Macrame Accounting: History of Book Keeping with Ropes
What am I looking at? This is a material representation of the evolution of devices
The first part of this piece has “quipu knots”. Quipus were devices that Incas created to keep record of their numbers in a decimal system, like a textile abacus.
The next part of the piece represents double-entry bookkeeping.
Then computer systems with a fake visa card to represent tokenization.
Finally, multiple knots to represent future technologies and its complexity.
There is one last element: a chain that comes across the whole piece. The first part is very tight, then it becomes a bit loose, and finally it’s wide open.
Why ropes? Many ancient civilizations like China, Egypt and the Incas in South America used knots as the device and representation of numbers.
Why is this relevant? With the evolution of devices, technology is not only a network anymore. It’s an actor with its own agency, constantly shaping the way we work and relate to each other. As designers, we keep relying on technology to solve 21st century’s problems. With this material representation, my aim was to reflect on the following questions:
Who are we designing for?
Are the artifacts that we design enabling inclusion or exclusion?