Rada Musikarat

How can graphic communication design be used to investigate the duality of Thai culture's perception towards sex?

This project explores the relationship between sex, language, and culture in Thailand. While sex is a natural aspect of life, it remains a taboo within Thai culture, contrasting with the country’s prominent sex industry. This project aims to dissect these contradictions by utilising design as a tool for translation and publishing. 

In Thai culture, sexual language is mainly expressed through euphemisms. By using the act of revealing and concealing through imagery, linguistic examination and creating an interaction with material and surroundings, I investigate the use of euphemisms in sexual language, seeking to peel back layers of meaning to foster open discussions, challenge the prevailing culture of sexual shame, and transform the negative perceptions and silence surrounding sexuality.

Through exploring forms of translation, both linguistic and medium, I also use graphic design to investigate the possibilities and boundaries of language, contextually and visually. I am interested in repurposing and repositioning it in different settings, creating new meanings through the act of publishing. Through this set of stickers, words transform into objects, jokes, spaces, politics, and forms of expression.