The Embroidered Digital Commons (EDC) is a collective close-reading and close-stitching of a text written by Raqs Media Collective called 'A Concise Lexicon of / for the Digital Commons' (2003). The full lexicon is an A-Z of the relationship between social, digital and material space. The lexicon weaves together an evolving metaphorical language of common ownership, common use and access in physical space and across digital platforms. The commons has become synonymous with digital media through the discourse of free and open source software, shared production of knowledge, open access, and creative commons. The digital commons is a response to the inherent 'copy n paste' reproducability of digital codes, scripts, and files and the cultural forms they support.
Embroidery is a slow craft, and the project has been running for over ten years as and when people feel inspired. The project began in 2008 as part of the Open Source Embroidery project facilitated by Ele Carpenter and exhibited at Bildmuseet, Umea University, Sweden, and the Museum of Craft and Folk Art in San Fransico. Workshops have taken place at conferences, exhibitions and online, and a full list of the project partners and stitchers can be found on the credits page.
The Embroidered Digital Commons will be included in the Craftspace touring exhibition We Are Commoners launching at Oriel Davies Gallery, Wales, Spring 2021, and touring the UK 2021-2022.
If you would like to contribute to the project, please join the Embroidered Digital Commons Facebook Group. Or email elecarpenter at gmail dot com
Raqs Media Collective (2003) A Concise Lexicon of/for the Digital Commons, In: Sarai Reader 03 Shaping Technologies, ed Monica Narula, Shuddhabrata Sengupta, Jeebesh Bagchi, Ravi Vasudevan, Ravi Sundaram, Geert Lovink. Sarai-CDS Delhi / WAAG Amesterdam. 2003. p357-365