home in Iowa. Live, callers can join…Read more ›
Following the first day lecture on Philosophy of Chinese Medicine 1 for the Global University for Sustainability, Keekok Lee continued on a second day on some topics: * Anatomy as structure; physiology as function (and process); * Process ontology, and thing ontology; * Qi ju as qi-in-concentrating mode, and qi san as qi-in-dissipsating mode; and […]
The philosophy of science underlying Classical Chinese Medicine, in this lecture by Keekok Lee, provides insights into ways in which systems change may be approached, in a process ontology in contrast to the thing ontology underlying Western BioMedicine. Read more ›
In conversation, @zeynep with @ezraklein reveal authentic #SystemsThinking in (i) appreciating that “science” is constructed by human collectives, (ii) the west orients towards individual outcomes rather than population levels; and (iii) there’s an over-emphasis on problems of the moment, and…Read more ›
In the question-answer period after the lecture, #TimIngold proposes art as a discipline of inquiry, rather than ethnography. This refers to his thinking On Human Correspondence. — begin paste — [75m26s question] I am curious to know what art, or…Read more ›
How might our society show value for the long term, over the short term? Could we think about taxation over time, asks @carlotaprzperez in an interview: 92% for 1 day; 80% within 1 month; 50%-60% tax for 1 year; zero tax for 10 years.Read more ›
Finding proper words to express system(s) change(s) can be a challenge. One alternative could be diachrony. The Oxford English dictionary provides two definitions for diachronic, the first one most generally related to time. (The second is linguistic method) diachronic ADJECTIVE Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “diachronic (adj.), sense 1,” July 2023, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/3691792233. For completeness, prochronic relates “to […]
The selection of readings in the “Introduction” to Systems Thinking: Selected Readings, volume 2, Penguin (1981), edited by Fred E. Emery, reflects a turn from 1969 when a general systems theory was more fully entertained, towards an urgency towards changes in the world that were present in 1981. Systems thinking was again emphasized in contrast […]
In reviewing the original introduction for Systems Thinking: Selected Readings in the 1969 Penguin paperback, there’s a few threads that I only recognize, many years later. The tables of contents (disambiguating various editions) were previously listed as 1969, 1981 Emery, System Thinking: Selected Readings. — begin paste — Introduction In the selection of papers for this […]
In a recording of the debate between Michael Quinn Patton and Michael C. Jackson on “Systems Concepts in Evaluation”, Patton referenced four concepts published in the “Principles for effective use of systems thinking in evaluation” (2018) by the Systems in Evaluation Topical Interest Group (SETIG) of the American Evaluation Society. The four concepts are: (i) […]
How might the quality of an action research initiative be evaluated? — begin paste — We have linked our five validity criteria (outcome, process, democratic, catalytic, and dialogic) to the goals of action research. Most traditions of action research agree on the following goals: (a) the generation of new knowledge, (b) the achievement of action-oriented […]