As my tutor zuleika suggested, in order to find experts related to my project, contacting on-campus organizations and alumni organizations can be an important direction to consider, because many graduates stay in school to work. In order to understand what ethic diversity conscious organizations are doing to support the underrepresented group, and to get advice from people with experience, I got in touch with the GEMS organization. Co-chair of GEMS Jhinuk kindly offered the opportunity to circulate my questions to the entire community, and after Zuleika’s review, I created a questionnaire (here’s the link: https://forms.gle/aJqTjHwApfuSMqjZ6) and sent the questions to Jhinuk. Although there are some delays in communication due to working hours, I think gems’ answers will be valuable suggestions. This process also taught me how to follow up with stakeholders and gained valuable experience.
During the dragon dan session, experts Dominic stone and Emily Zak provided a lot of valuable advice on my project, which provided me with different perspectives and pointed out areas that I had not considered thoroughly.
Here are some key takeaways of their advice and
How to measure the success of the intervention？— Dominic pointed out that maybe it’s hard to measure the success of my intervention in the scope of this project, because there’s not enough time, but it’s worth focusing on anticipating long-term outcome.
Value of Guidance and Mentorship — As Emily pointed out, my project seems to be missing opportunities carving out opportunities for people to connect and create mentorship. She describes the industry as learned through hands-on experience, which is different from fields where skills are primarily acquired through formal education, and that’s why mentorship is so important. Graduating students are hungry for mentorship but don’t know how to get it. The podcast community is good, but lacks real-life interactions. She advocates for a platform connecting transitioning Chinese students with mentors.
I think the opinions of experts are valuable. Mentorship is also something I want to provide to my target audience, so I actively contacted various related organizations within UAL scope like gems, color association. I also hope to provide some perspective to my audience by creating a podcast where graduates who are in their early careers or even those who are struggling with their transitions can share their experiences on their journeys. But as Emily said, my current approaches still lack some opportunities for people to establish face-to-face relationships with mentors. How to combine mentorship with existing paths requires further consideration.
In the SWOT analysis I conducted earlier, I identified a shortcoming of my previous intervention, which was the inability to offer concrete solutions to my target audience. As some of my audience pointed out: they want some guidance from those who also been through the similar situation. Therefore, I decided to invite seniors from the arts field who have already established successful careers in the UK, are of Chinese descent, and have navigated through their own uncertain transition periods. They come from various backgrounds and have diverse experiences, and I plan to have them share their experiences and insights through a podcast.
Firstly, I refined the goal and theme of my podcast to focus on empowering Chinese art graduates in London, and to reveal the unstable points within the complex structure where culture, economy, and personal desires intricately interact. I have listened to several podcasts with similar themes to mine, or from which I could learn in terms of structure and ways of interacting with guests.
Vol. 163 Qian Jing: Combat Nihilism with Modesty, Dissolve Anxiety with Tangibility by Salty Lemon Seven
Vol. 165 Youth is Believing Time Will Lead You Out of Adversity by Salty Lemon Seven
Vol. 149 Record of China-Korea Youth Exchange Meeting: The Reasons We Chose Here by East Asia Observation Bureau
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And I conducted a outline of my Podcast.
I have reached out to three target guests via email and social media, and am continuing to search for more suitable experts for this podcast. This is the first draft of the podcast, and I plan to improve it through the process and based on the feedback from the audience.
Artist Jordan Kemerink applied thin latex evenly on the surfaces of objects in living spaces. Once dried and peeled off, their shapes and usage traces were preserved, along with the memories of life they held. The initial inspiration came merely from the artist’s desire to preserve memories from an art residency program she attended. However, after an exhibition, a local audience invited the artist to visit her house—a home that witnessed the lives and growth of several generations but was soon to be sold due to debts following the passing of an elder. The homeowner wanted to leave behind a final memory before departing. Once the artwork was completed, all traces of life such as fingerprints, dust, repairs, and wear were extended into the exhibition space. The family lingered in front of these details before parting ways. Every brick and tile in the house existed for practical purposes, while the artist’s work served as a skin of the house, stripping away its size and social class, leaving behind only the imprints of specific life memories.
Art self-media content creator NainaiZhaoni had this to say about Jordan’s work: “We always emphasize the greatness of the collective, yet never see or mention how a grain of sand struggles to contribute to a prosperous era in the bright sunshine, or becomes futile in storms. Perhaps what truly drives a turning point is more about focusing on each grain of sand, on how they fulfill and complete themselves.” I find this very enlightening for my project, as my project also aims to focus on the fate of individuals, their dilemmas and struggles, yet the unclear positioning of creativity in my project is indeed a challenge. Jordan’s work embodies this intent in a highly creative and aesthetically way, I will learn from it and continue to consider my project in a more creative way.
On my last tutorial with Zuleika, an aspect that I’ve never noticed have been pointed out—some Chinese people might not consider themselves as people of color, I was suprised by this because in my former research, there really exsist many associations and organiations supporting this group like UAL color association, saying that their mission is to help BLAME group and use term like”people of color “. Also, in a book I read about identity, it mentioned that people’s identities are not automatically granted ‘right of way,’ but rather, are something that involves political struggle where rights and duties are fought over within society.
Social SelvesTheories of Self and Society SECOND EDITION Ian Burkitt
So I take it for granted that Chinese people should fight for their rights and consider themselves as people of color. However, after noticing this new aspect, i did some research and realized two things. One thing is, some individuals may not realize that they actually belong to underrepresented groups and that their rights are not fully protected, only coming to such an understanding when their rights are impacted. Additionally, people’s perceptions are influenced by their environment. For instance, there’s a large population of Asians, one might only feel part of a minority group when surrounded by faces of unfamiliar skin colors.
The second thing is, some individuals might not appreciate being defined by their skin color. After reading this post “Please, don’t call me BAME or BME! ” and reflecting on this aspect again, I realized that while uncovering injustices and racial disparities is crucial, it’s important during the research process to be mindful of one’s language, to maintain an inclusive perspective, and to consider how minority groups wish to be identified, rather than being stuck in one’s own way of thinking. Just like what is said in this post,”We all have an ethnicity, so it is important that we all discuss ethnicity in a way that is appropriate, inclusive and sensitive to how ethnic groups identify themselves.” This not only could lead to inconsiderate issues but also could introduce confirmation bias into the research, where one continuously selects and acknowledges information that aligns with their preconceptions, consequently reducing the diversity of the project.
Before the tutorial on October 9, I envisioned my next intervention to be organizing a group exhibition. I conducted some research and interviewed peers from the CCC major, along with previous organizers of art fairs, and drafted a timeline. The theme for this exhibition is ‘Ephemeral Echoes‘, and I’ve wrote some statement for it: This exhibition aim to capture the delicate journey of Chinese postgraduate artists living in the UK, navigating through the turbulent waters of existence, balance, conflicts, anxiety, and crises away from home. The pervading emotions in this series evoke the subtle melancholy and memorable existence brought about by the elusive scent of ashes—gently yet powerfully reminding people of the bittersweet intersections where idealism meets practicality, and personal practices often clash with work-life realities. This exhibition aspires not only to be a visual feast but also a sanctuary for collective narratives, a convergence of silent screams and soft hopes, aiming to liberate these young artists from the isolation and shame in their silent struggles. I hope to weave a narrative beyond the conventional victory tales portrayed by mainstream media, delving into the complex structure where culture, economy, and personal desires intricately dance together.
However, the tutorial on time management hit right on my concerns—the time, workload, and financial investment required to organize an exhibition seem challenging to achieve within the specified timeframe.
I believe paying attention to contingency and having a Plan B is an effective way to handle this. It means focusing on several interventions at once, so that there are still some accomplishments if the desired one can’t be completed. Fortunately, I have several draft ideas too.
During the last intervention, besides understanding the specific concerns of the target group and establishing one-on-one connections with them, I also identified some shortcomings, such as the inability to provide precise assistance and the mobility of the audience (some have returned to their home country). After discussing with experts from graduate support, I realized a significant issue is the gap between Chinese art graduates and school resources – many remain silent and do not utilize the school’s offerings. Graduate support resources are also not specifically tailored for Chinese international students. Hence, my project has reached a crossroads: should I continue focusing on the mental balance of individuals during the transition period, or should I work to bridge the gap between Chinese art graduates and school resources? Below is a SWOT analysis for both directions.
After analyzing, I’ve realized that these two directions can support each other. For instance, insights gained from communicating with experts and school resources can offer trusted sources for the target audience, and the specific concerns of the students can aid the school’s initiatives. However, this has also led to my current dilemma of struggling to weigh which direction should be prioritized. As my tutor Zuleika pointed out, opportunities often lie within weaknesses, and the key is how to transform. I believe there’s a lack of creativity in my current intervention, so integrating innovative approaches into my project will be my next focus. My current confusion stems from wanting to maximize the project’s value but it hasn’t wavered my goal to assist transitioning Chinese international art graduates. I’ll continue reading and researching to gain clearer direction for the next steps.
