el-ixe

Abstract

The research question was to respond to Sujatha Fernandes's article, 'The evisceration of storytelling'. Oxford University Press, June 19, 2018. But the method showcased / published here is a mixed-methods approach - allowing me to respond in another way - and in the process help me find what I wanted to say. It allowed me to also focus in on Bayo Akomalfe’s concept of ‘exile’ / walking away to create an alternative / better future. I started working on some form of imagery - every time I write - it allows me to create imagery at the same time as - and associated with - a piece of writing. They work together / allow me to create two pieces of original work at the same time.

The So Fi Zine publication itself is focussed on the fields of sociology, sociological fiction, poetry, and visual art.

I used this mixed methods approach - in this case printmaking and photography - to respond to and build on Fernandes's article and make a statement about technology and social media. The published image here was not the final intaligo print - it was an image I photographed of the actual printmaking plate used to create the print - before I destroyed it. The image is of the process. Not the outcome. And the process was where the research / writing took place. The final print was ultimately irrelevant. The printmaking - and some of the final textual work for ‘Exile’ - was undertaken at Byron School Of Art in Mullumbimby, NSW.

The created work is a piece of photography. Of an intaligo printmaking process. Undertaken whilst writing / responding to a research question / prompt. The work was submitted as part of a call for submissions for So Fi Zine Edition #9 and reviewed and accepted by So Fi Zine’s founder / editor Ashleigh Watson (UNSW) on 20th May 2021.

So Fi Zine is an indie publication for sociological fiction, poetry, and visual art with nine editions published so far - the 10th is currently under review. So Fi Zine’s website receives around 4.5K views every 6 months.