Brenda Matoli writing in Makeshift:
More hereAt first glance, a project rooted in open-source software might evoke images of computers and codes—a digital realm. Yet for Binta Ayofemi, the analog world is rich with these systems too. In her ongoing project, “Software”, the San Francisco-based artist identifies open-source ‘code’ in the everyday—from Shaker-style furniture to Soul Train music—and explores how, through variation and repetition, they can rewire how we process and relate to our daily experiences in the world.
image courtesy of Binta Ayofemi
She’s currently an artist-in-residence at the New Museum of Contemporary Art’s artistic incubator program in New York City, where she is using urban land design and plant materials to explore how space, texture, and patterns inform our daily behaviors. For her latest exhibition, Binta has planted a series of gardens in Chicago’s gritty South Side neighborhood. She aims to unlock social rituals in the public realm: afternoon strolls, family gatherings, and play time. Makeshift caught up with Binta about spotting “social software” and why it matters for technology and communities.
