A woman of Southeast Asian origin, a homosexual man from former Yugoslavia, a transgender gay man of colour: multiple discrimination is the discrimination of a person based on several grounds. In her master thesis Nadia Lanfranchi approaches this particular type of discrimination in order to raise awareness for a little known topic. She inquires what multiple discrimination is, what it means for the people affected and how it can be visually conveyed.

 

In close collaboration with Elinor, Pascal and Meloe, she developed three visual portraits. This participatory approach allows the portrayed people to point out their personal perceptions and perspectives on multiple discrimination. Furthermore, it has a self-empowering impact and provides them with a space to talk about their experiences. This process also challenges the designer’s own view on discrimination and privilege and forces her to reflect and redefine her own position.

 

Nadia Lanfranchi’s investigations are based on a critical design approach. She explores the potentials of visual communication to challenge the way we perceive the world – not only through form and content but, very importantly, through the design process itself.