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# Imagining A Post-Capitalist Society with Ton Matton
- URL: https://hyperallergic.com/imagining-a-post-capitalist-society-with-ton-matton/
- Published: 2012-09-12T13:24:26.000Z
- Updated: 2025-11-24T16:45:52.000Z
- Description: Tom Matton is a rare kind of designer and architect who looks past the commercial life of objects to explore the underlying realities of their existence. And like many adventurous creators, he took a chance. His exploration led him far from the life he knew in The Netherlands, and the growing discom
- Author: Hrag Vartanian
- Tags: Announcement, The Avant/Garde Diaries, #wp, #wp-post, #image-position-hidden, #Import 2025-11-24 06:51 (2012, 2013, part 1)

Ton Matton is a rare kind of designer and architect who looks past the commercial life of objects to explore the underlying realities of their existence. And like many adventurous creators, he took a chance.

A decade ago, Matton looked past the stereotypes of communist East Germany to explore what contributed to the strong social fabric that was a hallmark of life in the countryside — an existence tied to social currency rather than money.

His exploration led him far from the life he knew in The Netherlands, and the growing discomfort he had with suburban building practices. He proudly makes no apologies for his thinking that this is the time to challenge the logic of “greedy capitalism,” something that has impacted his work from the beginning.

Matton’s search lead him to the northern region of [Wendorf](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendorf,%5FMecklenburg-Vorpommern?ref=hyperallergic.com), Germany, where he has started experimenting with green energy, plans for climate change, and other ideas. His newfound rural life has revealed a facet of his humanity he was long out of touch with and his enthusiasm is infectious. His [newer work](http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int%5Fsec=11&int%5Fnew=37397&int%5Fmodo=2&ref=hyperallergic.com#.UE6SXaQj68I) is obviously impacted by this new drive and you can feel the potential to come.

“If you don’t have a job in the big city, then you’re a loser,” he says bluntly. In the countryside, he explains, things are different, but you’ll have to watch this latest video from [the Avant/Garde Diaries](http://engine.nectarads.com/redirect/0/9990/25899/0/00000000000000000000000000000000/0/0/45355/0?ref=hyperallergic.com) to hear his wonderful explanation.

![](http://engine.adzerk.net/v/0/25899_9990_20_0/v.gif?r=46513547635468734654354)