Talking through the Interface
Session 2

The second session was facilitated by Dr. Padmini Ray Murray and Dr. Nishant Shah. The session explored the idea of the interface, and urged the cohort to imagine the space of the screen and beyond.

Dr. Ray Murray began the session by introducing the concept of an archive. She asked them to expand their idea of an archive, and consider it as a material and conceptual tool. By using communities as experts, one can use archives as a tool to build an infrastructure of care.

She then talked about interfaces. An interface is a well-designed argument. By that definition, a book is a well designed interface. No digital platform is neutral, because an interface is designed to nudge one towards a different kind of behaviour.

Interfaces are culturally defined. Dr. Ray Murray posed the question, “How does one design interfaces that are inclusive?” Eventually, the design of the interface will be more important than the interface. The way forward is through positionality and localisation.

Dr. Ray Murray also posed the question of liveness and interfaces. How does one navigate digital performance spaces? What is 'live' anymore? What is the quality of liveness one wishes to impart?

Dr. Ray Murray reminded the cohort to build the scaffolding instead of the building - as cultural managers, they build infrastructures of care and involve communities in designing and building.