The Stone Was Co-opted Rather Than Constructed to Become a Hammer

“To deal with situations of this kind, I chose the term co-option. Thus the stone was co-opted, rather than constructed, to become a hammer. It follows that there are two kinds of making: co-optive and constructive. In co-optive making an already existing object is fitted to a conceptual image of an intended future use, in the mind of a user. In constructive making this procedure is reversed, in that the object is physically remodelled to conform more closely to the pre-existing image. Indeed it seemed that the history of things – of artefacts, architecture and landscapes – could be understood in terms of successive, alternating steps of co-option and construction.” (Ingold, Tim. The Perception of the Environment: Essays on Livelihood, Dwelling and Skill.)

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Type: Poster

Year: 2025