DESIGNER ASETHNOGRAPHER
Hal Foster speaks of a notion herefers to as the parallax, Fosterdefines this as, the apparentdisplacement of an object caused bythe actual movement of its observer.
As designers we have our ownperspective and frames of reference,to which we are so attached we oftenfail to appreciate it as a continuallyshifting frame of reference.
The designer as ethnographer,recognises and accommodates this,accepting that how we view the pastand the ‘other’ changes reflexively.
The designer as ethnographer,accepts the complexities andlocation of the ‘self’, in relationto the ‘other’. The adoption ofan ethnographic gaze allowsthe designer to observe andunderstand the inter-relationsof multiple contexts through apersonal frame of reference.
Design ethnography is a processinvolving participatory design work,to produce design interventions
for both the context of the‘other’ and the context of ‘self’.
The process of design ethnographycreates an observed understandingof an other culture and all itscomplexities, through observation,translation, expression andpresentation. Design ethnographyis people-centered, participatoryand responds to experiencesand needs of people andrecognises the inseparabilityof theory and practice.
This resulting artefacts in thisexhibition do not attempt to ‘solve”any of the issues identified, butwork towards a contribution ofunderstanding, elucidating someof the cultural difficulties beingfaced in Luang Prabang today.
Hal Foster speaks of a notion herefers to as the parallax, Fosterdefines this as, the apparentdisplacement of an object caused bythe actual movement of its observer.
As designers we have our ownperspective and frames of reference,to which we are so attached we oftenfail to appreciate it as a continuallyshifting frame of reference.
The designer as ethnographer,recognises and accommodates this,accepting that how we view the pastand the ‘other’ changes reflexively.
The designer as ethnographer,accepts the complexities andlocation of the ‘self’, in relationto the ‘other’. The adoption ofan ethnographic gaze allowsthe designer to observe andunderstand the inter-relationsof multiple contexts through apersonal frame of reference.
Design ethnography is a processinvolving participatory design work,to produce design interventions
for both the context of the‘other’ and the context of ‘self’.
The process of design ethnographycreates an observed understandingof an other culture and all itscomplexities, through observation,translation, expression andpresentation. Design ethnographyis people-centered, participatoryand responds to experiencesand needs of people andrecognises the inseparabilityof theory and practice.
This resulting artefacts in thisexhibition do not attempt to ‘solve”any of the issues identified, butwork towards a contribution ofunderstanding, elucidating someof the cultural difficulties beingfaced in Luang Prabang today.
