Cyborg Rainbow Ubucwebe by Dian Chen is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Umklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award in Ukudizayina Ubucwebe Competition Category.

InsimbiUbucwebe· 2021

Cyborg Rainbow Ubucwebe

by Dian Chen

Client: Dian Chen

Umklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award Winner in Ubucwebe Category

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Colors

The Design

About Cyborg Rainbow Ubucwebe

Ngokuqondiswa abafundisazi bezifilosofi abafana no-Rosi Braidotti no-Donna Haraway, lolu hlelo lusebenzisa izakhi ze-Cyborg kanye ne-Cyber-punk emasikweni esidumile ukwakha lolu chungechunge olumangalisayo kakhulu nolungazelelwe. Ngokusebenzisa izinto ezenziwe embonini ngendlela eguquguqukayo, izingcezu zalolu hlelo zakhiwe ngokuphelele ngezingxenye ezinguqukayo, okuvumela abazigqokayo ukuthi bashintshe futhi benze kabusha ubucwebe besebenzisa zonke lezo "chips and bars" ezedlulele. Leli qoqo lihlose ukwakha umongo lapho umgqoki angaba khona nesipiliyoni sekusasa elingemuva kwesintu ukuze kuphulwe ukubona okwejwayelekile kobulili kanye nobunikazi.

The Recognition

About the Umklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award

Cyborg Rainbow Ubucwebe iwinile uMklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award, ukwaziswa okuhloniphekile okunikezwa imiklamo emihle ehlangabezana nezidingo zobungcweti nezemboni ezilindelekile ezimpahleni ezihlelwe kahle. Abawinile beNsimbi babonisa ikhono elikhulu, ubungcweti obuphezulu, ukuqonda kochwepheshe namandla okudala abadali babo. Cyborg Rainbow Ubucwebe ilindeleke ukuba ibe yinto exatshwa kakhulu, edunyiswayo nethandwayo esebenzayo nenezinto ezintsha. Lo mklamo owinile uMklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award uhlanganisa izindlela ezinhle kakhulu zemboni futhi unezimfanelo zobuchwepheshe ezifanelekile ezihlanganiswe nolwazi nethalente. Cyborg Rainbow Ubucwebe iyahlonishwa ngenxa yokucophelela kwayo futhi ihlelelwe ukulethela izinguquko zomgangatho wempilo ezisiza ukwenza umhlaba ube yindawo engcono.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This project is a participatory piece which basic frames and interchangeable spare-parts are manufactured using industrial materials, like aluminum, acrylic, stainless steel. That allows the wearers to replace and even remake the jewellery using all those spare "chips and bars". In this process of self-controlled changing and overall infinity of possibilities, Dian intends to construct a context in which the wearer can, not only wear but can also participate and experience a fluid relationship between body, objects, and identity. It now a materialized imagination, it might be material experience in an expectable future.
Dimensions & Packaging: Necklace: 270* 60* 280mm.
Tags: Posthuman, Cyborg, Science Fiction, Participation, Gender, Identity, Fantasy
Production Technology: Materials: electroplated copper, aluminum alloy, acrylic, stainless steel, rubber, latex.
Design Challenge: The main challenge in her project is to materialize cyborg and posthuman theories not only in the "object" that she designed but how it can create an ongoing and firsthand experience to her customers.
Research: Dian combined desktop research and practice as research in her project. Particularly, theories about Post-humanism and themes of science fiction and pop-culture were studied, then she embody her research enquiries in her design practice and the final product as a materialized exploration of cyborg theory that she researched.
Inspiration: Informed by philosophers like Rosi Braidotti and Donna Haraway, Dian developed a deep interest in approaching gender identity issues through the concepts of the post-humanism, cyborg, cyber-punk and science fictions in pop culture to construct the super surreal series to discuss the question of fluidity of gender and identity in post-human age.
Project Duration: The project started in April 2018 in London and finished in April 2019 in London, and was exhibited in Central Saint Martins in June 2019 and AN+ ART and Design Museum in March to June 2020.
Operation Flow: This series of jewellery uses interchangeable parts to create imaginations and experiences of cyber-organic science fiction.
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Kayuet Lau, Cyborg Rainbow, 2019.
Image #2: Photographer Kayuet Lau, Cyborg Rainbow, 2019.
Image #3: Photographer Kayuet Lau, Cyborg Rainbow, 2019.
Image #4: Photographer Kayuet Lau, Cyborg Rainbow, 2019.
Image #5: Photographer Kayuet Lau, Cyborg Rainbow, 2019.