I shared my project in a few ways. First I sent my portfolio to two people who have created exhibitions about and work as food delivery riders. Brazilian artist Allan Weber and Austrian designer Fabio Hofer both have first-hand experience doing the same work as my interviewees, and have expert knowledge regarding exhibitions, so their feedback would be invaluable.
Since I can’t depend on their response I also shared my work as an installation lasting roughly one hour. I had already created a previous version outside CSM’s canteen featuring ten kraft paper bags with receipt-printed stories stapled on them, each representing one interview with a delivery rider. For the next iteration, I screen-printed interview highlights to the bags and added information about the project on the receipts. The new setting was a table outside Waitrose’s, which expanded the audience from CSM students and staff to everyone passing by that area, including the store’s customers and a few delivery riders. This gave me the opportunity to observe my audience interacting with the work.
The large display type worked well. It allowed people to read part of the work from a distance, and the fact that it was partially covered by the receipt prompted some to lift it so they could see the entire text on the bags. Several people approached the installation and read its content. though no one came close to reading the ten stories. tI took some time for people to understand what the project was about, and only one scanned the QR code that directs to the Instagram page. A couple of delivery riders passed by, but only one stopped and looked at the project from a distance before sitting at a table opposite to it. Most people tried lifting the bags, maybe because they were curious about its contents or just wanted to interact with them.
Reflecting on how my audience engaged with the work, there’s at least one minor adjustment to be made. Highlighting a part of the text in the receipt print could help people do a scan-read of the content, a useful feature considering most people are just passing by. Additionally, foregrounding and reframing the project’s description might encourage more people to scan the QR code, or at least have them leave knowing what the project is about.
I placed the installation outside a food-related place because I thought it would add another layer of meaning to the work, but I don’t think the audience made that connection, so I would try other locations. Perhaps outside an office during lunchtime when employees go out to eat.
Finally, there may be an opportunity to create an interactive installation with take-away bags. This would mean creating more copies instead of one-offs, but the material and processes I’m using—kraft paper bags, thermal printing and screen printing—are cheap and suitable for large runs. From what I observed a significant part of my audience is already interested in interacting with the installation. Taking these orders home would be another act familiar to the delivery experience, since pick-up is an option in the apps. Hopefully it would mean engaging with the work in a deeper way.