My brain is wired to always do everything how it’s supposed to. Follow the rules, don’t step out of line, never say something wrong… As so with communicating I always want to make sure everything said and done can’t be interpreted in a way that wasn’t intended by me. But after going on this journey of exploring the Arecibo Message and trying to take on the role of the unknown audience trying to decrypt the message I came to realise that you can never 100% make sure that all the messages, signals, information, images etc. you send out always make it through to the receiver exactly like you sent it. Encrypting the message and transmitting it is already tied to many different possibilities on how the original message can be influenced in a way that changes the meaning completely.
The Arecibo message was made to be sent out on a frequency between 1420 and 1720 MHz which is supposed to be a frequency range that travels through space with the least possibility of being distorted by space dust and other space objects. But at the same time contradictory to that encrypting the content in binary code within binary code, 4 different reading directions and a one-time submission already distorts the message in a way that makes the decryption process and interpretation really difficult. When it comes to the content, since the first time I somehow really cared about the content and always asked myself why it is kept that condensed and universal. It would make sense to have a universal message first and follow up with more individual approaches since you don’t know how your unknown audience interprets the initial message. Maybe it needs different approaches in order to cover a bandwidth of ways to communicate. Also sending out the message just once lowers/demolishes the chances of having anyone out there capture the message. Through these thoughts, I came to realise that I really want to focus on creating information, things, images, projects, etc. that choose individuality and complexity over generality and simplicity. I still always fall back into habits of trying to make everything work for everyone and forget that in the end my creation doesn’t cater or speak to anyone. Crystallizing out more personal, individual narratives and interests is something I want to pursue and what I took away from engaging with the exploration of a 70s space message.
I’m not sure exactly what „networks“ mean if it is networks of people, of databanks or something similar but being in London and being surrounded by the most amazing galleries and museums I’m already really inspired and influenced by certain designers and artists I encountered. For example Yinka Shonibare CBE. Tate Modern hosts an artwork of his including 2,700 books on which spines are the names of first or second-generation immigrants to Britain printed in gold and bound in Dutch patterned and colourful wax fabric very well known in Nigerian culture. Shonibare’s dual identity, which is Nigerian and British, really influences his work so he creates work that explores colonialism, cultural appropriation and national identity. His work really speaks to me and is something I’m also really interested in since I also identify and someone split between two identities. I have to say though that I’m a bit concerned and intimidated by the weight of the content and would have to approach topics like that very carefully and slowly since I’m also not used to exploring topics that personal.
Since my goal is to find a clearer voice and position in what I’m doing and also am really interested in very personal projects I want to use this summer break to start out with something I initially was interested in the Associate project. I’m not really sure if I want to continue working on the Iterate and Position project but maybe I will change my mind and find something I would want to take further. The reason for wanting to go back to the Associate project lies within my experience growing up in Germany with products from Nigeria that can just be bought in rare to find African or Asian shops. Coming here and seeing all the products and groceries everywhere I vainly searched for in German supermarkets always leaves me behind with pure excitement and nostalgic joy. I want to also further explore how I can use illustration in ways that work for me.
Furthermore, I want to take my Elaborate project further which was about perfectionism and imperfectionism. I really enjoy the method of collecting and interrogating collections with different methods. Also, I came to find out during the Elaborate project that I’m really interested in objects and their metaphorical character. Right now I’m not sure where that project could take me but as everyone on this course says (and I still struggle to internalise) „the process is the outcome.“