Chindogu curriculum to introduce invention as an art form?

[Jonathan Bijur]

Dear Fab-ulous K-12 makers,

I have yet again become obsessed with chindogu, the art form of unuseless inventions. First created by Kenji Kawakami in the 1980s and since spread throughout the world, they ride the line between useful inventions and absurdist parodies of consumer goods. There are tons of examples on the web and a few books collecting some of the best. Good chindogu are created using the same kind of design process and level of finish as a "real" prototype invention, but offer absurd solutions, like putting dust mops on a crawling baby's onesie.

Since the last time I got into chindogu a few years ago, I've become a maker/tinkerer/educator. With my new eyes, this looks like a fantastic way to engage students and give them a scalable design challenge to solve that marries the rigors of an engineering design process with a child-friendly silliness. Plus there is a great anti-commercial philosophy that governs the chindogu movement that expands students' ideas of the purpose and ends of invention and creativity. And I love the connections between engineering and art that chindogu represent, helping to teach about the cultural messages implicit in all engineered objects and systems.

Have you come across chindogu before? Have you taught using chindogu as a design prompt? I'd LOVE to start from an existing curriculum as I dig into developing a unit or after school club based on chindogu. I've found some stuff at the university level but not much in K-12.

10 Tenets of Chindogu

1. Chindogu must be (almost) completely useless
2. Chindogu must exist
3. Chindogu represent freedom of thought and action
4. Chindogu's uselessness must be understood by all
5. Chindogu are not for sale
6. Humor must not be the sole reason for making chindogu
7. Chindogu are not propaganda
8. Chindogu are never taboo
9. Chindogu cannot be patented
10. Chindogu are without prejudice

[S D]

Hi Jonathon,

This is a wonderful idea. I have not taught with specifically this lens in a K-12 settting, though tangential ones, however, the work of artist and designer Dominic Wilcox is a perpetual inspiration for me. His Variations on Normal book and work is delightful.  I have not heard the word chindogu used to describe his work, however, I feel that it may embody some of the principles and essence of what you are describing. He has a project and a book called The Little Inventor's Handbook, which you might find interesting in your curriculum development, though, full disclosure, I have not had a chance to check this book out yet myself.

Best,

Sachi