Year1-‘Methods of Cataloguing’-Written Response

Photograph: James Veysey/REX/Shutterstock

In fact, when I first started recontextualising these 3dsky toys, I focused solely on their appearance, functionality, and some subjectivity. I attempted to recontextualise them in terms of their interactions with the user, thereby delineating new collections. However, it was always difficult for me to express a coherent meaning. So I began to wonder if some of the interactions between toys and their users might influence the ‘order’ of the toys themselves.

Foucault argued that the way we perceive is transformed by the passage of time and that the humanities in the mind are also affected thereby changing the ‘order’ of things in some minds (Foucault 1989). Once upon a time, toy manufacturers would use pink for girls‘ toys, blue for boys’ toys, and even gender-related themed play toys (Litfin et al. 2018). Such stereotypes are diminishing as the world becomes more inclusive. So I started by considering the colours of the two genders as the foundational element in reimagining the identity of the toys. And then to give these toys the conjecture that children who are enlightened by them will show future occupational tendencies. Between the two, the emphasis shifts away from the parts of the toys themselves and towards the people with whom they are used. It’s considerably warmer. After some research, I extracted the term ‘ Neutral Gender’. In terms of colours, I think things like purple (from mixing blue and pink), green and yellow are some of the colours that have a vague gender orientation. In terms of value and meaning, neutral gender toys encourage boys and girls who want to play with toys that are traditionally seen as ‘not for them’. Perhaps this is all influenced by social norms, the social order. As Derrida explores the ‘archive’, which he argues is unreliable and unclear because of the close intertwining with memory and rights (Derrida and Prenowitz 1995). Toy manufacturers are under pressure from consumers, advocacy groups and even legislation to focus on diversity and avoid perpetuating stereotypes. The rise of such neutral gender toys is also a product of social evolution. I proposed the use of illustrations to represent silhouettes of various professions and iconic tools and combine them with toys.

Though in the final discussion with my tutor, this new idea emerged that although the elimination of gender stereotypes is now being advocated, the actual reality is that in some areas it is true that a single male or female will be more dominant. I began to reflect on whether what I was doing should firstly highlight the concept of ‘challenge’ and secondly express the neutral gender toys. This is indeed a new constraint for visual expression and I will continue to consider establishing a clear line between personal interests and future achievements.

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