In summer I had the (amazing) chance to have the time to read different books and authors that helped me create my own criteria through my journey. My main research area had key words such as design, gender, justice, sexism, misogyny and they were all referenced in my essay of Unit 3.
Now, in Unit 4 I’ve found a new perspective into my research, which is the approach of design from the lens of the average body and it’s limitations. I’ve asked help to Tim Arscott, our librarian. He has helped me to narrow my search and gave me a list of articles and books. I’ve also started my own search and these are some of the new articles I’m finding relevant to this fase, considering that I need loads of contextualization material for my evaluative report.
These are some of the main articles and books I’m working with at the moment and a little description of why it’s important to my research.
The Average Man Does Not Exist by Johan Molenbroek
Anthropometry: the study of the measurement of human bodies and ergonomics
Since we had our lesson and tutorial on reflective blogs, I’ve been thinking about how to improve mine, especially considering the importance it has in the creative process and the experience of learning.
My blog had several opportunities of improvement:
There was no guidance, no introduction of why the blog existed.
There were interesting post but they were all over the place and it was quite difficult for the reader to find an specifical onformation
I used pictures or videos but didn’t describe why I was using them and so it seemed random.
There was no context into why yellow and pink? Why is it Carolina, La Latina?
And so, I took on the recommendation of Elizabeth of printing the blogs and re reading them, understanding also how the Learning Objectives relate to my own creative process and the blogs. Printing them was quite useful since allowed me to read them while also making notes of what I thought of them and also was easy to categorise the information I was talking about.
This whole process took me a day and a half. I also had to send an email to the technicians of MyBlog because I was not sure how to make the introduction to always be on the main page and place on the menus the categories of the different units. At the end It was all worth it. Now, I’m sure I have a very functional blog, categorised and thought to be easier for the reader to navigate it.
From reading my blogs I found very interesting how seeing with a different perspective, since now I’m at the edge of the end, I always had so many ideas but a fear to act. I also think I had many personal and deep reflections. During the summer I read so many books, but I didn’t wrote about them, so that’s something I would have done different.
Since the beginning of Unit 4, I’ve had the idea of creating a mirror with the silhouette of an average person, surrounded by data and information on design biases and the issues they create. I shared this concept in my tutorials and with Carolina, the MAAI student who helps with our creativity activities, and she suggested it could even work as an exhibition piece. I thought this mirror could really bring my research to life by allowing people to engage with it directly.
In the picture, my first prototype of what I thought it could be the mirror:
As deadlines approached, I started to panic about actually bringing the idea to reality, realizing I needed to figure out the logistics quickly. I asked Zuleika for help, and she challenged me to think about making the installation more interactive. She asked, “What do you want people to do with this information? How can you give them agency in this subject?”
Later that day, I presented in our Dragon’s Den session. I felt unexpectedly confident, even though I was nervous, since I’ve been discussing this topic all year. Emily, one of the dragons, was especially impressed by the branding for “Flag the Gap,” saying, “Your project is about making the invisible visible.” That completely resonated with me and she even suggested to make another intervention about using red flags in the space, and I think that could be an activity for the exhibition. I saw it as a chance to bring again Flag the gap and that excited me so much!
While reviewing my notes for my reflective journal, I rediscovered a metaphor I’d noted earlier—giving people glasses that allow them to see the red flags we often ignore. This is a random drawing I made after a tutorial and it says “that allows me to identify new realities”.
Concidently, a random post made my bring click: as a millennial, Twilight was a big part of my teenage years, and the simple trick of looking through blue plastic to see a “Twilight world” seemed so smart. Could I create a similar effect for people to see the “red flags” we miss due to lack of awareness?
This led me to explore anaglyph effects, using two colors. I think this concept could work well, but I still need to figure out the practical side. My idea now is to create a room where people can wear glasses or use another device to reveal hidden red flags around them. Here are some referents I found on internet:
Zuleika thought it was a clever direction but pointed out some important aspects to clarify:
Think through the symbolism of using blue and red—how does it tie into my message?
Define a clear call to action.
Make the installation affordable and portable.
Interestingly, I realized that during Unit 1, my first intervention touched on ignorance, referencing the red pill/blue pill choice from The Matrix. It’s funny how things connect in the end.
On October 24, I had the chance to conduct an intervention at Latin American House, where I volunteer as a Project Coordinator Assistant. The session was a posture and confidence icebreaker, discussed and planned with Elizabeth and inspired by the Ted Talk The Power of Posture.
These Community Thursdays or Jueves en comunidad feature activities or information sessions from various organizations. Coincidentally, another UAL student had also organized a session on mapping memories in London, so my icebreaker worked perfectly as a warm-up activity.
I introduced myself, briefly explained my MA research and the reason for discussing posture, and then had everyone stand up, move around, and reflect on their posture. People had a laugh as I asked them to do different movements and then to stay in the “confidence” posture for a couple minutes.
I feel that the exercise was a bit brief and could be expanded in the future. The feedback at the end was very positive: “It was great, really fun,” though I’m not sure how much they’ll apply it in their daily lives. I plan to follow up with participants this week to gather feedback on whether it made a lasting impact.
Maria Victoria, my supervisor, suggested it would be great to do this at the start of the Thursday activities since everyone was left feeling very happy. It’s a great activity, I’m just wondering how related to my research, really.
The idea of creating an intervention together came naturally. I initially reached out to Neelabh because of his experience in fashion design, and he was also keen to explore the concept of identity through his project.
We started with an idea that we developed in this docs, booked the equipment at university, and decided to hold our intervention on Wednsday, October 16. Our plan was to set up in The Street, inviting people to participate.
Easy, right? Not at all!
October 16th of 2024:
When we arrived at uni, we realized it was too bright, making it impossible to photograph silhouettes as planned. Determined to find an alternative space, we searched throughout the building, only to discover it’s quite difficult without a reservation. We finally ended up at the photobooth near the photography studios, experimenting with the lighting we had. It worked somewhat but not as well as we hoped.
We learned we needed more focused lighting, so we booked a specific light from the Loan Store and decided to try again the following Monday, October 21. We printed posters and placed them around uni, hoping people would engage.
21st of October:
That day, we came better prepared, having also reserved a pod at the library. When we arrived, we noticed an open area next to the library that felt more inviting, so we set up there. The setup looked impressive with the frame and lighting working perfectly, but we encountered a new challenge: inviting people in was difficult, and many didn’t want to engage. Everyone was suddenly going late to tutorials. The poster also didn’t attract attention, as it blended into the overwhelming amount of other posters on every wall at CSM.
We managed to take pictures of friends and their friends, but still, others wouldn’t even glance our way. We ended up with 15 pictures, which we counted as a success, though it wasn’t as engaging as we had hoped.
We packed up and decided to try again this week, but I think we need to reframe why we’re asking for people’s silhouettes and consider what we’re offering in return. Those who did engage enjoyed the experience, but the intervention didn’t create a strong impact.
The photos might be useful for our exhibitions, though I’m not yet sure how to integrate them.
I’m certain that if I’d tried this without Neelabh, it wouldn’t have been as successful, as his experience with the equipment was invaluable while I felt a bit lost. I really appreciate him sharing his expertise and teaching me.
There are two interventions coming in the next two weeks:
The unaverage average with Neelabh
This collaboration came through because I reached out to Neelabh to ask him his opinion on my project, since he owns a fashion studio and he makes clothes for his clients, and so, he has experience dealing with standardised clothes. I explained to him were my ideas have came through and told him I had a vision of obtaining peoples silloutes to then play with that information and create some sort of visualisation of the unaverage average. His project is related to AI and the creation of identity and he was very ken on exploring an intervention that could help us both. In that sense, our intervention is going to be held tomorrow ( Wednesday) at The Street and we are going to be for 4 hours taking pictures of people who willingly want to be part of our intervention.
Posture Workshop at Latin American House
Exploring my ideas with my tutor, Elizabeth, we came upon some important realisations during the tutorial of the 09 of October.
We started discussing about how the problem about stadarization and the use of the average borns also from the need of an industrial production in a globalised world, and how instead making clothes that fit people, it becomes a matter of a judgemental perception of bodies. The measurements come imposed into an entire population.
Brainstorming in ideas of how to create an intervention that could help me fill gaps in my research in these few weeks left, I mentioned that in my search for stakeholders and communities I can enhance a conversation, and also for personal reasons, I started volunteering into an organisation called Latin American House, which is a hub for the lit American community in London, where they make several activities designed for these community and their needs. We both found this organisation as a perfect opportunity to make an intervention, especially since Ive got a bit of liberty to propose activities and workshop. As we were talking she mentioned the possibility of joining a repair cafe and helping people modify cloths so they can fit them perfectly to their bodies, bringing the agency back to the people. Analysing that possibility, I said to her that I didn’t want it to become only about the clothes, I wanted to make it about the perception of the bodies and the average. She was quite confrontational and asked me, so, how do you perceive your own body and why? This lead to a conversation bout how coming to London confronted me to being very different to everyone else and how I sometimes felt short. So, Elizabeth suggested making a workshop or activity were we could work with the people that go to the LAH , which are normally migrants, on how to walk with confidence and perceive the space with confidence.
And so, that’s my next intervention that is going to be the next Thursday at 3:oopm when a group of people go to LAH to do any activity that is being suggested by the organization. It’s during a space called Thursdays in community.
I’ve looked for help with Beatriz, a student of MACCC, since she has a background on theatre.
Continuing with my project, I reached again to Sinem Grouch, she is the Cofounder of Feminist Design. I contacted her at the beginning of the year and we had a very interesting conversation about a possible collaboration if my research aligned to the projects they had as an organisation. I reached to her again because I wanted to show her what I accomplished in the summer and maybe restart the conversation of a possible collaboration.
We had the conversation yesterday before class, and it was very brief. I gave her a brief description of my interventions and asked her if she had any feedback or suggestions to my new approach of the project.
She mentioned how she had started a project about the ergonomics and politics of bodies in the office, all about the office posture, what it means in an office space to be professional or informal and the power dynamics behind it. She was open to collaborate but was very clear about how there is no budget for assigning people to it and being honest, she didn’t feel as convincing and reflecting on it, I think it was because I was not very clear either with my intentions of contacting her. I think I used my chance too soon with her or without a clear outline of what I was expecting from her in representation of Feminist Design, and in a way it’s a reflection of what I’m dealing at the moment with my project: there’s still unclarity in a way and still too broad.
Still, I invited her to the festival in December and she seemed keen to, so I hope that’s not a lost opportunity.
As I continue to explore how to improve my research and make the most of the final couple months left, I’m reminded of Richard’s advice: Take ownership of your research. This master’s program is all about reflecting on the why and so, I need to really embrace their principles and ask me those hard questions.
Here’s what I need to focus on:
1. Revisiting and Improving My Blog: I need to re-read my blog and refine it to make it more accessible and easier to navigate. It should clearly reflect my iterations, research, and personal analysis. An introduction is essential to guide readers on what they’ll find in this space. I also need to incorporate presentations, images, and explanations to enrich the content. Elizabeth recommened to print all blog posts and analyze them related to the Learning Outcomes.
2. New Interventions: I need to identify gaps in my research and use the remaining time to implement small interventions that address them. I have a few ideas in mind and might collaborate with Neelabh from the master’s program. With three weeks left, I’ll need to secure materials and space to make this happen.
3. Final Conversations with Stakeholders: I’ve been trying to schedule conversations with the three stakeholders I mentioned earlier, but it’s been challenging to align schedules. I need to ensure these conversations happen soon, and I’ve sent emails today to reconnect.
4. Thinking Ahead to the Festival: What do I want from this festival? It should become a space for people to interact with me, possibly leading to future collaborations. I also see it as an opportunity to find a job aligned with my interests, in spaces like Futuress.
Here we go!
On this image, my personal calendar where I’ll track my adavances in the project.
Casualy looking into and infographics book, I came upon some examples of interventions that look very interesting.
This excersice of visualizing where people feel different emotions and how the move in the body. I find fascinating the idea of overlaping the different drawings so you can have an idea where the “average” is.
2. This referent of a game designed for people to play the role of a desginer understanding the different personas they are designing for. I havent been able to find more about it.
How do the research question and interventions interact? That’s a key question in this process! The research question is the materialization of your inquiry, just like the interventions — they are all interconnected. I can see that now, but I still feel like I have two branches of questions, as I’m uncertain about which direction to take.
My first attempt at a question and the one I finished my Unit 1 was: “How can we help people identify and question designs that reinforce power structures and inequality from a gender perspective?” Which led to FlagTheGap and the collage workshop with Skaped.
After those interventions, my second attempt was: “How can participatory interventions help people, especially women, recognize, question, and challenge normalized gender norms in their everyday environments?” Which led to the idea of making a board game about this, where we placed on a piece of cardboards the red flags of the environment we have normalized. It didn’t develop much after that.
After conversations with Sofía Díaz and Emilia Márquez, my question evolved into: “How can participatory interventions help individuals recognize and challenge invisible gender norms related to the concept of ‘average’ bodies and their impact on daily life?”
But now, reflecting on the interventions I’ve carried out, my biggest insight is that people often struggle to identify these gaps because they are difficult to articulate without prior awareness. The gap is in the gap. Additionally, a recurring theme is how to use this as an opportunity to encourage people to tap into their creative and speculative sides. I’m concerned that the reference to ‘average bodies’ feels a bit disconnected, but it was my attempt to narrow the focus to something more concrete than just gender norms.
As for what’s still pending, I have two or three potential conversations lined up with experts:
Rebecca Ladbury, the communications representative of TimesUpUK, an organization focused on gender violence, (We’ll have the meeting this Friday)
Sinem, the CEO of Feminist Design. I spoke with her at the beginning of my project, and she was very open to collaborating, (She’s back from holiday this week)
Asma, from the East End Women’s Museum, to get her opinion and feedback. (She’ll be back from holiday next week)
My goal is to create a project that could spark interest and potentially be showcased on Futuress, with the hope of eventually collaborating with them.
