GRADUATION PROJECTBEYOND DESIGN
Graduated with Cum Laude
In a society that is largely individualistic, with people rushing towards their personal highs it is easy to neglect the need for empathy towards people with vision disabilities. I believe it is our societal and humane responsibility to create a more inclusive society for everyone by raising awareness and sensitivity.
To create an inclusive society, it is important to be able to step out of our own comfort zone and keep ourselves aware, knowledgeable and informed to reduce discrimination against people with vision disabilities.
In my research I engaged with the topic, vision disability where I investigate in the complexities of their challenges. Through my project I aimed to understand the challenges that disabled community face, and to make others be more aware of the addressed topic. Through my research process I have developed three collaborative projects; We are just like you, See the world like me and Awareness campaign where I share the narrative stories to raise awareness and encourage a dialogue about this through mediums such as, immersive simulation game using audio and tactile experience and mini documentary.
My focus has been to provide sighted people information about vision disability, such as their potentials, capability, opportunities and how to communicate, treat and behave appropriately and include them. In this way, to reduce the inaccurate biases and misconceptions and false assumptions towards this group of people.
Collaboration 1
We are just like you
In a collaboration with Nasra Fransen, I designed an awareness board game. The main purpose of our game is to create awareness and an understanding of blindness to foster sensitivity, acceptance, appreciate the diversity in the society and promote social inclusion. In this way, to reduce the misconception and stigma around the word, vision disability. The game, “We are just like you” consist of three categories: Accessibility, Become a better ally and Kill the myths.
Through these categories it encourages children to learn and discuss about vision disability to be aware of what is the appropriate ways to communicate, how to include, treat and behave towards people with vision disabilities, what are the myths and truths, how do their assisting tools work and what opportunities they have.
Pictures of my exhibition exhibited on the 26th of June 2022 at Academy of Art and Design St. Joost
On the 11th of May Nasra Fransen and I had a workshop at Bossche Community School (BCS) where 6 participants in age 10 years old tested out the board game.
To see the video and images of the workshop at the Bossche Community School (BCS) below.
Collaboration 2
See the world like us
I have in collaboration with Øyvind Lode from Norway made a mini documentary. The purpose with this film is to educate and raise awareness about people with disabilities. Our focus was on their abilities. This is done by disproving the inaccurate assumptions and stereotypical way of thinking that Øyvind and others have been exposed to.
Through this film we want to make you more aware about the potential of people with a vision disability showing that there are fully capable to live an independent life and can participation in society at the same level as everyone else.
To watch the mini documentary (17 min),
copy the link below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HE3VonMyCP0Qjn5zWbrfMVedb7svOI3g/view
Collaboration 3
Awareness campaign
To promote more understanding of disabilities I think awareness campaign about vision disability can be a provocative and narrative-changing tool to share and communicate people’s stories and stimulate a discussion.
The idea is to promote a positive image of people with disabilities by highlighting their abilities through storytelling. Each poster has a different narrative and quotes from people living with vision disabilities expressing themselves with the hope of recusing false misconceptions, stereotypes, and assumptions about disability.
This is an idea of what the posters could look like. It is a project I have been working on to raise awareness and give sighted people more understanding.
The posters are written in braille, and they contain a QR code enabling accessibility of the information. By scanning the QR code you can read more about the narrative and other stories as well. The idea is also to have a communication platform where people can add more relevant stories and share their personal experiences and knowledge about disabilities creating an empathetic social change in this way.
