Positions through Contextualising: Written Response

Bibliography of References Part 2

Weiwei, A. (2023). Lego re-imagining of Monet’s water lilies [Painting]. Design Museum, London.

Taking inspiration from Ai Weiwei, I want to explore the method of subverting expectations. Using innocent and childish elements challenges traditional medium and politics, it can encourage the audience to question social norms and power structures. This method of subversion enhances my illustrations’ impact and invites reflection on societal norms imposed on children.

The use of innocent elements also ensures accessibility to diverse audiences. Satire and irony become useful tools when using innocence. Like Ai Weiwei, I leverage playful objects to convey deeper messages. This approach disarms the audience and explores sensitive subjects with less confrontation. Employing innocence also resists oppressive regimes and censorship, allowing messages to reach a broader audience. Additionally, it fosters emotional connections, cultivating empathy and promoting dialogue regarding societal challenges.

Spiers, A., & Ryan, C. (2014). Nothing to See Here (Dispersal) [Performance]. Melbourne’s Festival of Live Art.

This performance aimed to provoke discomfort and shed light on the suppression on freedom of assembly in the society. Drawing inspiration from this concept, I created illustrations challenging the audience’s comfort zone and revealing the harsh realities of the utilitarian mindset that has been cultivated in children through education.

By exposing power dynamics and making the concealed utilitarian education obvious, I want to provoke discomfort and encourage the audience to question and reflect on social issues. Moreover, in the performance, the they revealed the forces behind political order, demonstrating how discomfort can expose hidden truths and raise ethical questions. In my satirical illustration book, I utilised discomfort as a tool to unmask societal pressures and norms that harm children’s well-being and overall development.

McLuhan, M. (2008). The Medium is the Massage: An Inventory of Effects. Penguin Classics.

I used McLuhan’s concept to emphasise how the medium affects toxic ideas. McLuhan believed that the medium itself greatly influences the message and its reception. In my publication, I chose a primary school textbook format to expose how society indoctrinates children through education. By using satirical illustrations in the textbook, I subverted traditional educational methods and challenge harmful societal ideas. This creates a thought-provoking contrast by combining innocent and familiar elements with critiques of harmful concepts like sacrificing health for wealth.

By adopting McLuhan’s perspective, I highlighted the importance of the medium in engaging the audience and conveying my satirical message. It encourages deeper reflection on the power of educational materials and societal expectations in shaping children’s beliefs and behaviours.

McLuhan’s ideas greatly enhance my comprehension of how the medium influences the messages conveyed in society. This understanding empowers me to effectively challenge harmful concepts and stimulate critical thinking through my satirical illustrations.

Bratton, B. (2013). We need to talk about TED. The Guardian.

Inspired by this TED talk’s critique of oversimplification, personal anecdotes, and sensationalism, I sought to approach my satirical illustrations with a more critical perspective. I aimed to transcend surface-level humor and delve into the complexities of the societal norms I seek to challenge.

The speaker’s emphasis on skepticism and rigorous analysis encourages me to ensure that my illustrations capture the nuanced aspects of the issue. Instead of relying on simplistic portrayals, I strive to delve deeper and create illustrations that provoke thoughtful reflection, shedding light on the detrimental consequences of toxic ideas. It also challenges me to question the role of satire itself. How can I use satire to entertain while simultaneously fostering genuine critical thinking? How can I strike a balance between humor and a more profound exploration of the issue at hand?

Polianskaya, A. (2019). You can’t avoid an image: why illustration is a powerful activism tool. Design Week.

Illustration can break language barriers, making it universally understandable and capable of reaching a broad audience. It educates and creates a visual impact, surpassing words alone. This resonates with my goal of highlighting the pressures and high expectations young people face in today’s society. My illustrations visually convey the negative consequences of societal norms, engaging viewers both emotionally and intellectually.

The article also emphasises the power of social media in spreading positive messages and reaching a larger audience. As graphic designers, we have the opportunity to utilize social media platforms to share our satirical illustrations and make an even greater impact. Through these platforms, we can ignite conversations and shed light on the harmful norms that affect children. Although funding and finding the right platforms can be major challenges for us, these obstacles actually open up doors for us to think outside the box and find innovative ways to publish our work. It’s all about being resilient and resourceful in pursuing our vision.

Pater, R. (2016). The Politics of Design. BIS Publishers.

This book has expanded my understanding of design as a powerful tool for social and political commentary. It explores how design choices and visual communication can either reinforce or challenge societal norms. Through this exploration, I gained insights into the political dimensions of design and its influence on our perceptions and behaviours.

The book provides examples and case studies that illustrate how design can be subverted or reimagined to question established norms. This has motivated me to critically analyse my own satirical illustrations and explore unconventional approaches that provoke thought, challenging the harmful notion of sacrificing sleep for extended study periods. Additionally, the book delves into the role of visual communication in captivating diverse audiences and initiating discussions. It has inspired me to contemplate how my illustrations can resonate with individuals from various backgrounds, transcending age and cultural boundaries. This understanding enhances my capacity to create impactful visuals that stimulate reflection and foster dialogue.

Analysis of “Nothing to See Here (Dispersal)”



“Nothing to See Here” is an experimental performance that inspired me to think about the usage of discomfort in my project. The idea behind the performance is to recreate a past protest and give the audience a totally immersive experience. By choosing to present itself as a performance, the work effectively becomes a reproduction of a history event. This decision allows the audience to truly understand the feeling of being controlled, shedding light on the power dynamics in our society.

The work utilizes discomfort as a means to expose the truth of our society, challenging the audience’s comfort zones and pushing the boundaries of ethical considerations in artistic research. By deliberately creating a sense of unease, the artists aim to make their point clear and achieve an ironic effect, dismantling complacency and shedding light on societal issues that may otherwise go unnoticed. This intentional use of discomfort serves as a tool to provoke introspection and critical engagement from the audience, prompting them to question their preconceived notions and go outside their comfort zones. Through the narrative of the entire performance, the work stimulates audience’s reflection on the implications of lacking the freedom to assemble, while also urging them to contemplate the discomfort associated with societal structures and imbalances.

According to the recording of the performance, the work involves actors and audiences who take the roles of the oppressor and the oppressed. By bringing both parties together in the same venue, the artists seeks to reflect the power dynamics and hierarchical structures in our society. The actors all wore yellow uniforms, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a totalitarian experiment. This production choice heightens the sense of control and oppression. The performance is pretty long, and it incorporates a cyclical structure where groups of audiences enter the venue and have their freedom of movement restricted. This representation of a societal model highlights the repetitive nature of power dynamics and the struggles faced by marginalised groups. By subjecting the audience to constraints, the work aims to evoke empathy and a deeper understanding of the restrictions and limitations imposed by social systems.

Incorporating discomfort into graphic design can also be an effective approach, especially in bringing attention to social issues. By presenting a topic in an unsettling manner, we designers can prompt viewers to contemplate the underlying problems and engage with the subject more deeply. Whether through jarring imagery, thought-provoking typography, or an unconformable viewing experiences, discomfort can serve as to generate empathy, awareness, and action.

Graphic design projects that intentionally provoke this dissonance can force the audience to confront their own biases and ingrained perspectives. Through the presentation of information in unsettling or unexpected ways, designers have the disruptive power to the illusion of peaceful times and cultivate an atmosphere that encourages critical thinking. This process can encourage the individuals to reevaluate their values, beliefs, and attitudes toward complex societal issues. This emotional response helps bridge the gap between different perspectives, encouraging everyone to step into other people’s shoes and gain a deeper understanding of experiences beyond their own.

Through discomfort, designers can challenge societal biases and contribute to a more inclusive and empathetic society.

Analysis of “The Medium is the Massage”



“The Medium is the Massage” is a thought-provoking resource that challenges my understanding of media and its effects. The author’s clever selection of a title, employing a play on words, instantly captures attention and prompts readers to forge a connection between these two words. The use of “massage” instead of “message” is very intentional. It emphasises McLuhan’s main idea that the medium itself, rather than the content, shapes our perception of the world. McLuhan challenges the traditional understanding of media and its effects on society through concise text. His ideas, like “the medium is the message” and “we shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us,” encourage us to think critically and engage in discussions.

The book’s visual layout is captivating, which blend the text and imagery in a way that breaks the traditional reading experiences. It reflects McLuhan’s belief that media disrupts and reshapes society. This combination of text and images creates a visual narrative that allows us to engage with the content on multiple levels at once. The physicality of a publication has the power to amplify the impact of the text, compelling us to engage with the medium. That’s why I have chosen to include illustrations and unconventional page inserts in this project. Through this approach, I aim to test my ability to effectively communicate my ideas to the audience.

McLuhan’s ideas have significant implications for graphic communication design, as they challenge designers to go beyond aesthetics and consider how media shape our perception and social dynamics. The concept of the “medium as the message” prompts me to think about the unique qualities of different media and how they affect the communication process. For example, I decided to use a textbook format for a project to satirise the idea of indoctrination and the unquestioned authority of educational materials.

The experimental visual layout and integration of text and imagery in this book encourages me to take unconventional approaches of creating multi-sensory experiences for viewers. That’s why I enjoy incorporating interactive elements and games into my publications, aiming to engage the audience on a deeper level. McLuhan’s emphasis on media’s influence on society also reminds me of my responsibilities as a designer and the ethical considerations involved. It makes me aware of the impact my work can have in shaping cultural narratives and perceptions, leading me to approach my illustrations and designs with extra care.

In relation to other academic research, Neil Postman’s “Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business” explores similar themes regarding the influence of media on society from a different perspective. While McLuhan focuses on the formative power of the medium, Postman delves into how media content shapes public discourse. Postman’s critique of television and its impact on discourse aligns with McLuhan’s overall message. Both authors express concerns about the superficiality and trivialisation of information in an entertainment-driven media landscape. Postman’s work can be seen as building upon McLuhan’s ideas, examining the long-term consequences of media’s influence on society.