LINK 2024 Conference Proceedings

LINK 2024 Conference Proceedings: Cross-Cultural Practice-Led Research in the Global South

Marcos Mortensen Steagall — 2024-11-01

The LINK 2024 Conference on Practice-Led Research and the Global South brings together artistic, Indigenous, and practice-oriented research that engages with cultural, environmental, and societal challenges from a Global South perspective. Structured into four sessions, the conference proceedings showcase diverse methodologies, cultural insights, and creative practices that address pressing contemporary issues.

In the first session, Māori scholars from Aotearoa present work rooted in Indigenous research that focuses on resilience, identity, and cultural reconnection. Hinematau McNeill discusses preserving Māori traditions in contemporary design, while Kat Freeman and Sonia Mehana explore sustainability in Māori burial sites and funeral practices. Toiroa Williams honors Whakatōhea heritage through multimedia art, and Tangaroa Paroa celebrates takatāpui identity through poi art. Uenuku Jefferies reclaims traditional Māori tattooing, and Wiremu Tipuna discusses intergenerational knowledge transmission. Jenni Hohepa-Tupu examines the impact of transracial adoption on cultural origins, and Robert Pouwhare re-envisions Māori narratives for today. These presentations emphasize the role of Māori research in strengthening cultural identity and community.

Session two includes New Zealand researchers who delve into storytelling, environmental responsibility, and sensory engagement in art. Welby Ings traces the development of practice-oriented PhDs in New Zealand, while Tatiana Tavares integrates cultural storytelling with augmented reality. Marcos Steagall explores photography's spiritual dimension, and Cecelia Faumuina infuses Oceanic values into contemporary art. David van Vliet raises ecological awareness through lens-based art, and Jason Kennedy offers an animation framework for performance. Joseph Michael addresses inherited trauma through multimedia, while Cherise Cheung, James Smith, and Summer Shan explore themes of diaspora, pluralism, and exile. Contributions in this session highlight environmental awareness, cultural storytelling, and inclusive design.

The third session shifts to Brazilian researchers who examine design's educational, sustainable, and social roles. Guilherme Tadeu de Godoy reflects on Brazil's countercultural design of the 1970s, and Daniel Grizante de Andrade discusses animation in museums. Claudia Alquezar Facca emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration in engineering education, and Felipe Guimarães de Oliveira addresses sustainable textile practices. Miriam Lona proposes a reflective model for digital design education. This session underscores Brazil’s commitment to sustainable design, collaborative learning, and social impact.

Session four includes Chilean and Aotearoa researchers exploring place, heritage, and Indigenous design. Michèle Wilkomirsky synthesizes four decades of South American design, while Jaime Reyes and Nicolás Piérola use creative documentation and drawing as research methods. Iván Ivelic examines Indigenous values in urban planning, and Claudia Aravena Abughosh addresses transculturation in Santiago’s Palestinian community. Alvaro Mercado discusses Chile's socio-environmental issues from desalination. Scholars Tatiana Tavares, Toiroa Williams, Jason Kennedy, James Smith, Qianying Li, and Joseph Michael contribute insights on cultural heritage and socially engaged design.

Collectively, LINK 2024 fosters cross-cultural collaboration and mutual support, advancing research that addresses social and cultural issues across the Global South. Through these diverse practice-led methodologies, the conference strengthens global understanding and appreciation for different perspectives in art and design research.

Genesis

Welby Ings — 2024-10-04

The doctorate has an eight-hundred-year history (Nobel, 1994). However, the first Doctor of Philosophy was not awarded in an English university until 1920. In New Zealand, after its abolishment in 1926, the Ph.D. was reintroduced in 1944 (Ings, 2014). The country’s first practice-led artistic Ph.D. was not awarded until 2005. This thesis, ‘Talking Pictures’ (Ings, 2005), considered ways in which narrative music videos maintain attention durability over multiple screenings. The project was significant because at the time, short film was moving beyond the confines of the cinema and was accessible on DVDs or recently launched video sharing websites like Vimeo and YouTube. Because these locations allowed for multiple viewings of the same film, the study proposed alternative methods of narration that might extend a short film’s durability and complexity. The thesis was presented in three parts: The Oscar-qualifying short film ‘boy’ (Ings, 2005), an exhibition of props and sets created for the narrative, and a 100,000 word exegesis. As New Zealand’s first practice-led Ph.D., the study required a redesign of policies and procedures related practice-led, artistic doctorates; including the nature of entry criteria, requirements for confirmation of candidature, peer review and examination. The address accompanying this poster unpacks these issues, considering how their redesign enabled the development of subsequent practice-led theses.

Saints of Paradox: Integrating Cultural and Storytelling Concepts in an Interactive Digital Narrative

Tatiana Tavares — 2024-10-13

This presentation will discuss a practice-led, artistic research project that explores the potential of an interactive digital narrative to examine the boundaries between reality and imagination within the framework of Realismo Maravilhoso. The practical project, Saints of Paradox, is designed as a printed picture book that can be expanded using AR (Augmented Reality) technology. The structure of the book enables readers to explore different versions of a narrative as presented by three distinct syncretic narrators, or saints. These saints reinterpret the story through alterations in the illustrative content and monologue. The artistic artefact is conceived as a series of pictorial sets in potentia. When the pages are scanned with a mobile device, animated characters appear within a illustrated world, accompanied by a cinematic soundscape. Methodologically, this research is grounded in an artistic research paradigm that supports a heuristic approach for idea discovery and refinement. The research draws on both tacit and explicit knowledge in the development of the fictional narrative, its structure, and stylistic elements. The process involves three interrelated methods: designer’s journals, iterative assembly, overviewing and testing, and the strategic application of feedback. This project contributes to the practice of polyvocal and dialogic storytelling, fostering the creation of a culturally distinctive, transcultural narrative text. It also expands the possibilities of interactivity and immersion within a sequential, print-based narrative.

Immersive Photography: Exploring Spiritual and Embodied Dimensions Beyond Cognition

Marcos Mortensen Steagall — 2024-10-13

This study introduces a practice-led, artistic research project that explores the question: What considerations are necessary when photographing land to convey an immersive, embodied, and spiritually-attuned connection between the self and the subject? The study suggests that embodiment transcends cognitive and physical realms, engaging with a ‘living essence’ that can be interpreted as a form of spiritual knowledge. When a photographer connects with the land on this deeper level, the process becomes a communion between the ‘essence of the living self’ and the ‘essence of the living earth,’ fostering a profound connection. The research employs heuristic inquiry to support a dialectical approach to problem-solving, where practical experience generates new, practically relevant insights. The research process is thoroughly documented in a reflective field journal, incorporating images, poetic writing, technical data, and critical analysis. This multifaceted approach facilitates reflection on the state of immersion experienced by the photographer and the outcomes that arise from it. By exploring the concept of ‘Immersive Photography,’ this research contributes to ongoing discussions about how photographers engage with the land. It proposes and critically assesses this concept as both a methodological and conceptual framework, offering fresh perspectives on the relationship between the photographer, the land, and the spiritual aspects of this interaction. The study seeks to enrich the dialogue surrounding the artistic practice of photography, particularly in the context of embodied engagement with the natural environment.

A Practice-led inquiry led by an Oceanic Artistic Research Paradigm

Cecelia Faumuina — 2024-10-13

This presentation explores a practice led PhD project that investigates the role of Oceanic values and ways of knowing and being to inform faiva (creative practice / performance), which aims to engage, create mafana (warmth) and malie (harmony) to make manifest ‘asi (the presence of the unseen) in the artistic expression of Oceanic youth. In 1993, Wolfgramm identified ‘asi as a crucial element in the climax of faiva, reflecting a spirit that energises and gives agency to artistic work. This research examines what occurs when young Oceanic individuals collaborate creatively, using cultural heritage values to create meaningful faiva, and how this process of collaboration may activate ‘asi both before and after the peak of performance. The study is underpinned by two key bodies of work. The first, a co-created project named Lila, involved a team of research participants who combined their talents to develop and present a contemporary faiva in 2019. This case study is complemented by interviews with contemporary Oceanic youth leaders, who offer insights into the phenomenon of ‘asi and its role in artistic practice. The second body of work, FAIVA | FAI VĀ, represents the researcher’s personal synthesis and reflection on ‘asi. This contemporary faiva integrates spoken word poetry, sound, drawing, video design, and performance to explore autobiographical themes and poetic expressions. By interweaving these elements, the researcher reflects on the nature and agency of ‘asi within the creative process. Through these works, the research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of ‘asi and its potential to resource creativity and foster a sense of belonging in the development and performance of contemporary faiva among Oceanic youth.

The dying lake: Waikare and the embodied artist

David Van-Vliet — 2024-10-13

This presentation discusses a practice-led PhD thesis that considers how artistic action in a heavily polluted, localised environment might lead to an experience and expression of embodiment. Accordingly, the research question asks: How might lens-based recording serve in communicating an embodied connection to land? The research investigates alternative ways of considering value from embodied localised engagement with the land. In adopting this position, the study considers the Anthropocene as inseparable from cognition and shifts its focus from global, political mobilisation, to embodied relationality (Ingold, 2021). The project, that is currently 18 months into development, explores the subjective relationship between the practitioner and his environment, where an intrinsic connection is actioned between knowing and doing. This perspective aligns with the concept of ‘situated cognition’ where knowledge is inherently located within the context of activity (Brown et al., 1989). The presentation uses composited photographic images, and moving image sequences of Lake Waikare, to consider the nature of duration (Bergson, 1957) and an intimate connection with a single site. Methodologically, the project constitutes a heuristic inquiry that utilises a subjective, iterative, reflective approach to problem-solving. The significance of the study lies in its contribution to existing discourses surrounding how embodied experiences of land (interpreted through multi-mediatic approaches) can be used to elevate the intimate and the visceral and negotiate a narrative of experience that considers processes of disconnection, destruction, and reconnection.

Animation-Directed Embodied Performance Technique (ADEPT): A Framework for Creating Better Animation Video Reference

Jason Kennedy — 2024-10-13

Across animation curricula at academic institutions, there is no unified or industry-recognised framework for developing students’ performance skills, whether through observation or direct experience. Performance for animation remains a niche subject; while there exist some useful explications for how acting training can apply to animators, how animators engage with animation reference is less understood. Unfortunately, many animation educators either do not recognise the value of embodied techniques when teaching animation reference, or they are unable to implement such techniques. As a result, the current educational environment produces more technically capable animators than graduates with robust performance skills. This research describes the narratological and performance utility of an embodied performance framework for teaching character animation. This framework is based on practice-led enquiries within the domains of acting, animation, tertiary education, and studio-based production. Drawing on the researcher’s experience as an actor and animator, this framework seeks to resolve a number of underexplored questions:

What challenges will animators face when engaging in embodied performance practice?
Which styles of performance are accessible and safe for animators without prior experience?
How may animators overcome reluctance to engage with embodied practice?
Which embodied performance strategies are likely to yield more useful animation information?
Do certain types of performance experience provide different benefits to animators?
How to best extrapolate pose and performance information from video reference?

These questions serve as a starting point in the development of the Animation-Directed Embodied Performance Technique framework (ADEPT), which integrates performance traditions from Michael Chekhov and Rudolf Laban. This framework promotes nuanced physical and expressive strategies when producing animation reference. Particularly, these strategies are intimately framed to correspond with the narrative requirements at every point within a story. An embodied pedagogy reinforces the importance of narrative appeal in animation to captivate audiences and promote empathy through believable character performance.

The Sea Within: Navigating Transcendental Healing and Transgenerational Grief Through Encounters with Humpback Whales

Joseph Michael — 2024-10-13

This practice-oriented artistic project, undertaken as part of a Master of Philosophy, aims to explore how transgenerational grief and healing can be conveyed through the profound experience of diving with humpback whales, presented within multimedia installations. The project investigates the potential of these installations to act as a medium for translating the transcendental experience of whale diving, using sensory data to express and possibly heal traumas passed down through ancestral narratives. Transgenerational grief, a concept referring to the transmission of trauma across generations, often appears in families that have faced significant historical upheavals. For me, this journey of exploration and healing began with my grandmother's escape from World War II in Europe, an event that has deeply impacted my family's history and sense of identity. This project is a conscious effort to reconnect with my whakapapa (genealogical lineage), allowing me to rediscover ancestral stories and acknowledge the dislocation and suffering experienced by my forebears. By engaging with these narratives, I aim to honour their resilience and weave their legacy into my contemporary identity. The research follows a practice-led methodology, encompassing stages such as planning, embodiment, immersion, sensory data gathering, and installation prototyping. This methodological approach not only enhances the understanding of how transcendental experiences, such as diving with humpback whales, can be expressed artistically but also explores their potential as a tool for emotional and psychological healing. The project provides a fresh perspective on the intersection of art, healing, and identity integration, offering valuable insights to the broader discourse on the role of art in processing and conveying cultural and familial legacies.

The Melancholic Traveller

Cherise Cheung — 2024-10-12

The project, 忘歸 (The Melancholic Traveller), is a travelogue crafted using 龍鱗裝 (dragon scale binding), integrating cyanotype illustrations, poetry, and bilingual text in English and Chinese. This work explores the essence of nostalgia and the fluid concept of 家鄉 (homeland) for the Chinese diaspora, reflecting on a distinct Chinese world through artistic and poetic expressions. Created during a six-week field study in Guangdong and Macau, the project documents the experience of being confined by COVID-19 lockdowns. The travelogue captures an intimate, constrained world that gradually expanded as restrictions lifted. The title, 忘歸, meaning to forget and to return, evokes the melancholy and fragility of nostalgia, drawing on the concept of 熬路 (Ao Liu), which suggests a suspension in time. Nostalgia is depicted as a bridge between cultures, blending Western cyanotype aesthetics with Eastern dragon scale binding. The use of rice paper and traditional bookbinding techniques, combined with cyanotype printing, creates a unique cultural synthesis that merges traditional Chinese craftsmanship with contemporary artistic practices. The project connects 懷舊藝術(nostalgic Chinese art) with modern interpretations of traditional crafts, aiming to evoke a deep sense of home, identity, and belonging for diasporic Chinese readers. It seeks to resonate with those who have experienced the displacement and longing inherent in the diasporic journey, offering a contemplative space to explore the intersection of memory, culture, and identity.

Multiperspective Convergence in Transmedia Storytelling: A Practice-Led Exploration of Interactive Narratives

James Smith — 2024-10-13

This practice-oriented design research project seeks to explore the question: How might the creative use of multiperspective transmedia storytelling and interactive media foster convergence? In an era marked by increasing polarisation and partisan politics within contemporary society, it is crucial to investigate how media can promote multiplicity. This PhD research examines how transmedia narratives, as conceptualised by Jenkins (2006) and Murray (2012), can be utilised to create stories that encapsulate a diversity of voices and perspectives. The primary goal of this project is to understand how technology-driven storytelling techniques can facilitate the coexistence of varied narratives. The research holds both ecological and cultural significance, beginning with a Pōhutukawa (myrtle) tree in Central Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand, which serves as the focal point of inquiry. The project explores and represents multiple narratives centred around this tree, using it as a metaphor for the potential of storytelling to promote multiperspectivity. The methodological approach is practice-oriented, with the design researcher employing methods such as prototyping, lens-based media processes like photogrammetry, and filmmaking to gather data and create diverse narrative experiences about the site. This research makes a significant contribution to the fields of transmedia design and interactive narrative studies by demonstrating how transmedia narratives can be crafted to convey stories that integrate multiple perspectives, thus fostering a media environment that embraces diversity and multiplicity.

Wanderer: An aisthetic inquiry into the experience of exile.

Summer Shan — 2024-10-13

This practice-led, artistic research project asks: If a sensory designer draws on a historical literary convention of the羁旅 (exile), how might she create fictional artefacts that speak to the experience of loss and disorientation experienced by a Chinese student studying overseas? The project tells the story of Jiang Xiazheng, and her experience of exile when living as a Chinese student overseas. At the center of the study is a fictional 旅行皮箱 (suitcase-portmanteau) that constitutes a repository of ephemera. This suitcase operates as a form of narrative portrait. Each artefact inside it is a fictional design (including the student’s passport, official documents, and assignments she submitted for assessment). In composite these relate a story of estrangement and eventual triumph. Jiang Xiazheng’s background narrative is available in a small bound notebook (on the shelf). On the table beside the suitcase is her final degree project. The suitcase has two layers. Please feel free to unpack and examine each artefact and return it to its original position. When you read, touch, smell and feel the objects, they will speak of an extraordinary experience in the language of aisthetic (sensory) design.

Dreams of a Solo Traveller

Qiainyin Li — 2024-10-12

Dreams of a Solo Traveller constitutes a positive rethinking of the Chinese derogatory concept of 剩女(the Leftover Woman). Leftover Women is used to define unmarried, urban, professional single women over the age of 27. In this study, the term is used to describe women who, forsaking conventional expectations of marriage, consciously make alternative choices about their future. The research draws on personal experience and existing literature relating to familial and cultural expectations that many young, contemporary Chinese women must navigate. The discursive relationship between poetry and painting is articulately captured in the Chinese term 诗中有画/画中有诗 ‘painting in poetry and poetry in painting’. 诗中有画 ‘painting in poetry’ refers to the pictorial vividness of a poetic work, and 画中有诗 ‘poetry in painting’, refers to the poetic and aesthetic content of a painting. Poetry and painting here refers to an ancient Chinese practice of combining literary and pictorial form in an intrinsic relationship. The study draws on this relationship to create contemporary design expressions of a social phenomenon. Using silk as a material substrate, the project explores the potentials of poetry, calligraphy, fabric design, illustration and printing to rethink existing conventions of gender expectation and culturally mandated marriage. Formatted on draped, silk ‘sheets’, seven poems created by the researcher update the Chinese principle of ‘painting in poetry and poetry in painting’ as contemporary visual communication design practice. The works are accompanied by a catalogue that provides translations of each poem (into English) and a brief explanation of each work.

AI as praxis: artificial intelligence as a method in practice-led research for art and design PhD students.

Hossei Najafi — 2024-10-12

This paper examines the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a methodological tool in practice-led PhD research, emphasizing its capacity to expand creative possibilities. AI’s generative and iterative capabilities allow PhD students to engage in new forms of creative inquiry, positioning AI not just as a technical tool but as a collaborator in the research process. Through its ability to generate, refine, and adapt creative outputs, AI enables students to explore and experiment with innovative ideas. This research will demonstrate how AI supports the essential cycles of creation and reflection that define practice-led methodologies, allowing students to navigate complex creative challenges with a more dynamic approach. The choice of practice-led research as the framework for this investigation is essential, as it provides the flexibility needed to integrate AI technologies. Practice-led methodologies encourage iterative processes of making, thinking, and re-evaluating, which align perfectly with AI’s evolving nature. Through this interaction, students can further the limits of traditional artistic inquiry, examining new methods of storytelling, design, and artistic creation. Supervisors play a crucial role in mentoring students through this process, guiding them to maintain academic rigor while exploring the creative potential AI offers. The paper will explore case studies where AI has been embedded in practice-led PhD research, demonstrating its transformative effects. By doing so, this research highlights how AI can enhance both the creative process and the academic inquiry, offering a forward-looking framework for integrating AI into practice-led PhD research across creative disciplines.

Designing a Pictogram-Based Visual Language Tool for Self-Determination

Herbert Spencer — 2024-10-12

This presentation focuses on a doctoral research project aimed at developing a pictogram-based visual language system to support individuals with complex communication needs (CCN) in Chile and Aotearoa New Zealand. The project seeks to enhance the self-determination and independence of adults with CCN by creating a universally accessible tool that promotes self-expression. The research employs a practice-based methodology, combining theoretical frameworks in augmentative communication with practical design and testing processes. It builds on existing research, such as the PICTOS project in Chile, which has advanced accessibility in public services through the use of pictograms. This project aims to extend such applications into a cohesive visual language system that enables improved decision-making and autonomy for users with CCN. The research design includes co-creation workshops with stakeholders, iterative prototyping, and extensive field testing to ensure that the tool is responsive to the real-world needs and challenges faced by individuals with CCN. Accessible communication methods, such as easy-to-read documents and visual aids, are integrated into the research process to ensure participant comprehension. The project follows a mixed-methods approach, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate the tool’s effectiveness, with self-determination measured using standardised instruments alongside interviews, testimonials, and focus groups. Funded by a FONDEF IDEA project grant in Chile and supplemented by scholarships, the research contributes to the fields of augmentative communication and visual language systems, with the ultimate goal of improving communication accessibility for underserved populations in both Chile and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Connecting communities: Curatorial approaches in collaborative publication design

Fiona Grieve — 2024-10-13

This practice-oriented design research project investigates the question: What curatorial publishing approach might be applied to the development of a distinctive print-based, multivocal publication that fosters communities and reflects diversity? Publication design conventions are rooted in graphic systems that develop an aesthetic sense of unity, typically overseen by an editor to ensure a consistent visual identity. Over the last 20 years, Threaded Magazine, the site of inquiry, has developed a curatorial and editorial model that fosters dialogue between featured practitioners and their practices, promoting plurality and inclusiveness. However, this approach presents a complex challenge concerning graphic design conventions commonly held by similar editorial products. This project aims to investigate and establish a visual language that can address this dichotomy. The project is contextualised by literature on editorial practice, the curatorial concept in editorship and graphic design practice and citizenship. It employs two distinct methodological frameworks; the first was used for the elaboration of this confirmation of candidature and the second is designed for the production stage of the thesis. The initial framework involves a literature review and the production of a compendium on the landscape of independent publishers in New Zealand, interviews with specialists and the examination of 21 issues of Threaded Magazine. The second framework will employ process visualisation through infographics, prototypes and iterative experimentation, advisory groups, collaboration and co-design. The study contributes to knowledge through a reconsideration of the term curatorial, moving it beyond its association with museum collections to understand its application and meaning in the context of independent magazine publishing that operates within a community-centred framework.

Reviving Ancestral Māori Traditions: Urupā Tautaiao and Modern Adaptations

Hinematau McNeill — 2024-10-12

Supported by the Marsden Fund Council, with Government funding managed by the Royal Society Te Apārangi, this research on urupā tautaiao (natural burials) is built on a decolonising agenda. It provides a significant opportunity for Māori to re-evaluate, reconnect with, and adapt ancient customs for modern contexts. The primary focus of this design practice is the restoration of graves in the urupā (burial ground) of Ngāti Moko, a hapū (subtribe) of the Tapuika tribe, located on ancestral land in New Zealand's central North Island. To prepare for the gravesite's development, a series of hui a hapū (tribal meetings) were held, fostering community engagement and participation in the research. The project drew on the expertise of oral arts experts, filmmakers, photographers, a master carver, and a master weaver. Positioned among traditional gravestones and using only natural materials, the gravesite is designed to reflect the natural beauty of the environment, enhanced with distinctive Māori cultural motifs. The gravesite incorporates low-maintenance native plants and three pou (traditional carvings) that represent pūrākau (Māori sacred narratives) of life and death, creating a space that honours both cultural heritage and natural beauty. This research contributes to discourses on Indigenous-led sustainable practices, cultural heritage preservation, and the role of design in the reconciliation of traditional knowledge with contemporary environmental needs.

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Sustainability: Māori Youth and Urupā Tautaiao

Kathleen Frewen — 2024-10-12

The shift towards indigenous epistemologies represents one of the most transformative developments in universities over the past three decades and is now gaining significant momentum in Aotearoa New Zealand. This movement is introducing dynamic new perspectives on research and fresh methodologies for its conduct, enhancing awareness of the diverse types of knowledge that indigenous practices can convey. It also offers profound insights into the creative process. Indigenous practices provide alternative ways of knowing and novel approaches to conducting and presenting research. This article examines a particular Māori project within this framework, which aims to challenge indigenous communities to re-evaluate post-colonial practices that have harmed the environment, particularly in the context of death. The project investigates the attitudes of rangatahi (Māori youth) towards reviving ancient Māori death practices and explores how these practices can inform the development of design interventions that counteract colonial mortuary practices. It forms part of a larger research initiative funded by the Marsden Fund of the Royal Society of New Zealand. The project’s outcomes include the design of a modern urupā tautaiao (natural burial) commemoration site, incorporating technology such as tribal social media platforms for death-related matters and GPS mapping of wāhi tapu (sacred sites). Given the sacred nature of death (tapu) to Māori, with its strict ritual observances for spiritual safety, the revitalisation of tribal knowledge is essential. This project highlights the importance of including indigenous youth voices, as they are the stewards of both the planet and its people, contributing to a deeper understanding of research that crosses philosophical, inter-generational, territorial, and community boundaries, enriching cultural studies and creative practice.

The Cost of Dying: A Te Ao Māori Perspective

Sonia Mehana — 2024-10-12

Tangihanga often place significant financial pressure on families (Barlow, 1991; McNeill et al. 2022). According to Māori funeral director Francis Tipene, tangihanga (customary Māori funerals) costs can exceed NZD $8,000, prompting many Māori to reconsider traditional funeral practices (Te Ao Māori News, 2015). The disappearance of tangihanga would be yet another triumph for the colonial project. Cultural significance of tangihanga is the central focus of my research, driving my exploration of the intersection between Māori customs and environmental stewardship. Understanding the evolution of Māori economic development is paramount in comprehending how Māori can effectively participate in this industry. The adaptation of traditional practices, such as the incorporation of Western embalming techniques and conventional burial practices, poses complex challenges that intersect with deeply ingrained Māori values. Modern funeral practices contravene kaitiakitanga (duty of care to the environment). Urupā tautaiao (Māori natural burials) addresses this issue. However, affordability within the context of death is the key driver of my research. By embracing culturally responsive strategies and recognising the complexities of Māori economic resilience, we can support tangihanga sustainability. My presentation adopts a multifaceted approach: first, to understand the costs associated with death from a te ao Māori perspective, and second, to explore the entrepreneurial spirit within Māori communities to identify opportunities for Māori in grassroots businesses.

He uri nō Te Whakatōhea: Navigating Cultural Heritage in the Face of Historical Injustice

Toiroa Williams — 2024-10-13

He uri nō Te Whakatōhea, which translates to, I am a descendant of Te Whakatōhea is a presentation that sheds light on a historical injustice that affected generations of indigenous Māori descendants from the Te Whakatōhea tribe, situated on the east coast of New Zealand. This presentation not only acknowledges the cultural significance of Mokomoko, a prominent Whakatōhea chief but as a seventh-generation grandchild of Mokomoko, it also serves as a celebration of rich cultural heritage. Through the mediums of photography, music, poetry, and traditional lament, we come together to honour the sacred connections between family, land, and the historical injustices endured by our community. This approach aims to amplify the voices and narratives that shape our collective identity as a people. Understanding our past is crucial for navigating our future. By delving into our whakapapa, genealogical lineage, it connects us to our ancestors. This exploration provides invaluable insights that guide our path toward a future imbued with purpose and resilience. The wisdom and endurance of those who came before us serve as a guiding light, illuminating our journey ahead and reminding us of the importance of acknowledging their struggles. He uri nō Te Whakatōhea, serves as a platform for redefining indigenous representation and engaging with documentary installations. Representing both the contemporary and ancient facets of our identity. It symbolises a meaningful projection into the present and the future, shaping discourse surrounding justice advocacy and reconciliation. This aligns with the recent settlement (2024) between our tribe Te Whakatōhea and the New Zealand Government, further underscoring the significance of our work in contributing to healing and societal progress.

Rere atu taku poi: the artform that allows for true identity and expression

Tangaroa Paora — 2024-10-13

Over the past 30 years, poi has been a significant tool in Kapa Haka (Māori performing arts) where women have used the poi to demostrate beauty, grace and femininity. However, poi and its influence on the artform has made its way back into the world of Kapa Haka recognising the divine creativity that Māori men bring to this aspect of performance. Despite very few male’s performing poi on competitive stages such as Ngā Kapa Haka Tuarua o Aotearoa (Secondary National competition) or Te Matatini (Senior Kapa Haka National competition), we are seeing more male’s perform poi in general. This now traces back to the origin point of poi being used traditionally by men as a training tool to prepare for combat to now being in contemporary times, where it is used to express ones authentic self. Tāne Māori who are recognised as poi experts identify or connect with the idea of being takatāpui. This article discusses the journey of reclamation of an artform that originates itself in the notion of the masculinity to now being revolutionised to the expression of femininity and in turn creates the idea of irarere an artform that merges both the masculine and feminine being through expression of poi. For some, poi can be a space to freely show who you are, connected to through cultural expression and affirming in idenitiy. It is through poi performance that takatāpui are able to perform in such a way that blurs this binary idea of male and female, of masculine and feminine, of gender and sexuality, of performing and being. This allows for the exploration of the unknown and gives way to those who choose to forge a new path in performative expression. Carrying on from Paora (2023) doctoral study on the artistic reconsideraiton of gender role differentiation that gives voice to takatāpui identity, this discussion seeks to affirm that poi as a traditional training tool or contemporary artform is the space for takatāpui to explore themselves and how they express their true authentic being.

He tamaiti nā Tangaroa, He Ahuahu o Mataora: Documenting Puhoro

Uenukuterangihoka Jefferies — 2024-10-13

He Tamaiti nā Tangaroa, He Ahuahu o Mataora: Documenting Puhoro is a video documentary that revisits pūrākau to convey pre-colonial cultural ceremonies, experiences, and traditions through a distinctive form of Māori documentary-making. This practice-led research project explores the question: How might a filmmaker approach the recording of a traditional puhoro by drawing on traditional pūrākau? The thesis aims to reclaim, document, and preserve a traditional Māori tattoo art form, which, while deeply connected to whakapapa, whenua (land), and moana (ocean), also serves as a mark of honour in traditional Polynesian society. Situated within the Kaupapa Māori research paradigm, the study focuses on two key aspects. Firstly, it examines the culturally significant journey of the researcher receiving a puhoro (Māori tattoo) through traditional methods, paying tribute to the Māori traditions and stories embedded in this rite. Secondly, it artistically investigates how pūrākau can guide contemporary documentary-making in the recording and presentation of indigenous narratives. The research is significant for its dual focus. It documents the reclamation of the Māori practice of puhoro as an intrinsic part of traditional tā moko, including the revitalisation of tohi rituals (dedication to the gods) and karakia tawhito (pre-colonial chants). Additionally, it reinterprets pūrākau as a culturally anchored method of inquiry and documentation, contributing to the discourse on distinctive Māori filmmaking approaches. Though rooted in Māori traditions, the documentary’s universal themes of identity, tradition, and personal growth will resonate with a global audience interested in indigenous cultures, rites of passage, and personal transformation.

Ngā Mātāpuna me ngā Tikanga I tuku iho I te ao Māori – Māori principles of Inter-generational knowledge transmission

Wiremu Tipuna — 2024-10-12

This presentation examines the critical role of tikanga (protocols and practices) and Mātāpuna (values) in the transmission of knowledge across generations within Māori communities. Key practices, such as whakawhanaungatanga (relationship building) and pepeha (a formal introduction model), serve as essential mechanisms for embedding and passing on cultural knowledge. A pepeha, far beyond a mere introduction, provides a detailed narrative of the individual’s connections to the whenua (land), maunga (mountains), moana (lakes), awa (rivers), and tai ao (environment), framing personal identity within a broader ancestral and geographical context. Whakawhanaungatanga plays a pivotal role in strengthening these relationships, particularly through engagement in traditional practices such as toitoi tuna, toi tuna, and hī tuna (eel fishing). These activities are significant not only for their cultural and environmental engagement but also as a means of reinforcing collective memory and continuity within the whānau (family) and community. Additionally, this presentation highlights the importance of waiata Māori (Māori songs) as a powerful vehicle for intergenerational knowledge transmission. Waiata carries embedded cultural values and narratives, linking individuals to their heritage, environment, and spiritual beliefs. By examining the use of waiata as a method for conveying cultural knowledge, this presentation will offer insights into the broader role of tikanga and Mātāpuna in maintaining and sustaining Māori knowledge systems. In doing so, the presentation aims to shed light on how these traditional practices and values continue to shape and preserve Māori identity and knowledge across generations.

Transracial Adoption: How this practice embraces or deracinates our origins

Jenni Hohepa-Tupu — 2024-11-01

This is about whakapapa and the quest for whakapapa, a line of descent from one’s indigenous ancestry. I have experienced many aspects of child welfare having been transracially adopted, committed to care of the State and then fostered. I am of Māori and Pacific descent and have sought all my life for connections to an indigenous identity. This has not been an easy journey, hindered by restrictions of access to information about my biological families. My doctoral studies have aided this in bringing to the fore conversations about adoption and facing the difficulties of finding details about ancestry. State decision makers placed many Māori children into the care of non-Māori under closed adoption, oblivious to the importance of whakapapa with an adopted identity that had no placement with whakapapa or indigeneity. Connecting to culture and indigenous ways with the security of a cultural identity, should not be the sole task of an adoptee, nor one that is faced alone. Being transracially adopted and facing an identity journey with limited support is an emotional nightmare whereas consideration of how indigeneity can be reached in the healing and identity-wellbeing of our family’s should be included. Consideration of the differences between the traditional Māori practice of lore in caring for children within families, with the contrasting adoption practice where legal processes are laden with systemic and historic inequities. Consideration for our descendants is very important as it is our responsibility to ensure they are able to be grounded in culture and identity. This work seeks to continue healing for transracially adopted people and to advocate for authority to be returned to our own people for the care, welfare and the raising of our descendants.

Manga Rosa Group and Alienarte Magazine: dialogues between editorial design and experimental art

Guilherme Tadeu de Godoy — 2024-10-12

This presentation is part of a doctoral thesis that carries out an investigative analysis of the first two editions of Alienarte magazine (1978 and 1979) and the dialogues that emerge from their analysis between graphic design and experimental visual arts, focusing on the work of the Manga Rosa group. The conceptualisations of what can be identified as a magazine editorial product were described, accompanied by a panoramic mapping of the production of editorial products prior to the 1970s. The aim is to identify a connection that brings the production of Alienarte magazines closer to the context of alternative magazine production in the 1970s, those on the margins of the Brazilian dictatorship. Throughout the analysis of the two editions, the following items were observed: the magazine's graphic design, construction grid, typographic choice and printing methods, binding and methods of monitored experimentation. The investigation seeks to understand the mechanisms of visual production - the design and articulated visual elements - of each of the magazines, as well as the historical-cultural chain that Brazilian visual arts and design experienced during this period. This approach understands that the field of editorial design is capable of promoting dialogues with the field of experimental art, making it possible to bring these two practices together. Finally, this is a work that contributes to studies of the history of Brazilian design and art, in the sense that it looks at a group of contemporary and relevant artists, but still little referenced: the Manga Rosa group.

Immaterial Collections, Ephemeral Exhibitions: animations in exhibition design

Daniel Grizante de Andrade — 2024-10-12

The research is about the use of animations in the design of exhibitions in intangible-themed museums, which are seen as spectacular and are becoming increasingly popular nowadays. Animation, a language that has always been close to the universe of children, media manifestations, entertainment and fantasy, comes up against the museum, an institution with social authority, centred on its concern with reality and the historical document. The collision between these two worlds gave rise to this research. It starts by investigating the museum universe, with a view to technological use and the relationship between the museum, society, entertainment, leisure and education. The culture of design is brought into the discussion and how it is linked to the design of exhibitions relating to intangible heritage. Exposure design is brought into tension with the experiences and strategies of fruition and creation in cinema and television. The concepts of immateriality and ephemerality are also explored. It also explores the concept of animation and the interface between reality and fantasy, looking at differences and similarities in relation to live action cinema and the existence of documentary and educational animations. Animation is understood within the culture of design, with practices and uses in the media universe, coming to the conclusion that its main contemporary characteristic is experimentation. It concludes with an analysis of two museums in São Paulo: the São Paulo State Immigration Museum and the Portuguese Language Museum, observing, based on the concepts studied, the uses given to animations in the exhibition design projects of the two institutions.

Design thinking in engineering education: Fab Lab as a transversal space

Claudia Alquezar Facca — 2024-10-12

This study investigates the interactions between Design and Engineering, two areas that, in addition to going beyond their traditional boundaries, dialogue with other disciplines in search of innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. Focussing on the inclusion of Design teaching in Engineering courses, it uses the Design Thinking methodology as a strategic tool and the Fab Lab as a space for collaborative creation. Design is approached as a multidisciplinary element that can integrate and transcend disciplines, especially when applied to design practice, contributing to the training of engineers capable of developing innovative products and services. The exploratory research, based on a bibliographic and documentary review, built a theoretical framework that relates the ideas of great educators - such as Dewey, Montessori, Piaget, Papert and Perrenoud - to current trends in higher education. These trends include the teaching of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) and STEAM (with the inclusion of the Arts), active learning strategies based on projects and maker education, which encourages creative practice. Two case studies were carried out to analyse the integration of design in engineering education. The first study took place at the Mauá Institute of Technology in São Paulo and analysed the application of Design Thinking in introductory engineering subjects. The second was conducted at the University of Porto, in Portugal, and examined the interaction between Environmental Engineering and Product Design students. In both cases, a great potential for collaboration between the areas was observed, as well as the students' positive receptiveness to the new model.

Management teaching in digital design courses

Miriam Therezinha Lona — 2024-10-12

This paper, presented for the Doctorate in Design at Anhembi Morumbi University, investigates how management is taught in Digital Design courses and offers a proposal for reflective management teaching. In order to achieve this objective, we sought to understand, from a theoretical perspective, the evolution of design from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day; the value of design management at operational, tactical and strategic levels and reflective teaching according to John Dewey, Donald Schön and Paulo Freire. Given their nature, design management courses are more objective and directive, restricting their content to aspects related to administration. Therefore, the aim of this work is to broaden the scope of the research by allowing the construction of multiple case studies of the Digital Design courses at PUC-Campinas and Anhembi Morumbi University. In order to make these discussions possible, this research was designed through a literature review, exploratory field research and a Multiple Case Study (carried out with coordinators and teachers from two higher education courses in São Paulo). The results obtained made it possible to analyse how management is taught and to construct case studies. It is considered that, due to their training in design, proposals for reflective management teaching through reflective practice are closer to the designer's universe, and thus allow students more autonomy in enabling actions that also include creative daring.

Paradoxical Realities: Embodying cultural and storytelling concepts in an Interactive Digital Narrative

Tatiana Tavares — 2024-10-12

This presentation outlines a practice-led, artistic research project that asks: What is the potential of an interactive digital narrative in exploring the interplay between story elements to examine the boundaries between reality and imagination within the framework of Realismo Maravilhoso? The design outcome, Saints of Paradox, is designed as a printed picture book that can be expanded through the use of AR (Augmented Reality) technology. The book’s structure allows for the reading of different versions of a narrative as presented by three distinctive syncretic narrators, or saints. These saints are syncretic and they interpret a story through changes in illustrative content and monologue. The artistic artefact is formatted as a series of pictorial sets in potentia. Upon scanning the pages with a mobile device, animated characters emerge within a illustrated world, accompanied by cinematic soundscapes. Methodologically, this research emanates from an artistic research paradigm that supports a heuristic approach to the discovery and refinement of ideas. Thus, the research draws upon both tacit and explicit knowledge in the development of a fictional narrative, its structure, and stylistic treatments. Three interrelated methods are used: designer’s journals, iterative assembly, overviewing and testing, and the strategic use of feedback. The project contributes to polyvocality and dialogical storytelling and aids in the creation of a distinctive transcultural narrative text through practice. It expands the possibilities of interactivity and immersion within a sequential, print-based narrative.

He uri nō Te Whakatōhea: Exploring Cultural Heritage and Historical Injustice

Toiroa Williams — 2024-10-12

He uri nō Te Whakatōhea is a presentation that sheds light on a historical injustice that affected generations of Māori descendants from the Te Whakatōhea tribe, situated on the east coast of Aotearoa New Zealand. This presentation acknowledges the cultural significance of Mokomoko, a prominent Whakatōhea chief, through an account from a seventh-generation grandchild, serving as a celebration of cultural heritage. Through the mediums of photography, music, poetry, and traditional lament, the project honours the sacred connections between family, land, and the historical injustices endured by the community. This approach aims to amplify the voices and narratives that shape the collective identity of the people. By exploring the researcher’s whakapapa, which refers to the genealogical lineage that connects to the ancestors, the study provides insights that guide the path toward a future imbued with purpose and resilience. The wisdom and endurance of those who came before serve as a guiding light, illuminating the journey ahead and reminding us of the importance of acknowledging their struggles. He uri nō Te Whakatōhea serves as a platform for redefining indigenous representation and engaging with documentary installations. Representing both the contemporary and ancient facets of identity, it symbolises a projection into the present and the future, shaping discourse surrounding justice advocacy and reconciliation. This project is considered within the context of the recent settlement (2024) between Te Whakatōhea and the New Zealand Government, further underscoring its significance in contributing to healing and societal progress.

Muscular headband or sexual display? A practice-oriented case-study for producing scientifically informed palaeoart of Palaeoloxodon namadicus sinhaleyus

Jason Kennedy — 2024-10-12

Sri Lanka (SL) is home to a diverse array of extinct megafauna endemic to the island, many of which are only known from fossils excavated in the early- and mid-Twentieth Century. Palaeoart is a powerful means to influence public awareness about prehistoric life, but there are few visual reconstructions of these species. This research elucidates the 3D animation design process of a new palaeoart reconstruction of Palaeoloxodon namadicus sinhaleyus. While the fossil record of the gigantic straight-tusked elephant P. namadicus is well-represented within the Indian subcontinent, the only known evidence of a Lankan P. namadicus is a small range of fossils discovered within the Sabaragamuwa Basin. When describing these fossils, palaeontologist P.E.P. Deraniyagala believed they were sufficiently smaller in size to classify as a Lankan subspecies. Deraniyagala was also an artist and rendered the first reconstructions of P. namadicus sinhaleyus. These illustrations convey the general appearance but lack refined details. Of particular note is Deraniyagala’s reconstruction of the parieto-occipital crest (POC), a stand-out feature of Palaeoloxodontinae. Deraniyagala relied on evidence from the forma typica for the POC, which he interpreted as a bony protuberance covered in skin, muscle, and fat. It was hypothesised the POC was a sexual display feature and Deraniyagala’s reconstruction reflects this understanding, remaining the only authoritative reconstruction of P. namadicus sinhaleyus for nearly seventy years. This research details the methods of digital reconstruction used to update the 3D visualisation of P. namadicus sinhaleyus as a slightly smaller version of P. namadicus. Importantly, these illustrations update the POC to reflect the hypothesis that the bony prominence served as a site of dorsal neck muscle attachment to provide support for the massive cranial bulk. Through meaningful scientific and artistic consultation, the extraneous muscular details of Deraniyagala’s reconstruction are reimagined with more harmonious, design-directed form and function.

Multiperspectivity and Convergence in Transmedia Storytelling: A Practice-Oriented Exploration of Interactive Narratives

James Smith — 2024-10-12

This practice-oriented design research project looks to explore the question: how might the creative use of multiperspective transmedia storytelling and interactive media foster convergence? In a context of increasing polarisation and partisan politics within contemporary society, it is essential to explore how media can foster multiplicity. This PhD research investigates how transmedia narratives, as conceptualised by Jenkins (2006) and Murray (2012), can be employed to create stories that encapsulate a multiplicity of voices and perspectives. The primary aim of this project is to understand how technology-driven storytelling methods can enable the coexistence of diverse narratives. This research has both ecological and cultural significance, taking as its point of departure a Pōhutukawa (myrtle) tree in Central Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand, which serves as the site of inquiry. The project explores and represents different narratives centred around this tree, utilising the tree itself as a metaphor for the potential of storytelling to foster multiperspectivity. The methodological approach is practice-oriented research, with the design researcher employing methods such as prototyping, lens-based media processes like photogrammetry, and filmmaking to gather data and create diverse narrative experiences about the site. This research contributes to the fields of transmedia design and interactive narrative studies by demonstrating how transmedia narratives can be designed to convey stories that integrate different perspectives, thus fostering a media environment that embraces multiplicity.

Dreams of a Solo Traveller: Exploring Cultural Identity and Gender Roles Through Silk and Poetic Visual Communication

Qiainyin Li — 2024-10-12

Dreams of a Solo Traveller offers a reimagined perspective on the Chinese term 剩女 (Shèngnǚ or "Leftover Woman"), a label often applied to unmarried, urban professional women over the age of 27. In this research, the term is reframed to represent women who, rather than adhering to traditional marital expectations, deliberately pursue alternative paths for their future. The study is informed by personal experiences as well as literature on the familial and societal pressures faced by many young Chinese women today. A central concept in the research is the discursive interplay between poetry and painting, encapsulated in the Chinese expression 诗中有画/画中有诗 (‘painting in poetry and poetry in painting’). 诗中有画 refers to the vivid imagery found in poetry, while 画中有诗 reflects the poetic essence within painting. This ancient Chinese practice of blending literary and visual art forms is a key influence on the study, which uses this relationship to express contemporary social issues through design. The project explores how poetry, calligraphy, fabric design, illustration, and printing—utilized on silk—can challenge and reimagine societal gender expectations. Seven original poems, presented on draped silk, bring a modern interpretation to the concept of ‘painting in poetry and poetry in painting,’ applied in a visual communication design context. Each work is accompanied by a catalogue that includes English translations of the poems and concise explanations of each piece.

The Sea Within: Exploring Transcendental Experiences of Healing While Swimming with Humpback Whales and Transgenerational Grief.

Joseph Michael — 2024-10-12

This practice-oriented artistic project, undertaken as part of a Master of Philosophy, seeks to explore how transgenerational grief and healing can be articulated through the profound experience of diving with humpback whales, presented within multimedia installations. The project examines the potential of these installations to serve as a medium for translating the transcendental experience of whale diving, using sensory data to convey and potentially heal traumas inherited through ancestral narratives. Transgenerational grief, a concept that refers to the transmission of trauma across generations, often manifests in families who have endured significant historical upheavals. For me, this journey of exploration and healing began with my grandmother's escape from World War II in Europe, an event that has deeply influenced my family's history and sense of identity. This project represents a deliberate effort to reconnect with my whakapapa (genealogical lineage), allowing me to rediscover ancestral stories and acknowledge the dislocation and suffering my forebears experienced. By engaging with these narratives, I aim to honour their resilience and integrate their legacy into my contemporary identity. The research employs a practice-led methodology, encompassing stages of planning, embodiment, immersion, sensory data gathering, and installation prototyping. This methodological approach not only deepens the understanding of how transcendental experiences, such as diving with humpback whales, can be expressed artistically but also explores their potential as a tool for emotional and psychological healing. The project offers a novel perspective on the intersection of art, healing, and identity integration, contributing valuable insights to the broader discourse on the role of art in processing and transmitting cultural and familial legacies.

Immersive Photography: Exploring Realms Beyond Cognition and Physicality

Marcos Mortensen Steagall — 2024-10-12

This study presents a practice-led, artistic research project that asks the question: What considerations must be taken into account when photographing land to convey an immersive, embodied, and spiritually-attuned connection between the self and what is captured? The study posits that embodiment extends beyond cognitive and physical realms, engaging with a ‘living essence’ that can be broadly interpreted as spiritual knowledge. When a photographer interacts with the land on this deeper level, the process transforms into a communion between the ‘essence of the living self’ and the ‘essence of the living earth,’ creating a profound connection. The study employs heuristic inquiry to facilitate a dialectical approach to problem-solving, where practical experience leads to new insights with tangible relevance. The research process is documented in a reflective field journal, incorporating images, poetic writing, technical data, and critical analysis. This multifaceted approach allows for a reflection on the state of immersion experienced by the photographer and the resulting outcomes. By examining the process of ‘Immersive Photography,’ this research contributes to current discussions on how photographers engage with the land. It proposes and critically evaluates this concept as both a methodological and conceptual framework, offering new perspectives on the relationship between the photographer, the land, and the spiritual dimensions of this interaction. This study aims to contribute to the dialogue surrounding the artistic practice of photography, especially in the context of embodied engagement with the environment.

Reflections on design work practice in travesia

Michèle Wilkomirsky — 2024-10-12

After years of joint experiences with Dr. Arturo Chicano and in the context of the celebration of 40 years of Travesías through the continent of our school, it is necessary to make a theoretical reflection about the dimensions covered in 9 works of design made in different parts of South America, in which both artistic and pedagogical aspects intersect to give shape to a formal purpose that is often ephemeral. In this conference we will present five questions that we have defined as pillars on which the practice of artistic design outside the classroom is based. Recognising that in the beginning, 40 years ago, the questions of extension were architectural, today these questions need to be answered from the nature of Design, in Travesías, given the maturity of the discipline. The questions are the following:

To place, to found or to remain? We ask ourselves about the work that is placed or founded and that which remains or is transitory.
Why is the economy of the work fundamental to design?
Place or Place-ness? Relationship between the place of crossing and all its related geographical possibilities.
Meaning: explain the poetic origin of each crossing and the questions we ask ourselves on each occasion of the crossing regarding the meaning of the form.
Pedagogical dimension: explores the experience of the voyage and its role in the formation of students as well as teachers. Is it possible to sustain them?

These questions are not necessarily presented in a logical hierarchy, as each experience emphasises one or other aspect of the journey.

Notebooks and Journals: A Creative and Academic Legacy at the PUCV School of Architecture and Design

Jaime Reye — 2024-10-12

This work explores the rich tradition of notebooks and journals developed by the faculty of the School of Architecture and Design at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV) from 1952 to the present. These notebooks represent a unique record of the creative, academic, and everyday processes of the teaching community, forming a living archive that documents their thoughts, works, and lives. The life and work notebooks of architects and designers such as Miguel Eyquem, Fabio Cruz, Manuel Casanueva, and José Balcells, among others, are not merely tools for documentation but dynamic entities that reflect the unfolding of thought, artistic creation, and philosophical reflection. In addition to their fundamental role in shaping new generations, these notebooks reveal a way of life that merges art, poetry, architecture, and design, offering valuable insights at both academic and cultural levels. This study examines how these practices, which seem to be fading in the face of digitization, still provide a rich and multidimensional methodology for student training and the construction of the cultural identity of PUCV.

Drawing as a research tool.

Nicolás Piérola — 2024-10-12

Every drawing we see or make reveals something about the world. It can tell us about a moment, a time, a history, as much as about who created it and how we observe what surrounds us. Drawing is as innate as seeing, because both mature in tandem with the development of our minds. Without drawing, that is, without understanding the images as such (what makes them different from what we observe and at the same time, what makes them similar), we would hardly develop the ability to read or write, as the connections we establish through drawing are essential for those processes. Seeing something is an immediate and automatic process. Seeing something deeply requires time, it requires awareness of what is seen. In other words, drawing requires temporality, giving oneself a moment. From our childhood it demands it and can do so until the end of our lives. As Arnheim says, ‘all perception is also thinking, all reasoning is also intuition, all observation is also invention’. Drawing, in this way, becomes a transformative practice regardless of the field in which it is directed. To give a few examples: Richard Feynman, the famous physicist, took drawing workshops with models for years in order to convey complex concepts in diagrams that were as simplified as possible; Sylvia Plath found in drawing a means of expression that complemented her writing: as her hand moved across the paper, her mind opened up to new poetic possibilities. Always in tension with the other spheres of knowledge, but also always in continuous interaction, drawing makes it possible to connect that which is not always evident: it makes visible that which does not appear in a first reflection, because it is an extension of the reflective process.

Learning from Participatory Design Practices With Urban Indigenous Communities In Chile And Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Iván Ivelic — 2024-10-12

Co-housing and communal living are gaining increasing attention worldwide as they offer significant social and environmental benefits. Historically, most Indigenous communities worldwide have lived in communal dwellings with intergenerational ties, shared resources, and deep connections to the land and nature. However, many of these populations have been displaced from their ancestral lands and communities and now live in homes and neighborhoods that do not reflect their values, traditions, and worldviews. In recent decades, increasing efforts have been to recover these original values and translate them into contemporary community housing through participatory design processes. There is little literature that examines contemporary housing co-designed with Indigenous communities from an international perspective. This article presents the results of research conducted in New Zealand and Chile on participatory practices in the co-design of collective housing with Indigenous communities, based on a literature review and interviews with the designers of one of the emblematic cases in Chile where Indigenous values have been integrated into social housing through co-design processes with the intercultural community that inhabits it.

Palestine Project

Claudia Aravena Abughosh — 2024-10-12

Proyecto Palestina is a body of work that includes the video installations Beitjala and Greetings from Palestina, as well as the video Out of Place. For Aravena, whose father is Chilean and whose mother is Palestinian, the double filiation emerges as the matrix of his work. Beitjala consists of three video projections mounted in the windows of a textile shop located in the busy Patronato, an old Arab-Palestinian neighbourhood in Santiago. The installation in the public space addresses the socio-cultural context of Chile, seeking a creative confrontation with the theme of dislocation, cultural mobility and issues of transculturation. The foundational gesture of the return to the origin: Beitjala and Palestine, makes visible the re-territorialisation of a culture, which has established itself in a place distant from its origins. Greetings from Palestine is based on a dynamic of souvenirs that is brought into a precarious situation and then parodied. An image of a Bethlehem street blocked by a wall is projected onto a wall. The intervened landscape operates as an error and outliner that defines possible and impossible concepts, that enable and avoid. The strategy of the installation involves a confrontation of the gaze of the stranger with this ‘error’. Out of Place promotes an intense exploration of representation and territory, of questions of memory and identity. Aravena's gazes are divided between personal experience and historical and political questions, which broadens the field of meaning of the images, the artist multiplies her points of view using sophisticated language games.

On Tracing Extractive Urbanism Nexus in Chile’s Norte Chico

Alvaro Mercado — 2024-10-12

In Chile, a new cycle of extractive urbanization is rapidly unfolding, creating complex material and immaterial entanglements between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Central to this transformation is the desalination of seawater, which is pumped up from the coast to the mountains, an operation that significantly reshapes both seascapes and landscapes. Although these changes remain largely invisible across terrestrial and maritime environments, they are propelled by the paradigm of the blue economy and sustainability discourses. These narratives, while advocating for economic and environmental balance, also ignite ecopolitical controversies concerning the exploitation and dispossession of critical resources such as minerals, freshwater, and seawater. This research traces the intricate network of actors and actants involved in the desalination process, which connects the coastal town of Los Vilos with the mining industry in the Andes of the Coquimbo Region. By examining these connections, the study offers an exploration of multi-scale and multi-species representations that are crucial for analysing and envisioning the future development of the operational architecture and infrastructure of extractivism. This infrastructure is not only altering the physical landscapes and seascapes of Norte Chico but is also raising important questions about the socio-environmental impact of such extractive practices. The contribution aims to provide insights into how these developments are reshaping the region and influencing broader discussions on sustainability and resource management.