Throughout this term’s practice, I gradually came to realise that “methods” are not merely tools, but also ways of understanding a problem and advancing thinking. “Methodology,” on the other hand, emerges through an ongoing process of testing, introducing external resources, and adjusting direction.
At the beginning, my project started from personal experience. I felt confused about what I perceived as “standards of femininity” and began to question where these judgments came from. This stage of working can be understood as a form of autoethnography: by observing my own experience, I attempted to grasp a broader social phenomenon. However, at this early stage, the approach was still quite intuitive and lacked structure.
As the project developed, I realised that remaining at the level of personal experience was not enough. I therefore introduced a questionnaire as a research method, investigating young Chinese women around me. This allowed me to expand subjective feelings into something that could be compared across individuals. During the process of organising the responses, I extracted keywords and compared different expressions. This made me aware that these seemingly personal judgments are in fact continuously produced and reinforced within a shared context.
Based on this material, I further experimented with visual translation. For example, I organised the extracted keywords into a “keyword system” and presented them as labels. When these words are brought together, they no longer function simply as expressions, but begin to resemble an implicit set of standards. At the same time, I presented the original questionnaires as an archive. These practices helped me understand that “structuring” and “modes of display” are themselves part of the method, directly shaping how the audience interprets the information.
At the level of material, I also conducted basic experiments, such as using paper, binding methods, and labeling systems to construct a visual language resembling classification and archiving.
In terms of moving image, I produced a one-minute experimental video centred on the concept of the “frame.” Through constantly shifting viewfinders and cropping, the video presents a way of seeing that is restricted and regulated. This experiment led me to think that “frames” exist not only in visual form, but also in how we understand ourselves. Here, moving image is no longer simply a narrative tool, but a way to simulate structures and constraints.
At the same time, I continuously incorporated external theories and artistic practices to develop the project. In theoretical reading, I referred to texts on postfeminism and neoliberal feminism, including critiques of “empowerment” discourse and analyses of how self-optimisation is intertwined with consumer culture. These readings helped me realise that what I observed is not an individual issue, but one embedded within broader social and cultural structures.
In terms of artistic references, I looked at works that reveal ideology through structure and symbolism. For instance, in Semiotics of the Kitchen, Martha Rosler transforms everyday kitchen tools into a critical language system through systematic demonstration, which led me to consider how objects and structures can express implicit norms. Similarly, Frances Glessner Lee’s miniature crime scene models inspired me through their precise construction, which guides viewers to “read” clues. This approach made me think about how spatial arrangements and details can structure interpretation within installation work.
Through this continuous process of testing, reading, and referencing, I gradually developed my current methodology. On the one hand, I use autoethnography as a starting point, entering the topic through personal experience. On the other hand, I combine questionnaires and visual translation to extend these experiences into structures that can be compared and viewed. At the same time, my practice adopts a critical approach—not only presenting phenomena, but also attempting to reveal the mechanisms and power relations behind them.
This methodology is not fixed, but constantly evolving. Material experiments, moving image tests, theoretical reading, and artistic references all shape my understanding and push me to adjust my approach. Through the interplay of these different methods, my practice has developed from an intuitive expression into a process that can be articulated, evaluated, and continuously expanded.
Summary of this term’s blog：
Make Something New | On Material Intuition, Feedback, and Reflection