Neomaterialism is a blog run by Joshua Simon, curator and writer and a 2011-2013 Vera List Center Fellow at the New School, who is researching expanded notions of Thingness.


The aim of this blog is to examine the order of things today. How come symbols behave like materials (“fake” and “real” brands)? Why have commodities become the historical subject (we furnish our world with IKEA or rather we dwell in its world)? Are humans reduced to simply absorbing surpluses (baby diapers are a form of child labor)? How labor has shifted from production to consumption? Why is everything we do work (even when we are not employed) and how can a generation overqualified for the labor market can change everything?


The blog will host source materials and documents, together with commentary and analysis.

Selected projects by New School students will be posted on the blog.


Re-introducing different notions of materialism into the already established conversation on the subjectivity of things, Neomaterialism continues the investigation which the new-materialists have begun, relating it to labor, debt, credit, animisim and alienation, life-taxes and social organization.


Working towards a book Neomaterialism (forthcoming in 2012 from Sternberg Press), the blog also operates as an ongoing archive for references and sources. On the U.S. launch of the book in fall 2012, a series of object “stagings” is organized by the Vera List Center encircling various neomaterialist notions of Thingness.

Optimundus, the new show by Jos de Gruyter and Harals Thys 

at M HKA closed yesterday.

In January 2014 it will be shown in Kunsthalle Wien.

B. Wurtz and Triple Canopy
History Works April 14 – 25, 2013
Opening reception:Sunday, April 14, 6–8 p.m.
Screening at 155 Freeman Streetof Wurtz’s early film work and discussion with Josh Tonsfeldt and Hannah Whitaker: Wednesday, April 17, 155 Freeman St., 7-9 p.m.
See also
and also
Saturday 4/20/2013

surplus; film; fetish; display; Unreadymade;

B. Wurtz and Triple Canopy

History Works 
April 14 – 25, 2013

Opening reception:
Sunday, April 14, 6–8 p.m.

Screening at 155 Freeman Street
of Wurtz’s early film work and discussion with Josh Tonsfeldt and Hannah Whitaker: 
Wednesday, April 17, 155 Freeman St., 7-9 p.m.

See also

and also

Mark Rappaport on The Secret Life of Objectsfrom Rouge, issue 13, April 2009
Saturday 2/9/2013

fetish; garbage; film; surplus; unreadymade; display;

Mark Rappaport on The Secret Life of Objects

from Rouge, issue 13, April 2009

TruEYE surView 
with works by Anne de Vries (NL) and Yngve Holen (NO),
curated by Katja Novitskova at W139, Amsterdam (16.06.2011-21.08.2011) as part of her ongoing project Post Internet Survival Guide.
Tuesday 1/31/2012

artists; display; exhibitions; fetish;

TruEYE surView 

with works by Anne de Vries (NL) and Yngve Holen (NO),

curated by Katja Novitskova at W139, Amsterdam (16.06.2011-21.08.2011) as part of her ongoing project Post Internet Survival Guide.

First part of Neomaterialism text from e-flux journal no. 20

Neomaterialism is a blog run by Joshua Simon, curator and writer and a 2011-2013 Vera List Center Fellow, who is researching expanded notions of Thingness as part of his fellowship. 

The aim of this blog is to examine the order of things today. How come symbols behave like materials (“fake” and “real” brands)? Why have commodities become the historical subject (we furnish our world with IKEA or rather we dwell in its world)? Are humans reduced to simply absorbing surpluses (baby diapers are a form of child labor)? How labor has shifted from production to consumption? Why is everything we do work (even when we are not employed) and how can a generation overqualified for the labor market can change everything?

The blog will host source materials and documents, together with commentary and analysis. Selected projects by New School students will be posted on the blog.

Re-introducing different notions of materialism into the already established conversation on the subjectivity of things, Neomaterialism continues the investigation which the new-materialists have begun, relating it to labor, debt, credit, animisim and alienation, life-taxes and social organization. 

Working towards a book Neomaterialism (forthcoming in 2012 from Sternberg Press), the blog also operates as an ongoing archive for references and sources. On the U.S. launch of the book in fall 2012, a series of object “stagings” is organized by the Vera List Center encircling various neomaterialist notions of Thingness.

Image: Kim Jong Il looking at a sewing machine 

see more here