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Grief Ankle: on Ekphrasis as Feeling through Memory, Medium, and Meeting
Full text linkThis thesis makes the case for ekphrasis – the description of the visual in language – as a three-part model for movement: from origin, accumulation, to release.
The written portion consists of three ekphrastic essays to/about art objects — paintings of mothers, photographs of trans friends as children, and sculptures of unmade beds — sentimental objects, theoretical sources, and dear friends. Each chapter corresponds to each of ekphrasis’ three movements, culminating collectively to ekphrastic release. The first chapter establishes ekphrasis’ psychoanalytic origin: as ekphrasis repeats the grief of the first loss through mimesis’ recall, the memory changes, transforming into a kind of forgiveness. The second chapter builds a theory of trans materiality, in which the orientation/phenomenological “purposefulness” toward a word-object moves the self toward the self, and the word-objects accumulate as one’s life becomes one’s life. The third chapter uses the ekphrasis of accessible text/image description as a scale model for interpersonal world building, an ekphrasis which does, which tangibly imagines different intimacies and futures in our co-constructed common grounds.
The project also includes a commissioned performance by the poets Sanna Wani and Elizabeth Mudenyo at Xpace Cultural Centre on March 16, 2024. More information about this performance and its relation to the written thesis can be found in Appendix A’s support paper
Developing a Circular Building Materials System and Fostering Innovation from Construction, Demolition and Renovation (CRD) Waste: An Ontario-focused Systemic Policy Analysis and Blueprint for Change
Full text linkThe built environment in Ontario contains a diverse array of structures, spaces, and infrastructure systems designed to support and enhance the lives of its residents. But structures also create waste. Lots of waste. This paper is about that.
This research examines why we have so much waste and explores what can be done about it. It investigates a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities for innovative, underused, or cross-sectoral Ontario provincial policy options that can foster the circular use of waste and grow the circular built environment.
It combines a literature review of global and local practices, semi-structured interviews with stakeholders across various sectors, and a systemic analysis of provincial waste management policies. Additionally, it leverages information from a participatory design workshop with government officials and industry professionals that utilized generative design and foresight tools to develop innovative policy solutions.
Finally, this paper aims to be solution-oriented and innovative but grounded in today's policy conversation. It aims to support policy-makers and decision-makers by offering a series of policy interventions to transform Ontario's waste management and development practices towards a more circular system
Symbiont: Soft-Robotic Objects for Tactile Communication
Full text linkSense is an intriguing facet through which we communicate with one another and our environment. However, due to our reliance on verbal communication, sensory mediums such as haptics remain relatively underexplored. "Symbionts" are a pair of soft robotic objects that facilitate non-verbal, tactile communication between individuals. These objects employ "bend and pressure sensors with actuators that pulse, vibrate and curl" to create a silent, tactile form of communication, allowing users to communicate through touch.
Symbionts are designed to intrigue and engage by bridging physical distances and exploring the nuances of tactile sensation to create different layers of interpersonal communication. The design of these objects is informed by literature, contextual, and theoretical reviews in the areas of soft robotics, haptics, sensory design, tactile interaction, and Biomorphism.
A mixed methods approach is used, drawing upon methodologies including Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), the Double Diamond Framework (DD), and Bio-Inspired Design. Additionally, the methods employed include an Annotated Portfolio, Reflective Practice, and Design by Metaphor. This leads to the creation of Symbionts based on material-driven design and tactile communication
Narratives Reimagined: The Black Digital Griot in the Modern World
Full text linkOral storytelling is the oldest form of instruction across a myriad of cultures. Humans are
intrinsically storytellers who express themselves through stories that already exist (Fisher,
1987; Frank, 2012). This practice provides an opportunity for the older generation to hear their
parents, grandparents, and elders tell those tales of legends and folktales (Vambe, 2004).
Additionally, in various contexts, this form of orality created a space for people to unwind after
a difficult day and for families and communities to come together.
Black and Afro-diasporic forms of storytelling, in particular, are intrinsically woven into the
cultural fabric of Black culture, it has been a way to preserve the legacy of Africans and Black
people who have been subjugated to decades of bondage, racial discrimination and forced
migration. Black and Afro-diasporic storytelling, in its essence, is diverse and rich and is
transmuted through a series of songs, dances and speeches (Vambe, 2004). This form of orality
remains an essential form of knowledge sharing, wherein dreams, aspirations and imagination
are translated across generations.
Black and Afro-diasporic forms of storytelling center the narrator “as a vehicle to house this
orality” (Uyanze 2022, p.30), oftentimes, the storyteller functions as a repository of oral
tradition and bearer of the collective memory. Throughout history, Black and Afrodiasporic
communities have utilized storytelling as a conduit that has inspired silent rebellions against the
oppressors who took black freedom (Vambe,2004) and has equally contributed to major
breakthroughs for Black people and their consciousness to reclaim a sense of belonging that
has led them to reconnect to their African roots.
However, as we live in a world wherein Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly at the heart of
modern life, as computer scientists are building a vast array of machine learning systems that
can perform daily human tasks reliably across diverse sectors (Ebanda de B'béri, 2006; Tunçer,
2018). AI is showcasing its ability to capture the unique essence that makes us “human”
through a self-teaching system that can outperform humans across a wide range of disciplines
(Ebanda de B'béri, 2006; Tunçer, 2018). Researchers are predicting that AI will be able to pull
even with human intelligence and what is known as a point of singularity (Ebanda de B'béri,
2006; Tunçer, 2018). However, this leaves one to question to what extent AI will have the
potential to harness the persuasive capabilities of storytelling.
I believe AI may still have lessons to learn from more traditional bodies of knowledge and
thought systems. This research will be exploring AI's potential to become the new griot of Black
and Afro-diasporic communities? Furthermore, this research will be exploring whether AI will
be able to improve or enhance Black and Afro-diasporic methods of storytelling
Hope in the Shadows
Full text linkThe realm of pain and suffering interwoven in the intricacy of human existence often remains concealed, hidden beneath everyday life. Hope in the Shadows attempts to shine a light on hidden pain to reveal a fraction of the sufferings that lie beneath our skin and the pains that we learn to live through. Spanning an eighteen-year journey through the convoluted maze of the healthcare system, the narratives combine personal struggles with a critical examination of patient care, particularly through the eyes of those suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. Venturing on a journey through the corridors of healthcare, this narration juxtaposes personal trauma and systemic critique to weave the threads of personal experience with a critique of the healthcare system. At its core, the stories serve as testimony to the numerous tribulations every individual has to confront in the healthcare system. From the fears of being in the small, enclosed space of an MRI machine to the endless wait times for these critical but often late tests, the narrative reflects the silent anguish encapsulating the lives of individuals. Through an art exhibition, this work endeavors to alter the intangible agony of medical imaging into a tangible and clear form, emphasizing the necessity of a more efficient and caring healthcare system. This work is an artistic journey that mixes personal struggle with a wider critique, pushing for a new way of looking at patient care.
Hope in the Shadows delves into the paradoxical juxtaposition between the importance of technological innovation in diagnosis and treatment and the blunt realities of lived experience for those dealing with the pain of chronic illness. Within this intricate web of personal, social, and political dynamics lies a call to action—an impassioned petition for acknowledgment and addressing of systemic inequities. By interweaving personal narratives with keen critiques of the current healthcare system, this project endeavors to engender a heightened awareness of the complex challenges confronting patients.
Central to the thematic underpinnings of this endeavor is the metaphorical motif of ‘cages’—both literal and figurative—that serve as allegorical representations of the existential boundaries imposed upon individuals navigating the labyrinth of the healthcare system.
By combining my personal story with the broader analysis, I aim to highlight the human element that often missed in statistical and clinical discussions. This blend of academic review, data analysis, and personal narrative aims to offer a holistic understanding of the current state of MRI scans and the critical issues faced by patients, setting the stage for discussions on potential improvements in the field.
Through this evocative imagery, viewers are invited to contemplate the profound solitude and circumscription experienced by patients, fostering a deeper understanding of the imperative for empathy, solidarity, and systemic change
Plans to Weed: An Investigation into the State of North American Reference Collections Supporting Art and Design
Full text linkBlack Foliage: The preservation process of botanicals in the human-nature experience.
Full text linkReflecting on my Jamaican ethnicity, Black Foliage proposes an embodied knowledge that calls on black bodies to remember where we came from, and how to transform plant materials from those territories into new forms. Black Foliage asks black bodies to view and “see themselves in nature” and to explore those materials that make us, shape us, and recognize us in return. This research is a celebration of blackness and creates spaces that are rooted in the black gaze. Hogarth states, “These objects do not aim to solve questions of the colonial project. They, instead, bear material witnesses to how a diasporic material can reimagine the world beyond accepted, official multicultural narratives”. Black Foliage recognizes who we are through the Indigenous plant materials and the roles they play in our respective culture(s)
Future of Vocational Education in India: Nurturing Entrepreneurial Talents and Bridging Employability Gaps
Full text linkVocational education and skill development constitute a critical component of the Indian higher education landscape, pivotal in training the nation's labour force. Despite its significance, the sector has suffered from chronic underinvestment, inadequate oversight, and a deficit in high-quality training, resulting in sustained reputation damage among the youth. Nevertheless, vocational programs remain crucial for enhancing employability and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset. This project aims to investigate and delineate the systemic issues plaguing the Indian vocational education system while also identifying the concerns and needs of key stakeholders, including students, graduates, and faculty members. Utilising foresight research methodologies and systems thinking frameworks, this research constructs plausible alternative and normative futures to formulate comprehensive, multi-faceted policy recommendations. These recommendations are designed to reimagine vocational education in a manner that nurtures entrepreneurial capacities and reduces unemployability among Indian youth
A Psychogeographical Approach to Photographing Loneliness in the Urban Environment
Full text linkLoneliness, is a universal theme in art with its many expressions and underlying causes a focus of exploration for individuals across space and time. As an international student identifying as a visitor from China, the solitude I encountered during my time in Toronto was surprising and intense. This sparked a profound reflection on the origins of this sense of loneliness within me.
My thesis reflects upon my personal experiences abroad as an international student to examine loneliness and alienation among individuals. I use photography and images as my main creative mediums. In the process, I capture photographs and document my observations, gradually producing visual works that portray the symbolic and actual landscapes that convey the sense of individual isolation within a cityscape, specifically downtown Toronto.
Throughout the creative process, I integrate documentation from my current residential environment, layering it over depictions of individual isolation and landscapes to establish a nuanced dialogue between Individual residential environments and urban landscapes. I discovered a close connection between my emotions and the images I captured, visualizing an archive of experiences of a diaspora in a foreign land