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For the past year, as the School of Design, we have taken a Futurity approach to anticipating the future of a design school. To do this, we have taken time to understand and learn from our historic past, which has influenced our present, enabling us to shape our future. The projects on show in this special issue are an edited collection from the School of Design Postgraduate Show 2024, and embrace the idea of looking ahead with a positive mindset to consider future possibilities, and developments. These have been completed in a variety of contexts, that has required foresight, and a focus on future events and conditions resulting in thoughtful outcomes. Central to this are the themes of Ethics, Making, Community and Culture. These have been at heart of our design conversations and have stimulated proposals and narratives that have explored who we are, how we got here and where we are going next.
“Açaí: Decolonising Narratives” was inspired by the concepts of ontology and coloniality explored by Arturo Escobarand the pressing need to discuss the effects of Eurocentrism. This exhibition delves into the lives of Mizael, Gabriel, and Luan, who live in a remote community where açaí is their crucial source of income, entangled with a strong succession concept, traditions and a deep connection to the forest. It also addresses how Eurocentric media often villainises these communities instead of questioning the system they are forced to navigate. Through this narrative, the project challenges viewers to reconsider the stories imposed on marginalised cultures.
Escobar, A. (2018) Design for the Pluriverse. Radical Interdependence, Autonomy and the Making of Worlds. Duke University Press.
Mock-up of the exhibition developed on Photoshop illustrating the display with photos, a TV for the video and the two bowls made of terracotta clay.
Sacred Conformity
A bowl bisque fired and glazed, shaped in a very traditional form, representing the Western way to eat açaí. Very sophisticated and delicate, almost luxurious
Contours of resilience
A bow bisque fired and glazed representing the traditional way to eat açaí. The bowl is in a very deformed shape to represent external forces, a hand squish it. And in the background a palm tree leaf that create the colour of the Brazil flag with the bowl.
Açaí: Decolonising Narratives
The TV with the video displayed. It’s my documentary developed based on extensive research and interviews with people from this remote community in Brazil.
Keywords: Illustration, Community, Worldbuilding, Storytelling, Mental Health
My project explores ideas of place and narrative through its imagined landscapes and characters. Inspired by Biblical stories of wandering and miracle, I take further inspiration from Southern Gothic by playing on the similarities between lunar and desert landscapes in their isolating yet cosmic qualities, as well as from the eschatological realms of Dante’s Inferno and Milton’s Paradise Lost. Interpreting these influences through the contemporary lens of video game-style storytelling, the project challenges a linear journey towards belonging or salvation, instead navigating abstract landscapes which visualize experiences of anxiety and disassociation. Ultimately, I aim to contrast these darker mental health themes with surreal moments of miracle and escape, drawing the viewer into each monochromatic illustration through the central ‘pilgrim’ character. The project is also a response to the increasingly algorithm-driven nature of our online spaces; I experiment with visual noise to both build and disrupt my imagined world.
Alighieri, D. (1321) Dante’s Inferno
Haraway, D. (1985) ‘A Cyborg Manifesto’.
de Saint-Exupéry, Antoine. (1943) The Little Prince
Pilgrim, Digitally edited pen drawing
The Promised Land, Digitally edited pen drawing
Help! My heart is on fire, Digitally edited pen drawing
Touch Intelligence is an innovative music creation tool that combines physical interaction with artificial intelligence. This project represents a shift in the concept of making, as it enables a new mode of co-creation between humans and AI. In this system, part of the music creation process is controlled by the user through physical inputs, while the other part is driven by AI, which generates personalized compositions in real-time based on these inputs. This new way of making lowers the barrier to entry for music creation, allowing people without professional music training to participate. By democratizing the creative process, Touch Intelligence makes making more inclusive and diverse, giving more individuals the opportunity to express themselves through music. The collaborative nature of this approach also raises important ethical questions about authorship and control, as part of the creation is relinquished to AI. However, this shift also ensures that making becomes more accessible and equitable, allowing a wider range of voices to contribute to the creative landscape.
Deruty, E., Grachten, M., Lattner, S., Nistal, J. and Aouameur, C., 2022. On the development and practice of ai technology for contemporary popular music production. Transactions of the International Society for Music Information Retrieval, 5(1), pp.35-50.
Wang, D., Churchill, E., Maes, P., Fan, X., Shneiderman, B., Shi, Y. and Wang, Q., 2020, April. From human-human collaboration to Human-AI collaboration: Designing AI systems that can work together with people. In Extended abstracts of the 2020 CHI conference on human factors in computing systems (pp. 1-6).
This project brings to light the decline of traditional handloom weaving in India by incorporating handwoven fabrics into modern interiors, preserving and promoting this cultural heritage. The first design element is a training facility that promotes community engagement and knowledge transfer by providing hands-on experience in live projects led by the expertise of master weavers, ensuring that this traditional skill will continue to live in the next generation. The second element is an Interactive public installation design that explores weaving as an architectural element. By combining traditional weaving with modern technology such as capacitive sensors, this element revives and expands the practice into multidisciplinary fields. The bespoke fabric wall panels designed for insulation and as a wall decor, are the third element. The Interactive installation and bespoke wall panels celebrate the rich heritage, skill, and cultural significance of handloom weaving, promoting its individuality and authenticity in contrast to mass-produced alternatives, thereby strengthening community identity and cultural continuity.
Kamra, S. (2022). Indian Handloom – An Interesting Tale of Indian Handloom. [online] itokri. Available at: https://itokri.com/blogs/craft-masala-by-itokri/the-great-indian-story-of-handloom#:~:text=Handloom%20weaving%20is%20an%20age [Accessed 15 Sep. 2024].
Kriti Saraswat-Satpathy (2023). The historic Lal Dera from the Mughal era gets a contemporary iteration at the AD Design Show 2023. [online] Architectural Digest India. Available at: https://www.architecturaldigest.in/story/the-historic-lal-dera-from-the-mughal-era-gets-a-contemporary-iteration-at-the-ad-design-show-2023/ [Accessed 15 Sep. 2024].
Tate (2024). Do Ho Suh Born 1962. [online] Tate. Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/do-ho-suh-12799 [Accessed 6 Aug. 2024].
Interwoven – Makeshift Façade, Recycled Building Materials
Keywords: Futurity, Culture, Illustration, Visual Metaphor, 3D Objects
Echoes in the Shells explores the fragility and ephemerality of life through a series of clay and ceramic 3D objects as visual metaphors. The project draws inspiration from Lakoff and Johnson’s famous book Metaphors We Live By, as well as Joseph Kosuth’s work One and Three Chairs, and Joseph Cornell’s poetic boxes, reflecting on the cultural constructs and metaphors that shape our understanding of the world. By working with fragile materials like ceramics, eggshells and oyster shells, the project emphasizes the impermanence of human and animal existence, at the same time considering how cultural narratives around life, death, and relationships are built on metaphorical frameworks. In terms of futurity, the project discusses how fixed cultural metaphors might evolve and change with time as there are more and more uncertainties in the future. It invites audiences to consider the roles that metaphors play in shaping the collective culture and visions of the future.
Lakoff, G. and Johnson, M. (1980) Metaphors We Live By. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Museum of Modern Art Joseph Kosuth One and Three Chairs 1965. Available at: https://www.moma.org/collection/works/81435 (Accessed: 27 March 2024).
Royal Academy of Arts (2015) Joseph Cornell Wanderlust. Available at: https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/joseph-cornell (Accessed: 19 September 2024).
The food and dining culture has undergone significant changes in recent years. The traditional concept of sitting down for three meals a day with family, using plates and cutlery, is becoming outdated. We now live in a snack-centric society, where people often find themselves working during the day and relaxing on the couch in the evening. While our eating habits have evolved, the tableware we use has remained largely unchanged. This raises the question: is our current tableware still fit for purpose? My answer is no. In a world driven by stress and pressure, Touchware is designed to encourage a moment of pause and refocus on mindful eating. The organic shape of this three-piece dinnerware set fits comfortably and lightly in your hand, discouraging you from placing it down mid-meal. This design fosters a deeper engagement of all your senses, enhancing awareness and enriching the dining experience. Crafted with intention, Touchware helps you rediscover the joy of eating in a way that aligns with modern life.
“Bishop of Norwich“ (by Kacper Hamilton Studio) Bishop of Norwich (no date) KACPER HAMILTON – Bishop of Norwich. Available at: https://kacperhamilton.com/work/kacper-hamilton-studio-bishop-of-norwich (Accessed: 13 September 2024).
“Crucial Detail “Landscape“-Series (by Martin Kastner) Drift Plate (no date a) Crucial Detail – Drift Plate. Available at: http://w.crucialdetail.com/work/drift_plate.html (Accessed: 13 September 2024).
“Tasting Goûte“ (by Michel/Fabian) Goûte (no date) Michel / Fabian. Available at: https://www.michelfabian.com/pages/goute (Accessed: 13 September 2024).
Touchware. – A set of three. Materials: White Earthenware Casting Slip, Dutch Blue Earthenware Glaze Technologies: Slip casting
Touchware. – The Big One. Materials: White Earthenware Casting Slip, Opal White Botz Pro Glaze Technologies: Slip casting
Touchware. – The Big One. Materials: White Earthenware Casting Slip, Opal White Botz Pro Glaze Technologies: Slip casting
Touchware. – The Small One. Materials: White Earthenware Casting Slip, Opal White Botz Pro Glaze Technologies: Slip casting
Touchware. – The Flat One. Materials: White Earthenware Casting Slip, Opal White Botz Pro Glaze Technologies: Slip casting
MA Product & Furniture Design
Department of 3D Design
Legacy of Resistance, Future of Change: Addressing historical and current struggles rooted in sexually transmitted Infection
The struggle against sexual inequality is longstanding. Historically, women have often been relegated to secondary roles, bearing a disproportionate burden of the consequences of sexual behaviour. This dynamic has perpetuated gender inequalities in health and social standing. Inspired by the Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts, I reflected on the unseen nature of the hero, swallowed by an STI monster and saved by Athena with a Penicillium tree. Sexual inequality often stems from deep-rooted power imbalances and societal norms, requiring both cultural shifts and structural changes in policies and practices. “The Book of STIs,” inspired by the Hunterian Museum, explores the aesthetic beauty of the infections, and whilst highlighting medical advances, reveals how marginalized individuals, particularly women, still face these threats. I used Letterpress printing, which has historically fostered intellectual and cultural revolutions, as a means of advocacy that has challenged the status quo and promoted social change. To ensure accessibility to a broad readership, the book adopted a juxtaposition, presenting both an aesthetic appeal in contrast to the inherent horror of the disease. This collection not only engages readers visually but also underscores the gravity of the subject matter through a harmonious blend of beauty and stark reality.
Hunterian Museum. (2024). Hunterian Museum. Available at: https://hunterianmuseum.org/ (Accessed: 29 September 2024).
Theoi Greek Mythology. (n.d.). Jason & Colchian Dragon – Ancient Greek Vase Painting. Available at: https://www.theoi.com/Gallery/M20.1.html (Accessed: 29 September 2024).
World Health Organization (WHO). (2024). Sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sexually-transmitted-infections-%28stis%29 (Accessed: 29 September 2024).
Book of STI’s, letterpress and linocut on paper, hand bound book
