By Anna-Lena Cham
The lecture that resonated with me the most was surrounding cultural sustainability. Coming from a multicultural background I have always wanted to explore and work with creatives from all around the globe. However, I do understand the impact of colonization in all aspects of society, and it is important to be conscious of this in my creative practice. The definition of colonization is the action or process of settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people of an area. This process often leads to oppression of communities. It is important to challenge and critically reflect on these sources of power in order to prevent this and begin the process of decolonizing.
During the lecture I found the different definitions of power to be fascinating as it reminded me of some of the work on the philosophy of language, I did at A Level Religion Philosophy and Ethics. They were split into negative and positive definitions in context to design collaborations. The negative definition of power is ‘power over’ – outsiders in design contexts controlling decision making. The positive definitions of power were ‘Power with – a mutual learning environment with the designer and relationship to the community. ‘Power within’ – self-belief about abilities to reflect critically and create transformation. Finally, ‘power to’ – power to create change by transforming perceptions of self, realizing one’s choices, and acting on them. Out of all the positive definitions I will be focusing on ‘Power within’ in my creative practice the most. All three positive definitions should always be considered during all pieces of work but for me I struggle the most in my self-belief and having the confidence to believe that my voice holds a lot of power in society and is one of the most valuable tools we all have, we should utilize this whenever possible. This also links into ‘power to’ as it is our thoughts and speech that leads to action or non-action.
Power as said in the lecture is defined in collaboration by our individual perceived privilege, which is silent, beginning the moment anyone enters a room. Within the first few seconds of being introduced to someone you create a judgement on someone and their social status which can adjust the power dynamic instantly. However, we can change these perceptions through action or non-action. It is important to prepare for collaborations, when possible, to create a fair power dynamic. Some examples of this could be researching the background of the community or designer you are working with, being conscious of your body language and wearing appropriate clothing. These trivial things make a significant difference and create an unsaid message of respect. This allows you to find commonality within collaborations and mutual understanding, furthermore, leading to more exciting and innovative outcomes. So, in my own creative practice, I will take these important steps when collaborating with my peers and other creatives.
Bibliography:
Miller and Veneklasen et al. (2006) Making Change Happen: Power – Concepts for revisioning power for justice, equality, and peace. Washington DC. Just Associates.