Price Check

Intention

I want to challenge the idea that memories are always good/what makes you human. I want people to question the “price” in memory of certain items of clothing associated with sexual assault stories. I was driven to do this because I’ve had my own struggles with traumatic memories linked to clothing. I would like to make a price tag with NFC tags attached to scan and tell the stories behind the clothing. I want it to be varied clothing- no slut-shaming “should have covered up” only clothing pieces. Every piece of clothing can have a story.

Prototype

I pulled together a small rack of clothing and stories of sexual assault in relation to them. (As this is a very fast project, I am relying on my story-telling skills and pieces of my own clothing- I had no time to go shop for the specific clothes described in the stories online.)

Precedents

In class, we talked about “art projects” that would ask a question, like the water coolers filled with plastic. I decided to tackle another issue close to memory- sexual assault caused PTSD. I was also inspired by a technological dress that sensed when women were being groped. (Ad Agency)

Process

At first, I was going to program RFID and attach them to the clothes, but it proved too difficult for my skill level. I then tried for NFC, which is what I would still love to do, but my phone couldn’t scan NFC, my friend’s phone couldn’t scan NFC, and IDEATE lending didn’t lend out tablets that could have done the trick. I was forced to let go of the scanning idea because of the time crunch, but I would love to incorporate them later. I had to stick with physical story tags attached to the clothing.

Open Questions and Challenges

This would be best incorporated in a show of some sort- it’s an interactable exhibit at the core. I would also like to see it carried out with the actual NFC scanning just like at a “price check” station. This project had me call into question the subject of traumatic memories when faced with your own clothing that you may or may not wear afterwards/because of the event. How much can you distance yourself from a physical “haunting” object?

Reflection

I learned that my technology access is limited not only because of my lack of skills but because of the older technology I have available to me. I learned that I need people with technical skills to be on my team because, even if I get ideas, I can’t implement them on my own quite yet. I didn’t reach the “cool” level I had wanted to, but I at least got a project pulled together!

Attribution and References

“Ad Agency Creates 'Smart Dress' to Prove Women Get Groped at Clubs.” ABC News, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 30 Nov. 2018, www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/ad-agency-creates-smart-dress-to-prove-women-get-groped/10571714.

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Objects of Memory

Courses

48528 Responsive Mobile Environments

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This 15-week course introduces students to responsive mobile environments and encourages them to explore speculative terrains that intersect art, technology and design and space. Iteratively, intro...more

About

My project is an experience simulator through textures. At the top of the display is a sign saying "Price Check!" Displayed directly under the sign is clothing and typed anon accounts of sexual assault in relation to that particular piece of clothing. For example, a large shirt with an account of how assault made someone uncomfortable in tight fitting clothing, a set of PJs that someone had forced off of them, etc.