Research is one of the best ways to explore new possibilities and answer challenging questions. Please learn more about my funded research project below.
Endangered Material Knowledge Programme
Wooden Reed Making of the Ethnic Lao-Khrang in Thailand
Funded by Arcadia, a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin and hosted by the Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas at the British Museum.
Thai Textiles Project
The Thai Textiles Project is an international collaboration between the RCA and Thammasat University, Thailand. Dr Oakley (RCA) is working with co-investigator Dr Wuthigrai Siriphon (TU).
Funded by the Royal College of Art’s Global Challenged Reseach Fund Development Scheme
PhD project at the Royal College of Art
This research project proposes the formation of “Localised Design Practice” as a new
framework for working between Thai designers and Thai hand weavers. The overarching principle is that the disciplinary knowledge of design is localised and evolves according to what has been learnt from the local knowledge. This framework is directed to form long-lasting and mutually beneficial development projects for the designers and the weavers. The research project has emerged from a concern with the politics of knowledge in that the disciplinary knowledge of design is considerably more dominant than the local knowledge of hand weaving in current textiles design development projects in Thailand. This state of affairs poses the risk that local knowledge is suppressed and diminished by the act of design development.
This research project was realised through a hybrid methodology utilizing theoretical
frameworks of critical ethnography and grounded theory with apprenticeship and
making practices. The research activities were divided into two parts. The first part
explored apprenticeship and learning Thai hand weaving within its contexts in Thailand. The second part aimed at the integration of the two forms of knowledge, research being conducted both in the UK and Thailand.
The research has identified that, although Thai hand weaving and design are
fundamentally different, they share many qualities, hence knowledge integration is
actually possible. Further research could test this framework to make changes in real
settings, and to study the applicability of this framework in other contexts.
Funded by Anandamahidol Foundation, under the patronage of HM King of Thailand
Fa Wuthigrai Siriphon 