Monday, March 16, 2020

EXPERIMENTATION LOG — TEXT ANALYSIS 2

*This experiment log was done completely retroactively, but I have tried to explain my aims and decisions independent of the results.*

Aims
What kind of new and/or latent meanings can be drawn from a text through visual methods of research?
How can I show the similarities between these texts in an provoking, insightful way?

Precedents / Context
Focused data mining and exploratory data mining as a design research method for text analysis. (Sadokierski & Sweetapple, 2014)

I was talking to Navira about this exercise and this is her idea. We talked specifically about drawing connections between our texts and she shared how she was going to show this, through cut-outs. As I started doing it, my method diverged in response to my interest in fiction and the playing with words. This method ended up being both focused and exploratory, but perhaps more generative than analytical. 

I was also influenced by various examples on the 'Close and Distant Reading' Pinterest board, particularly ones with cut-out text and using material exploration to create meaning. 


Process / methods

  • Cut the nouns out of both texts, to take out the most evocative/crucial words
  • I then laid the cut-out sheet over the other, whole text, so that the spaces are filled up with different words with a completely different context
  • Did the overlay with the texts switched around too. 
  • I tried different ways of scanning it to bring another layer of materiality into it. The versions below have 2 sheets of tracing paper between each text, but I also tried just one sheet, and also coloured cellophane 
  • I edited and colorised it on Photoshop, attempting to create a clearer distinction between the top and bottom layer, again testing different colours and textural qualities to enhance the strange, hybrid fiction that is created. 


The Cyborg Manifesto (Haraway, 2016/1985), with The Resident (Machado, 2017), underneath. 
The Resident (Machado, 2017), with The Cyborg Manifesto (Haraway, 2016/1985) underneath. 
  • I wanted to take the words themselves and also create something out of all of these disjointed, adjacent words.
  • The words are highlighted because I was thinking about mixing them in with the nouns of the other text, and need to differentiate by colour, but I ended up just using one on its own.
  • Ended up grouping the cut-out nouns from The Cyborg Manifesto (Haraway, 2016/1985) excerpt according to theme and repetition. 

Left to right, Beings and Life, Fiction and Constructions, Politicised concepts/objects



Reflection on Action

  • This experiment felt rather aimless for me (partly because I didn't set any definite aims prior to doing it, and my intentions were rather broad anyway). 
  • I think what I've ended up with is starting to be interesting, but it could've been pushed much further. I did get frustrated throughout, and it took me a long time because I kept on being confused about what I thought I should be doing and what I actually wanted to achieve.
  • It has surprised me how the materiality of the process and methods adds layers of meaning. For example in the textures of the scan, and tracing paper, and the irregular shape and placement of the cut out. I'm able to better grasp the value of research through design, thinking through making, having done this. 

Reflection for Action

I think for future experiments I need a much more solid through-line so I understand why and what I'm doing. This is crucial to make the most out of the making process, for decision making and also to stay open to any happy accidents that come up along the way. I'll definitely go about it as instructed, starting with the aim and precedents and work forwards, not backwards.

I have started to think more about fictions and generative possibilities through this experiment. It's an area/method I find really exciting and playful, and I think there could be pockets of interesting ideas and contradictions if I looked much more closely at these experiments. 


Sadokierski, Z., & Sweetapple, K. (2014). Drawing Out: How designers analyse

written texts in visual ways. In P. Rodgers, & J. Yee (Ed.), The Routledge Companion to Design Research (1st Ed., pp. 248-260). Routledge.

Texts used:
Haraway, D., (2016). Manifestly Haraway, University of Minnesota Press. (Original work published 1985)

Machado, C. M., (2017). Her Body and Other Parties, Graywolf Press.

1 comment:

  1. These are excellent experiments and reflections – sometimes it will be important to have more 'solid through-lines' to focus what you're doing, but in this case, you stayed with the experiment through your frustration, and had some great success and insights around the importance of materiality in 'layering' meaning into a piece of visual communication. Great!

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