Rob Walker: Stories About Objects (And Why They Matter)

UT School of Design and Creative Technologies

Join us for an evening with Rob Walker as he shares captivating tales about everyday objects that hold surprising significance.

The Foundry (Located in the Fine Arts Library)

Creatives on Campus

A speaker series presented by the School of Design and Creative Technologies

*﻿*The first 10 students to arrive will receive a signed copy of Rob Walker's book, <a href="https://hatandbeard.com/collections/books/products/lost-objects-by-joshua-glenn-and-rob-walker?variant=39729872076866" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Lost Objects</a>.**<h2>Stories About Objects (And Why They Matter)</h2>We often pretend that we don’t care about mere “stuff,” but the truth is that we are entranced by certain objects precisely because of the stories they carry. This talk breaks down how and why that works, with lots of specific (and entertaining) examples: from the major categories of object narrative down to the details of the object/story connection and its occasionally irrational power. Whether it’s the tale of an object’s design and creation or its association with a larger narrative (or famous owner), stories are what makes “stuff” matter. Sometimes, as demonstrated by the Significant Objects project Walker created with Joshua Glenn, the story matters more than we might care to admit. <h2>A﻿bout Rob Walker</h2>Rob Walker is a writer and editor focused on design, business, and material culture. A columnist for Fast Company, he is a longtime contributor to The New York Times and has written for scores of other publications. He is the author of the book The Art of Noticing, and its popular spinoff newsletter of the same name, and the co-editor of the book Lost Objects: 50 Stories of the Things We Miss and Why They Matter. He’s on the faculty of the School of Visual Arts’ Products of Design M.F.A. program, and teaches a workshop on writing about objects as part of SVA’s Design Research Summer Intensive program.

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