While acknowledging that Bergson did not apply this proposition to objects it can be used as a relevant starting point for the evaluation of an artworks complex relationship to time. Popularly perceived to exist within a state of something approaching permanency the artwork is arguably deteriorating in slow motion once it is made. Using examples from my own drawing practice and others this paper will discuss the implications of the conservation act on an artwork, its potential for ahistoricity, altering the chronological, phenomenologicial and aesthetic timelines of a work. It will pose the question what are the temporalities of an artwork? and how are they to be understood.

In October of last year, visual communication students at Dublin Institute of Technology took part in an exhibition of Irish language literature texts that were imaginatively extended, exploring an array of new literacies. Taking the Irish language texts as a starting point for this project, students creatively explored print, visual, digital and material modes to extend the meaning of the poetry.

This paper explores, from a social semiotic perspective the creative potential this multimodal work offers design pedagogy in how we frame and articulate meaning across both print and digital media design education. With an emphasis on an ensemble of signs as a whole, towards meaning making, there are learning potentials in examining these representational forms and technologies. This is increasingly significant as our students will need to be conscious of how meaning changes as information migrates across more varied communication modes. It is important that design education explores the potential for new ways of describing design thinking through critically questioning our visual communication practices.

However, in answering the question ‘when?’ with regard to these works, it will be necessary to take into account something dismissed by Goodman—namely, self-reference. A crucial aspect of what these works do as art is to make self-reference productive, or more precisely, recursive. Arguably, Goodman’s account of the referential properties of art works requires further development because of the quasi-theatrical and expanded status of works such as Sehgal’s and the problems of construction and temporality raised by them in the absence of conventional specifications of medium. I will demonstrate that an understanding of recursive form derived from second-order cybernetics allows us to describe what distinguishes such works in time.

In 2010 Dublin City Council formed a group called PIVOT Dublin to bid for World Design Capital 2014. Dublin has been investigating different ways of utilizing design to make changes and drive innovation in the City. PIVOT Dublin provides an ongoing flexible mechanism for design projects, actions and collectives and discussions.

Rather than select an Irish Designer and send them to Helsinki with a container of objects, The IDI decided to work with PIVOT Dublin to select a team of designers to represent Ireland in 2012. Imu Design was invited to Dublin to take part in a multi-disciplinary design workshop, which took place during Ireland’s Design Week.

The paper will focus on this innovative process of open, participative public service procurement. The methodology and collaborations between the participants, their disciplines and the two cities is analyzed. The process has been rich and the results will be rewarding.