I WOULD PREFER NOT TO

I Would Prefer Not To plays with the role of productivity and progress in the attention economy. We are told that our worth is tied to how much we can produce and how efficiently we can use our time. Yet, in the age of the attention economy, our time is often co-opted by the very technologies we rely on to be productive. I Would Prefer Not To provides space for exploration of this theme in the form of a daybed made of a metal frame and hand-woven net. In a world where instant gratification is often the norm, the slow and deliberate process of weaving serves as a reminder to slow down and appreciate the journey. The weaving process of the net does not follow any predetermined patterns, valuing intuition over efficiency. I Would Prefer Not To encourages users to lie down and cover themselves. The act of covering oneself in the daybed creates a cocoon-like environment that offers a sense of security and privacy, allowing us to rest, think and procrastinate. This kind of attention could shift our focus from external metrics to the internal growth that comes from wilful thought and action.

Laura Mrksa (Croatia, 1992) is a slow designer in a fast-paced world, working from Amsterdam. Having a background in industrial design and living the reality of a curious observer, her designs play with subtle critique and irony. Objects that appear archetypal might provoke unusual interactions: a shelf that bends under the weight of one’s possessions, a bench with slipping legs, or a dancing water container. In her current work, Laura is experimenting with a manual technique of net-making that defies efficiency and overproduction.