Conscious Reconstructing Visual Perception
Topic: Practice-led Image and Media Research
Year: 2022
Mentorship: Micheal Renner, Lena Frei, Jinsu Ahn
Design ResearchEditorial Design
Is it possible to forget how to write or how to drink water from a glass, or unlearn a skill acquired long ago? Inspired by the concept from the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, where a machine erases memories, this project explores whether it’s feasible to undo past experiences or skills.
This curiosity stems from Sarah Owens’s thought-provoking article, Undoing Design, which reimagines design by challenging professional expertise and embracing the unlearning of design knowledge. Her perspective encourages a temporary suspension or even a permanent unlearning of ingrained design practices to gain fresh insights.
Through the lens of design research and participatory methods, this project examines how disrupting traditional perceptions—shaped by our vision and auditory senses—might lead to novel perspectives. It questions whether stripping away foundational knowledge could allow us to approach ideas with a fresh outlook, fostering creativity and innovation.