The vision that has been cycling around me is that of a virtual makerspace. I am taking this mooc as a way to develop and explore this idea, piggy backing on the wonderful energy that the others in the mooc are exuding, eager to share and learn.Through my own experiences in 'makerspaces', and I use this name very broadly, I have wondered about accessibility and equity. I observe both that it tends to attract people who would not normally be interested in making and connections to STEM subjects, yet excludes them because of physical access. I started thinking about what a virtual makerspace would be, and how it could be universally accessible.
Here is the info on this image:
K7.6 THE RETURN OF HEPHAISTOS
Museum Collection: (not known where), Berlin, Germany
Catalogue Number: Berlin F2273
Beazley Archive Number: 201595
Ware: Attic Red Figure
Shape: Kylix
Painter: Attributed to the Ambrosios Painter
Date: ca 525 BC
Period: Archaic
This god's connection to Aphrodite, his parthenogenesis and his crippled and ugly appearance, seem to suggest something more universal in his aspect of creator. It makes sense to me that in the ancient world people who were different or challenged in some way, would not be going off to war, or the fields farming-- but likely they would be making.
Although a powerful masculine figure, not all cultures identified these characteristics as exclusively male. For example in Celtic mythology the aspects of creation and fire are feminine, the goddess is named,
"BRIGIT (Breet) / BRID (Breed) / BRIG / BRIGID / BRIGHID ((Ireland, Wales, Spain, France)) *goddess*" Associated with Imbloc. Goddess of fire, fertility, the hearth, all feminine arts and crafts and martial arts. Healing, physicians, agriculture, inspiration, learning, poetry, divination, prophecy, smithcraft, animal husbandry, love, witchcraft, occult knowledge.
or,
"SCATHACH / SCOTA/ SCATHA ((Ireland)) *Goddess*
The shadowy one. Goddess in the destroyer aspect. A warrior woman and prophetess who lived in Albion (Scotland), probably on the Isle of Skye and taught the martial arts. Patroness of blacksmiths, healing, magick, prophecy, martials arts."
In Chinese mythology, "Nüwa is a goddess in ancient Chinese mythology best known for creating mankind and repairing the wall of heaven. "Nüwa used yellow clay to make people. But the clay was not strong enough so she put ropes into the clay to make the bodies erect."
I found this very interesting video about making and the disabled by Meryl Apel transcribed here on the HASTAC site entitled Making Space in the Makerspace: Building a Mixed-Ability Maker Culture.