Case Study: future farmers

Futurefarmers is a group of artists and designers working together since 1995. Our design studio serves as a platform to support art projects, artist in residency program and research interests. We are teachers, researchers, designers, gardeners, scientists, engineers, illustrators, people who know how to sew, cooks and bus drivers with a common interest in creating work that challenges current social, political and economic systems.

Since 1995, Futurefarmers has hosted over 19 artists from 8 countries as part of its Artist in Residency (AIR) program. These artists have developed experimental and client projects together with Futurefarmers during their residency and many have continued to collaborate with us beyond their residency. We work together with residents to develop personal projects and provide a supportive environment for research and exploration.

Future farmers is:

Daniel Allende is an artist, builder and inventor. He is studying Interdisciplinary Sculpture at the Maryland Institute College Art. Allende’s multifaceted and social-engaging work includes installations, videos, performances, and sculptural objects, often created in collaboration. In 2009, Allende collaborated with Futurefarmers on the Reverse Ark: In the Wake at the Contemporary Museum, Baltimore, Maryland and on the People's Roulette for the Shenzhen Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture.

Amy Franceschini is a pollinator who creates formats for exchange and production that question and challenge the social, cultural and environmental systems that surround her. An overarching theme in her work is a perceived conflict between humans and nature. Her projects reveal the ways that local politics are affected by globalization. In 1995, Amy founded Futurefarmers, an international collective of artists. In 2004, Amy co-founded Free Soil, an international collective of artists, activists, researchers, and gardeners who work together to propose alternatives to the social, political and environmental organization of space. Free Soil has exhibited internationally and received funding from the Danish Arts Council, and Zero One, San Jose to create temporary public art projects. Amy’s solo and collaborative work have been exhibited internationally at ZKM, Whitney Museum, the New York Museum of Modern Art and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco. She received her BFA from San Francisco State University and her MFA from Stanford University. Amy is a professor of Art + Architecture at the University of San Francisco and a visiting artist at California College of the Arts Fine Arts Graduate program.

Sasha Merg is a programmer and developer working from Hamburg, Germany. Sasha has been working with Futurefarmers since 1999. He has developed online games and his most recent personal project is a visualization tool.

Josh On is an interaction designer. He joined Futurefarmers in 1998 as an AIR, from the Royal College of Art in London. Together with Futurefarmers he created a series of interactive mapping systems and games; The Anti War Game, Communiculture and They Rule.

Working in many media Stijn Schiffeleers reveals the subtleties of life via film, video and interactive installations. His work embodies a sense of play and sensitivity that reminds us to take a closer look at what surrounds us. Stijn lives and works in San Francisco.

Michael Swaine is an inventor and designer working in many media. He is the analog anchor of the studio. Michael has collaborated with Futurefarmers since 1997. Michael is dedicated to working in the community, Swaine's "Reap What You Sew" Generosity Project involved him pushing an old fashioned ice cream style cart on wheels with a treadle-operated sewing machine on it through the streets of San Francisco. Currently, Michael is teaching at California College of the Arts.