Reflecting on Christine Sun Kim
This is an uplifting film about Christine, that reveals a wonderfully empowering story about a person who despite the challenges facing her, has found a way to communicate to people through her work and immersive ethereal creative practice. Stating ‘Feeling like her voice was being suffocated’ Christine’s explorations into sound and how she experiences it has given her the opportunity to communicate to others through her work. ‘Reclaim sound as her property’ is a positive and poignant statement that brings Christine ownership of something that she used to think was owned by those not impaired by a hearing disability. Christine reveals how through her work and experimentations that she is taking ownership of what she used to think was owned by others.
The opening of the film shows Christine, collecting field recordings in a New York Street. My immediate assumption about this recording was based on my own experiences with sound and the capturing of it. The film shows otherwise, and how Christine has reinterpreted what sound is to her through her experimentations with the subject. A moment to reflect upon and remind myself to watch and / or experience before making a comment or informing a judgement.
I teach on several Graphic Design and Graphic Design Communication courses at UAL. Working with themes such as communication to an audience or consumer, age demographic of the user, defining a target audience, tone of voice and appropriate use of visual language. Some of these themes Christine also reflects upon when discussing her ‘mission’ and ‘audience’.
In unit planning at Chelsea where I lead units 5 and 6, over the past few years I have been working towards increasing the visibility of the language, disability, and academic teams into the teaching spaces. The aim is to help connect the cohort more clearly to these available services that are often overlooked unless in an absolute emergency. For the 23—24 academic year these teams will take part in workshops that will be delivered as part of the unit structure and delivery.
I would like to share this film with the student cohorts that I work with. A useful and valuable resource about a person living with a hidden disability that can be discussed and reflected upon by the students.
Reading further on this subject listed on the Shades of Noir website, I am interested in the following provocations and how they can be included in unit delivery and presentations:
• What role does education play in the inclusivity of disabled people?
• How can we authentically highlight the experiences of disabled people of colour within mainstream disability culture?
• How can we better decolonise disability studies?
References Shades of Noir: www.shadesofnoir.org.uk/content/disabled-people-the-voice-of-many/ Shades of Noir: www.shadesofnoir.org.uk/journals/disabled-people-the-voice-of-the-many/ Nowness Film: www.vimeo.com/31083172
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Reflecting on UAL Disability Service Webpages
On first entering the webpage (Disability and Dyslexia), clicking through the menu on the right on the top banner, I was struck by the amount of writing and information displayed within these pages. The rigour and structure of the UAL branding and typography could be softened by the addition of secondary colours and a more considered use of integrated illustrations, descriptive icons and most importantly a reduction of the text count. This would help improve the UX for those who will be accessing the available information or using the pages regularly. Humanising the visual and written assets in support of key information would help create a more inclusive digital environment.
For example, there has been an increased use of art and design within hospitals, particularly within children’s wards. Using bold shapes and colours, designer Morag Mysercough was commissioned to design the children’s wards interiors at a hospital in Sheffield. The use of colour can have a profound effect on emotions and the human condition. A similar approach could help with the overall visual language of these web pages rather than sticking rigidly to the branding system. Or the branding system can be retro fitted to accommodate new suggestions whilst considering the needs of those with disabilities.
At unit briefings I include an array of information and contact details for the support teams. On reflection I should sperate this information out to clearly define what the different areas of support are, such as disability, language, academic rather than grouping them together. The visibility of this information can be made clearer on Moodle and positioned at the top of the unit Moodle page.
References UAL Web Pages: www.arts.ac.uk/students/student-services/disability-and-dyslexia Sheffield Hospital: www.moragmyerscough.com/commissions/sheffield-hospital-bedrooms
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Reflecting on Vilissa Thompson: Confronting the Whitewashing of Disability
Vilissa shares her own lived experiences to benefit others and open a dialogue about being a black woman with a disability, something that has been grossly neglected within the mainstream media. Reading the article, I am thinking about how people of colour with disabilities are unrepresented within the press, or you could argue that there is no representation at all within the press. Her championing of an inclusive safe space in which to discuss her experiences with others like her is clearly explained on a human scale.
Her use of the hashtag and social media is astute, using the platform to directly connect with others like her and to raise awareness. Calling for an increased intersectional understanding of disability and race, Vilissa has opened an overdue conversation, helping many who feel marginalised and alone.
It makes me wonder, if this hashtag was launched today, how would it be received on the toxic present-day iteration of twitter. This article has been incredibly insightful and informing for me, I will consider this article when I next work on unit planning and how the disability service is presented to the student cohort. Disability like life is not just one colour.
Based in Packham Levels, Trifle Studio’s output is created by artists and designers with learning disabilities. The first multidisciplinary design studio of its kind in the United Kingdom. Their intersectional team is raises much needed disability awareness and identification for other disabled creatives who would like to work within a design studio. The roster of designers on their website speaks for itself.
At UAL Chelsea, I am .6 Senior Lecturer on the Graphic Design Communication course, where I also organise and curate the professional practice talks. I will be inviting Trifle into Chelsea to give a talk in the Autumn term of the forthcoming academic year.
We value people first and foremost in their creative practice. We are ambitious and believe anything is possible. This reflects our commitment to equity and the ‘human rights and social models of disability’ which identify that people are disabled by barriers, attitudes and structures in society and have the same rights as everyone else.
www.triflestudio.com/how-we-work
References Huff Post: www.huffpost.com/entry/confronting-the-whitewash_b_10574994?guccounter=1 What does a truly accessible future look like? www.itsnicethat.com/features/forward-thinking-what-does-a-truly-accessible-future-look-like-creative-industry-040123 Trifle www.triflestudio.com
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