Feminist Hardware: Making Printed Circuit Boards with Natural Clay

It is an open secret that the hardware in our smart devices contains not only plastics but also conflict minerals such as tungsten, tin, tantalum, silver and gold. Hence, technology is not neutral. In this workshop, given by Patrícia J. Reis (PT/AT) & Stefanie Wuschitz (AT), we investigate alternative hardware from locally sourced materials, so-called ethical hardware, to develop and speculate upon renewable practices for the benefit of both nature and humans.

During the workshop we will make Printed Circuit Boards with natural clay using recycled silver as main electrical conductors. We will model the boards, paint the circuit and fire it in an open fire at Hangar. On our last day participants will solder all electronic components and test our circuit for an interactive microcontroller board that can control digital and analogue sensors as inputs and speakers, leds and motors as outputs. A public presentation of results will take place on 20 October at 7pm and participants will be able to take home the final plaques at the end of the event.

This workshop is part of the “Fem_Lab exchange Catalonia-Austria” project, a collaboration between Mz* Baltazar’s Lab and Hangar, supported by the Delegation of the Government of Catalonia to Central Europe and the Ramon Llull Institute.

Schedule

Wednesday, October 18th from 10 am to 3 pm
— Project Introduction
— Modelling the clay
— Paint the circuits

Thursday, October 19th from 10 am to 3 pm
— Firing the clay
— Soldering electronics

Requirements: No previous knowledge required.
If you have but you mustn’t:
—  Clay modeling tools (dough roller), thin brushes, old plastic/metals bowls, old yogurt cups, and sandpaper
—  Gloves, Apron or working clothes
—  Old electronics such as: old Arduino Atmegas, magnets, Schottkydiodes, resistors, capacitors, leds, LDRS, DC motors

Practical information
Days: October 18 & 19
Time: from 10 am to 3 pm
Place: Sala Polivalent
Language: English
Limited to 12 participants.
SOLD OUT

Patrícia J. Reis & Stefanie Wuschitz are both media artists and researchers based in Vienna (AT) holding a post-doc position at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, as the main researchers of the project FEMINIST HACKING: BUILDING CIRCUITS AS AN ARTISTIC PRACTICE – an international art-based research project, which proposes a strategy and method for empathic, eco-sentient, de-colonial and anti-racist for hardware and art making. Feminist hacking involves an intensive knowledge-sharing process, through workshops and other forms of exchange and is financed by FWF – Austrian Science Fund | PEEK (AR580) Stefanie Wuschitz funded Mz* Baltazar’s Lab – A feminist Hackerspace and artists runned space based in Vienna. Patrícia J. Reis joined the collective in 2013.

 

Image: Janine Schranz