Panolo Blahnik is back at it again, this time appearing in the latest issue of Nicotine Magazine

Photographer and creative director of Nicotine Magazine, Mark Lim, talks us through his recent shoot with Panolo Blahnik’s fabulous bread shoes.

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Matter's Sukha concept enables women to carry out at-home smear tests

Multidisciplinary design consultancy Matter has designed three conceptual cervical cancer examinations that women could carry out themselves at home to break the taboo of smear tests.

The project, titled Sukha, comprises three Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) home test concepts called Your Space, My Cycles and Our Bodies, which aim to make cervical cancer screening experiences more positive for women.

According to the Bath-based agency, in 2019 one in four women in the UK did not attend their cervical screening appointment, despite it being a "vital component" in the fight against cervical cancer.

The test involves a vaginal examination, known as a smear or PAP test, where a small sample of cells is collected from the cervix and tested for abnormalities.

This involves checking for a high-risk type of HPV – the name given to a common group of viruses that are passed on through any type of sexual contact – which is responsible for 99.7 per cent of all cervical cancers, as published on the NHS website.

By designing at-home tests, Matter hopes to tackle the taboos surrounding smear tests that prevent women from attending their screenings.

This could be anything from a lack of knowledge or lack of body confidence to a fear of feeling alienated from the "disconnected" screening process, the agency explained.

"The project grew out of a desire to initiate an internal studio project that could 'do good'," designer Emilie Robinson told Dezeen, "using design to build a positive future."

"With such a large proportion of women avoiding their screening, it seemed like a brilliant opportunity to design concepts that had potential to cut out the doctor's surgery and empower women in the process," she continued.

"We believe there is an opportunity to engage more women through familiarity, trust and empowerment, and aim to provide an approachable, accessible and holistic offering in women’s health and wellness."

The first concept test, Your Space, draws on the familiar design of existing period-care products like tampons and their applicators to offer an "intuitive" and compact sampling product.

The user would insert the applicator to collect the sample, just as they would a tampon. Once removed, the swab head sample would be stood upright and left to dry before the cap can be replaced, ready to be returned to a lab for testing.

The second My Cycles concept comprises a wand-like smart device and an accompanying smartphone app, which includes HPV screening alongside other testing services as part of a "life-long vaginal care regime".

This includes a menstruation and ovulation tracker, as well as STI and UTI testing. Interchangeable heads provide sample collection for a range of lab-supported and real-time diagnostic tests.

The narrow, dimpled head would be used for HPV testing – once inserted and rotated, the applicator can be removed and the head can be placed into the lab test tube and sent off for testing.

The alternative head and paper tabs can be used for urine tests, in a similar manner to a pregnancy test, to check for UTI's, pregnancy and vaginitis.

Feedback is provided digitally via the smart handle, which lets the user know if an accurate sample has been taken. It can also be connected to the app for a more in-depth analysis.

The third "tactile" test concept, called Our Bodies, is designed to allow women to "self-explore" as they use it.

A silicone applicator would be fitted over the user's finger, which could then be inserted into the cervix to collect a sample – assisted by a micro-bristled head.

The finger can then be removed and the silicone tab is pulled along the finger to invert the applicator to avoid contaminating the sample, before placing the applicator into the pot and sending it off to the lab.

Each of the Sukha tests are still in the concept phase, and have been developed with the help of medical professionals, including scientists from the Bristol Cytology Laboratory.

London-based architect Stiliyana Minkovska also aimed to make medical environments more comforting for women when designing her Ultima Thule project, which comprises a trio of undulating birthing chairs.

The chairs are designed to offer women a "sanctuary-like" environment during childbirth as an alternative to "hostile" hospital maternity wards.

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Water Dancer "explores the dynamic, complex and ever-changing relationships between man, nature and technology"

Today VDF teams up with musician Rosey Chan, starting with this exclusive preview of her collaboration with artist Eyal Gever and dancer and choreographer Sharon Eyal. Plus Chan launches a playlist of compositions intended to help listeners to cope with coronavirus lockdown.

Water Dancer is part of a series of six representations of human movement created for an exhibition held at Alon Segev Gallery in Tel Aviv last autumn.

The exhibition, called Uncanny State – Notions of Acceptance, consists of six short movies featuring a computer-manipulated dancer moving amid digital representations of water, fire, oxygen, nitrogen, ether and air.

One of six compositions for video art show

Chan, a London-based composer, musician and artist, wrote the music for all six pieces. Conceived by Israeli artist Eyal Gever, the pieces were choreographed by Israeli choreographer and dancer Eyal.

Water Dancer, a short preview of which is shown above, is being premiered today on Chan's YouTube channel.

Musician Rosey Chan is collaborating with VDF to host a day of films and performances

"It's based on choreography and dance, fused by a futuristic animation," said Chan. "As is often the case, someone will come to me with a finished idea and the collaboration will involve creating music to enhance and transform this finished object or animation."

"A matter of trial and error"

"This was really a matter of trial and error of trying different kinds of music, and every piece of music I tried with this animation had some emotional result," she added.

The six pieces were originally shown on screens in the Tel Aviv gallery in a show that ran from 5 September to 1 November 2019.

"These moving images all function within a modestly pixelated realm which uses low resolution LED screens," said Alon Segev Gallery. "Contrary to the high resolution, oversaturated world in which we usually operate in, the finer details of the highly sophisticated simulations have been stripped away."

Collaborations with architects and designers

Born in the UK to Chinese parents, Chan studied a piano scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music in London before attending the Royal College of Music, where she trained in composition, piano and violin.

Besides composing and performing, she collaborates with a wide range of artists, designers and architects.

Today's VDF x Rosey Chan collaboration will highlight some of these projects, including works with architect Patrik Schumacher and designers Fredrikson Stallard.

At 5:00pm UK time today Chan will conduct a live interview with Dezeen founder Marcus Fairs, followed by an exclusive screening of two piano improvisations by Chan.

Mindful Music playlist

Chan has also released a Spotify playlist of self-composed tracks intended to help people's mindfulness during lockdown.

"Like most musicians, I've been recording and playing a lot of music during isolation," Chan told Dezeen. "It's been especially interesting to get feedback during the process of composing."

"I've been putting thirty-second clips of new music on to Instagram and then reading the responses," she added. "It's been intriguing to see the contrast between the different pieces that have had good responses. It's not just one thing or one style - and you realise that a lot of people are listening to things in their own personal way."

Tracks are a response to isolation

This feedback has informed her creative process, she said, and was the inspiration behind the Mindful Music playlist.

"You could say that learning what people like, what touches them emotionally, what speaks to them at this time (which is very difficult and very personal for everybody), allowed me create my own personal algorithm," she explained.

"There's been a certain universality in responses, and I think that has definitely steered the way I've been extending these compositions/improvisations," Chan added.

"So I think these tracks are very much the result of myself in isolation in response to other people in isolation, which is in itself, a replication of the relationship I would have with a live audience, except in a digital form. So the ongoing situation is fascinating and I will continue to explore in this way."

 

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Awkward nuance; Tim Blann on his quest to “obtain the perfect amount of ‘wrong’” in his drawings

Drawn to the tension between people and objects, Tim visually explores navigating opposing ideas.

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Jobs of the week from Courier, Bakken & Bæck and Waste Creative!

Our weekly round-up of jobs posted on our sister site, If You Could Jobs.

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