Aim
How might I generate characters/scenarios in this imagined world so that the community is a collaborator?
How might I incorporate generative participation through cyborg//witch artefacts?
How might I provide a framework for generative participation to enter/transport others into this cyborg-witch world?
Precedents / context
As mentioned in a previous critique summary, I was talking to Ali and possibly bringing in community interaction/agency in this imagined space, so they have a character, or decision-making role in its creation. Along with all the participatory methods we have been looking at in class, I wanted to try this out.
Also following on from Rhonda Holberton's 'Cosmetics for Cyborgs' (Design Futures Initiative, 2019) project and how it hijacks these familiar objects and signifiers of femininity, could I take a similar object and play with how it assigns value and meaning to female identity? I was in a feedback session with Diana and she suggested that I make a witch-cyborg version of a personality quiz, so I've had that thought going for a few weeks now.
My last experiment around the ID cards started an interesting narrative around witch-cyborgs being involved in some way in criminal activity, which explores this idea of a deviant persona, a 'rebel-body'. I thought this was a compelling direction that could be extended and speculated around, so kept that in mind as well.
Process / methods
- For the ID cards, I was making up the names of these characters by trying to generate all the words I could think of associated with 'witch' and 'cyborg', as combine them essentially as first and last names.
- Thought it would be fun to make an object out of this process, an object that would invite participation. Thought of the birthday meme format, and started generating enough to fill up the spaces.
- I set up an Indesign document to work off the same kind of visual language around the ID cards, as an object in the same world. I think the meme format is important in creating the experience — something you tag your (girl?)friends in and have a cackle over.
- I assigned the days of the month to descriptive/adjective words associated with cyborgs and technology, and the months to "witch words". Inspired by Plastique Fantastique's (2008) work in mythpoeisis particularly in the generation and manipulation of language, I experimented with the spelling, capitalisation, punctuation and wordplay. I tried to bring in some conventions I'm familiar with in code, (Humanoid++, BotRot) to have those very specific cognitive/code processes as manifested in language present and nod at that context.
- I brought it into photoshop to mess around with the colours/curves and additional effects like the glowy border. This was more for fun, but I think it plays up the meme context and definitely both witch and cyborg visuals.
Reflection on action
- I wanted to do this quickly because the idea of a quiz, and writing it intimidated me so this seemed like a doable first step. I'm not too surprised by the outcome, but I think it's also a nice "object" to very easily give people and have them hopefully feel like they "get" what this world is supposed to be, and feel a little more part of it with a name/character/persona.
- I think the most effective ones borrow from specific conventions around language (s.t.a.t.i.c), play with the phonetic representation (Virrtuarl) or play with elements and meanings that are already present (See-er/seer, En-tit-y/entity). I think those really start to create a character in the added inflections that come from these decisions.
This thinking around language and wordplay is interesting to me because it feels like a tangible, felt, act of deviance. Almost a "queering" of language, by playing with existing rules and conventions and meaning that structure our world, to remake it in a more real/referenced/reactive way. Definitely present in the development of slang around minority (queer, racial) communities, to find-make language that is a more accurate and richer expression of their experience.
- I think using this meme format is a fun way to riff on contemporary objects around identity. Recontextualising it for a cyborg-witch world was fun, and I think made me think more about the tone I want to create? I think something like a meme, to design and take it seriously is also a little act of rebellion, but one that is fun and self-aware.
- I have shown this to a few people and gotten them to work out their "name". I'm D.i.g.i. Crrone, Grace — Virrtuarl (shroud), Carmen — Sspace (shroud), Mike — BotRot En-tit-y, Ady — s.t.a.t.i.c. spir-It, Zoe — @raven? See-er (raven as self-selected).
I think it's a fun novelty, but as Zoe said, is more prescriptive than indicative of the person's actual personality. Could a more meaningful attachment to these names/a sense of character be built by designing moments and decisions that involve participants' agency?
Reflection for action
I did this experiment last week, and got some feedback yesterday, so I have explored a few other things since this. But this was a fun small making-experiment. I don't think I got that much out of it, but now writing up this experiment log I am thinking about the ideas/processes here in more interesting and unexpected ways. The paragraphs around language above really makes sense in my mind now, and I think some reading and research into that would be good to help me understand how I might continue to put this "deviance" into (design) practice.
I think this experiment could have been improved by more interesting choices around the categories — instead of someone's birthday, what would result in more personal connections? Horoscope signs (that have associated personas), favourite colour/object/fandom (what might this say about the person and how could the cyborg-witch word reflect that?) I wouldn't redo this experiment, I think I've done it and I'm good with that, but these are relevant questions to carry into my next experiments, particularly if I'm still exploring ideas of characters and user participation.
References
Design Futures Initiative (2019, July 6) PRIMER19—Rhonda Holberton: Cosmetics for Cyborgs [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/346641460
Plastique Fantastique (2008). 9th Plastique Fantastique Communique: Be no PIMP, Be no HOOKER, Be a PARAZITE! [Performance script]. Serpentine Gallery, London, UK. http://www.plastiquefantastique.org/docs/pimps-and-hookers.pdf
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