THE OTHER LP
The other LP
HIGHLIGHT PROJECT :
KINETIC SCULPTURE | SPOKEN WORD | POLITICS OF DESIGN | OTHERING
Academic Project, M Des NID, February 2020 - April 2021
This making of this kinetic sculpture was based on the philosophy of 'Othering'. The final form is a record player: a see-through acrylic cube with electronics that control the motion of the record player arm coated with melted lipstick.
"Some movements are more privileged than the others.” This statement by my mentor resonated with me. Given how the pandemic has made the disparity between the privileged and underprivileged clearer, I explored the concept of 'othering' and the power dynamics between ideas of 'us' and 'them'. I explored how these dichotomies and biases form, and why we fear something different from the norm. Researching queer phenomenology and othering in gender identities and ethnicity was my starting point towards a more universal approach. Growing up as a queer person, I have been subjected to the under-privilege that people of non-normative sexualities and gender hold in social and public environments, and how even body movements are othered. I realised how ‘othering’ exists in the most fundamental functioning of society. Whatever be the markers of social differentiation that shapes the meaning of "us" and "them," there is always the danger that they will become the basis for self-affirmation that depends upon the denigration of the other group.
Eventually, landing on this recurring insight after reading Queer phenomenology by Sara ahmed and how this power play of identity and rights was very much about marking territories in every walk of life. This wheel of privilege in a way shows how likely you are to be othered in society depending on where you fall on it. Travelling inward from the outskirts is difficult and takes lifetimes. Extending this metaphor to a tangible object.
Working on this project was an exercise in becoming more tolerant and accepting. I realised all of us 'other' people, things or systems. Research made me think of the way the media tackles the representation of groups during the pandemic. Another shift in my work was realising the sweet spot between 'doing' and 'thinking'. This project was influential in how I ruminate ideas and prototype them, and helped me observe my working style from an external perspective. The idea of incorporating lipstick was from my perception of how it is largely considered an object of femininity; make-up an act of weakness or hiding oneself. I wanted to shift its context by using it as a weapon of rebellious self-expression.
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