Explorations by Accept & Proceed

“We need a new mythology of what technology is. We need nature-based technologies that will lead us towards a new form for not being saviours of the earth, but living with Earth symbiotically” In this second episode of series 2, creative studio Accept & Proceed's founder David Johnston meets with Julia Watson, an Australian designer of urban, indigenous, and spiritual landscapes and author of Lo-TEK, Design by Radical Indigenism. Johnston and Watson discuss why we need to redefine the meaning of technological innovation, the importance of diversity in building resilient environments and why nature-based technologies can help us live symbiotically with nature.

"I think at the centre of it, is a new recognition of who we are as human beings." In the first episode of series 2, creative studio Accept & Proceed’s founder David Johnston meets with Indy Johar, architect and co-founder of Dark Matter Laboratories. The duo discuss Sikhism, running Dark Matter Labs, the values and rationale behind running a business in an untraditional way and reconfiguring the ‘normal’ structures that exist within a company.

“Uncertainty is freedom.” In this episode of Endless Vital Activity, David Johnston meets with Clare Farrell, co-founder of global environmental movement Extinction Rebellion. Johnston and Farrell discuss the broken system our current democracy upholds, the parallels between COVID-19 and global warming, and how to inspire people into radical action.

“Business has some serious thinking to do. We're in danger of losing our way. In amongst a crisis and chaos is a really good time to just go ‘are we doing this right?’” In the latest episode of Endless Vital Activity, David Johnston speaks with David Hieatt, the co-founder of Hiut Denim Co and The DO Lectures; the self-funded talk series that aims to create a safe space to ask better questions about the world we live in. Johnston and Hieatt discuss the pitfalls of ‘selling out’, the need for purpose-led businesses and the power of anonymity when asking what needs to change in the world.

“[In the future] I believe that the buildings will dream, the buildings will remember.” In the latest episode of Endless Vital Activity, David Johnston speaks with Refik Anadol, media artist, director and visiting researcher at UCLA’s Department of Design Media Arts. Johnston and Anadol discuss the intersection between the spiritual, virtual and physical realms, data as an art fo

In the first of this six-part series, creative studio Accept and Proceed’s founder David Johnston meets with renowned, multi-disciplinary physician of internal medicine and internationally recognised educator on the microbiome Zach Bush MD. In light of the current coronavirus pandemic, the duo explores the explosion of chronic disease, the morality of the advertising world and the impact of consumer behaviour on our internal and global ecosystems.

Exploring culture with Alex Valdman by Explorations by Accept & Proceed

For our latest Exploration, this month we kick off the conversation around the topic of sight with professional photographer Rick Guest; how he approaches photography with the ‘meticulous eye of a scientist and the flair and passion of an artist’. Guest has worked on global advertising campaigns, has shot portraits of the super famous, but it is his capturing of movement, specifically dance that has made him a house hold name. In this frank and honest conversation with David, Guest speaks on a range of topics, from his early life and discovery of photography, to finding his specialism, and the rewards of doing something you truly love everyday. Rick will also be collaborating with us on an exploration around the topic of sight. The project will explore groundbreaking new technology that is able to capture individual chakras on film. Head over to Accept & Proceed / Explorations for the latest on all our artist collaborations.

This month features a special Explorations profile of Bethany Williams, Fashion Designer, recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II award and sustainability consultant, as well as an activist exploring the connection between communities and social and environmental issues. Williams’ focus on urgent socio-political issues feeds into how she approaches life in the world of fashion, manufacturing garments that are sustainable both in terms of the means of production and as an economic model. Bethany Williams, Fashion Designer: “I think the best part of creativity is the part that is unexpected, and I feel like that happens a lot when you collaborate. Because when taking two people from different fields, anything can happen.”

In the first podcast of a series exploring the five senses, and their impact on how we process the world around us, Accept & Proceed founder David Johnston sat down with grime MC and Swim Dem Crew founder MC Peigh, in a brutally honest conversation about his journey, and the role of sound when it comes to design and capturing emotions. Head over to the Accept & Proceed site (https://www.acceptandproceed.com/project/peigh) to see exclusive footage of Peigh performing at last months London GLUG event, along with a teaser of our upcoming collaboration exploring the medium of sound. 04:31 –– 1er Gaou by Magic Sound System (from Senegal) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKUZ-ZIUiwg 10:50 –– Boys love girls by Kano https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR2jwWvqVEU 10:56 –– P’s & Q’s by Kano https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mznv4ACjkzc 11:02 –– I luv u by Dizzee Rascal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH0KWX2a8zY 14:44 –– Rhythm ‘N’ Gash by Rebound X https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSTK8W-Cs-s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sCar-qMRNw 21:21 –– Simon Mottram // Rapha https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/