Specology. Zu einer ästhetischen Forschung

The concept of speculation has only recently emerged in the field of aesthetic practice. However, it is having a remarkable effect and is triggering a new form of creative, artistic, provocative, experimental production and aesthetic research. A new understanding of collective, risk-taking and hybrid practice is developing. This development leads to specology.

With specology as a new aesthetic science, we can embark on a tableau that is as imaginary as it is productive, on which cognitive and formative practices and methods (ways of walking), forms of insight (arrangements), media and materials (structures of things), chronopolitical fields of research (Ancient Futures) and attitudes of mind (Magical Expertise) cavort.

The intention of this book is to capture the potentials and challenges of and for speculative-aesthetic research and to make them suitable for discussion - not only on a conceptual level, but on many levels of aesthetic and critical practice. The publication takes up the discourse on speculative design that has been going on since the mid-2000s, approaches it critically and provides points of reference for various artistic, philosophical, cultural-theoretical or even entirely non-academic fields.

The publication was curated, edited and shaped at Speculative Space by Haarmann, Lagaay, Bieling, Körschkes, Ivanova, Bohaumilitzky, Scholz in collaboration with graphic designers from distaff studio and set to music by Stephan Kraus.