MANUFACTURING
WOMEN
"The project brings out the nuances of the female experience in the male dominating industry, raising critical questions about the socio politics of work environment and gendered systems.
You can be just as good as a man
EXPERIENCE DESIGN
RESEARCH
VISUAL ART
SPACE DESIGN
INTRODUCTION
India’s manufacturing sector that accounts for roughly 18% of the national gross domestic product (GDP) suffers from serious gender imbalance.
Just 12% of the workforce in manufacturing in the country are women, with only 10% of women in the higher management.
The sever gender imbalance is not a new problem. Although the Nehruvian industrial revolution post independence, brought in heavy impetus on the industrial development in India and technological resilience - the nature of the sector has been seen to be physically demanding - and is cited as the main reason for less women participation. Today, we know that this argument holds little water.
My interest in dictated by my personal experience in the industry.
Globally 30%
India 12%
RESEARCH ROUTE
LANGUAGE
Language is our primary tool for communication, consisting of words, symbols & signages - structured to convey in many different formats.
I have used method of lexical semantics & image semiotics to construct my narrative.
" Semantics - is a branch of linguistics which deals with meaning making through word concepts. "
" Semiotics - is a sister of semantics, in a way that it deals with symbols & signages to introduce meaning & logic. "
SEMANTICS
LINGUISTICS & IMAGE
OF THE INDUSTRY
Analyzing the nuances in the language used to describe the industry & women participation though various articles and different Industry posters promoting the prosperity of Manufacturing sector.
ANECDOTAL INTERVIEWS
SYSTEMATIC INTERVIEWS
& ANECDOTES
To understand the psychological and behavioral attitudes that are prevalent in the manufacturing sector, interviews were conducted with 9 participants.
" Anecdotal approach - a more casual & conversational discursive tool was used to bring out specific testimonies - mostly related to traumatic & compromising experiences. "
I was fortunate to have shared similar experiences with my participants - and perhaps why they were able to confide.
Interviewee -
2 present female employees (working in public industrial sector)
5 ex-employee (working in private sector)
1 Plant Manager (private ownership)
1 ex-Manager (private ownership)
The female experience - 5 touch points
SEMIOTICS ABSTRACTION
VISUAL
ABSTRACTION
Words are complex concept, packed into layers of cultural understanding, perception, exposure, intelligence etc.
The 5 touch points we defined as female experience are further deconstructed into micro behavior/ feelings - and then a visually abstracted.
A simple word can be extrapolated into a network of meanings - i.e - words are polysemic. The polysemy in turn is a result of context & culture.
Semiotic abstraction identifies the core abstract idea = generate visual indexes. Allegoric Semiotics has been used for this project.
Semiotic survey
Physical survey was conducted among NID peers to understand the popular & common words associated to images. These images were selected from the gathered anecdotes.
OUTCOME
MOVING IMAGE
With semiotic research - A film was constructed that presented the viewer a representation of the Industrial sector & culture through a female lens.
Archival footage was used to emphasize on the archaic perception of the sector even in modern times.
Emphasis on Sound design given for am immersive experience.
SPACE DESIGN
Space design helps narrate a story by manipulating spaces & architecture. To illustrate the multiplicity of realities women are forced to face in the core industrial sector -
an interactive installation was built with Two touch points -
1. Immersive visual narrative
2. Metaphorical Landscape design
Metaphor used to the Landscape art - arrived from the idea that female voices (concerns & suggestions) get either lost or unaddressed because of the stereotypical framework of the Industrial institution.
Caution signages were built which presented the stereotypes towards women, and these were placed in a empty barren far away landscape - like a site installation.
IMMERSIVE
VISUAL
NARRATIVE
INTERACTIVE
SPATIAL
NARRATIVE
CONCLUSION
After recording all the experiences vis a vis the attitude of the Industry, it was identified that very little attention has been given to making the industrial systems ready for female needs & expectations, and instead surface level efforts are made by recruiting under the name of diversity.
India is running on systems which are made by international development agencies and although that's great for technical robustness, cultural & gender nuances are completely ignored.
Future scope - To study the systemic interaction & loop holes - to introduce slow & nudged behavioral changes in extremely gendered systems - like patriarchy in the manufacturing sector.