First, in Safe Passage, he used thousands of life jackets worn by refugees and installed them on the column of the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Each jacket represented a real life at risk (Charr, 2020). He transformed it into an immersive installation space.

Second, in his article for The Guardian, Ai argues that the refugee crisis is not only about displaced people. It reflects on our collective values and ethical responsibilities (Ai, 2018).

Looking back on large-scale installations and public activism, Ai Weiwei turns data into human stories. His art does not just raise awareness; it makes audiences reflect emotionally, ethically, and politically.

Bibliographic

• Ai, W. (2018). This article is more than 7 years old

  The refugee crisis isn’t about refugees. It’s about us. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/02/refugee-crisis-human-flow-ai-weiwei-china (Accessed 23/07/2025.)

• Charr, M. (2020). Ai Weiwei Refugee-Inspired Installation Unveiled at Minneapolis Institute of Art https://www.museumnext.com/article/ai-weiwei-refugee-inspired-installation-unveiled-at-minneapolis-institute-of-art/ (Accessed 23/07/2025.)

In today's class, I learned how to use "going to" & "will". Although both are used to talk about the future, they are used in slightly different situations.

Here is my note:

"Will" – for decisions, predictions based on opinion.

1. Making decisions → I’m tired. I think I will take a break now.

2. Predicting something → I believe the final presentation will go well.

3. Promising to help → I will help you.

"Going to" – for plans & already decided & predictions based on evidence (can see)

1. Already planned or decided to do → I’m going to update my Padlet this evening.

2. See evidence that is likely to happen → Look at those dark clouds! It’s going to rain.

3. Talking about personal intentions → I’m going to do more research this weekend.

Part 2 – Use the Grammar

• 3 predictions

  → I think someone will feel stressed, but all of us will be proud of our work.

  → I believe mt tutor, Jamie, will be impressed by the creativity of our Padlets.

  → During the assessment week, there will probably be some changes for the final version before submission.

  
  

• 3 intentions

  → I’m going to improve the structure of my reflection writing, such as adding more analytical and critical thinking.

  → I’m going to double-check all my grammar and references.

  → I’m going to explore new visual layouts to make my poster more engaging and delicate.

  
  

• 3 offers

  → I will provide feedback to anyone on their Padlet.

  → I will share the research links, which I found useful for my topic.

  → I will support my teammates if they need any help.

Sam Cooke was a famous soul singer in the 1960s. People called him the "Father of Soul Music" because he blended gospel music with pop and used his voice to convey some strong messages and feelings, such as “You Send Me" and "A Change Is Gonna Come," which became one of the most important songs of the Civil Rights Movement in the USA. (Biography.com, 2021)

What was the Civil Rights Movement in the USA?

The Civil Rights Movement was a fight for Black people in America to be treated equally because there were many unfair laws at that time. For example, because of Segregation Laws, Black passengers must sit in the back of the bus (HISTORY.com, 2009). Laws like these make people decide to protest against racism, violence, and segregation, and music became one way to share the hope and emotion of those under injustice.

Bibliography

1. Biography.com. (2021). Sam Cooke. https://www.biography.com/musicians/sam-cooke (Accessed 25/07/2025.)

2. HISTORY.com. (2009). Civil Rights Movement. https://www.history.com/articles/civil-rights-movement (Accessed 25/07/2025.)

In addition, the lyrics made me think about people who have suffered for a long time, especially the line “Don’t hang around.” That line stood out to me because it shows how people of colour were constantly being treated unfairly, even in everyday life. Although it’s a simple phrase, it holds a heavy meaning, which made me reflect on how discrimination isn’t always violent. It can also be subtle and built into society.

I believe the message conveyed by the song gave people great comfort at that time, even when life feels painful or unfair, because it’s not just saying “things will get better”, it’s saying “we’ve waited a long time, and we still believe.” While it doesn’t promise a solution, it encourages people not to give up. During the Civil Rights Movement, this song was important because people needed strength to continue fighting. I believed that music could heal after years of protest, violence, and frustration. When people hear a voice say “a change is gonna come”. It could remind them that their pain is meaningful.

A classic protest song that reminds me of this is "Do You Hear the People Sing?" from the film "Les Misérables". Although it’s not from the same culture or time, it also expresses collective struggle and hope. No matter the era, people always use songs to connect and believe in a better future.

• Politicians often link immigration to negative ideas such as “economic pressure” or “threats to national identity”.

• These messages influence how people treat international students in daily life, creating subtle racism and exclusion.

• It's about unspoken bias and microaggressions in student life.

“You don’t act Asian” or “You’re so articulate”, showing how language can carry bias.

Therefore, this is one of the inspirations for visual storytelling: using real quotes to let viewers reflect on their own assumptions.

“You’re smart for a Black person.”

“Where are you really from?

It shows how people may not realise the impact of their words.

Relevant: students are made to feel “less educated” or “out of place” through subtle tone, attitude, or assumptions.

It is not limited to colour, but can also be caused by class-based microaggression.

Participate performance

She uses printed text cards in real-life social settings, blurring the line between art and daily interaction.

What I can learn:

• Explore using direct text in my own work to confront audiences.

• To use everyday objects (like cards or labels) to make microaggressions visible and uncomfortable.

• Reminds me that audience reaction can be part of the artwork itself.

Portrait photography.

Each subject’s background colour is matched to their skin using "Pantone codes", visually challenging the idea of “racial categories”.

What I can learn:

• Shows how visual systems (like colour codes)

• Experiment with colour and portraiture to reveal how people are “seen” and labelled.

• Using design tools (e.g. Pantone, grid layout) as part of my storytelling.

Focus area: Emotional and psychological impact of daily comments or assumptions.

Student Quotes:

Microaggressions, I feel, always stem from stereotypes, which you think are the truth but they are not and so they come up as insult. So they aren’t opening room for growth. Because if you see Africans as poor, they are dirty, there’s a lot of diseases, they will always kind of see themselves that way. If you keep on asking me questions like “How come your English is so good?”, “ I like your wig” and stuff like that it just makes me feel like that’s how I’m supposed to be - I’m not supposed to know English, I’m not supposed to be educated or something like that and it doesn’t really bring room for growth or improvement at all.

It puts you in a box that you’re trying to get out of - in a stereotypical box - it limits your social interaction with other students, because if you’re stereotyped in a certain way people will expect you to behave in that frame.

If you find people who fit in that same box as you, you might as well just bond with them. So you end up having this cluster of grad students, Asian students together so it’s really hard to fit in with other groups.

1. What is the main idea of the paragraph?

   The main idea is that although the climate strikes in Australia were a powerful and emotional high point for youth activists in 2019, the movement has lost momentum and failed to grow as expected.

   
   

2. Which sentence is the topic sentence?

   A year later, the devastation of Australia’s black summer bushfires collided with a conservative government that was perceived to be failing to act.

   
   

3. Do all the other sentences support the topic sentence?

   In this paragraph, every sentence is connected to the main idea of the rise and fall of the 2019 youth climate strikes, as it provides they give specific examples, personal reflections, and survey results that explain how the movement reached a powerful peak but later lost its momentum.

Part 2: Coherence

1. What transition/linking words are used?

   • “which on 20 September 2019 was set alight:”

   • “Instead, it was the movement’s peak to date.”

   • “as a reminder of unrealised potential.”

2. Do the ideas flow clearly from one to the next?

   Yes, the ideas flow clearly from one to the next. The paragraph moves logically from the emotional and political background in 2019, to the mass protests, to the expectations of the activists, and finally to the decline in public engagement.

Part 3: Reflection

Through this paragraph, I learned how the writer uses strong emotional connection and a smooth narrative flow, maintaining a neutral and objective tone. The paragraph moves logically from historical background to data, and finally to public reaction, which makes the message clear and persuasive. In addition, the use of transitions like “instead” and “at the time” gave the texts space to breathe and guided the reader step by step.

I also noticed that real interviews and voices from activists were included, which added credibility to the text. This is something I would like to try in my writing.

Reference:

Brown, A. (2025). Australia’s student strikers for climate believed they could change their future. Where are they now?https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/22/australias-student-strikers-for-climate-believed-they-could-change-their-future-where-are-they-now (Accessed 28/07/2025)

• Currency: Published in July 2019, more than 5 years old. Although not recent, the issue of microaggressions in UK universities is still ongoing and relevant today.

  
  

• Relevance: Strongly relevant to my project because the article is by an international student, discussing the personal experience, which matches the angle I’m exploring.

  
  

• Authority: By The Guardian, a respected UK newspaper. While the source is reliable, the article is an opinion piece. This means I should treat it as a subjective experience, not an objective fact.

  
  

• Accuracy: The article is based on the author's real-life experience.

  
  

• Purpose: The purpose is to raise awareness and provoke discussion about the everyday racism that international students face.

Title 2: Effects of Microaggressions

• Currency: Quite current, published in March 2024.

  
  

• Relevance: Directly relevant, as it focuses on how microaggressions affect students. It links how these behaviours impact student wellbeing, confidence, and participation.

  
  

• Authority: Published by The University of Edinburgh, its institutional authority gives it credibility.

  
  

• Accuracy: Clear, it explains the effects based on psychological knowledge.

  
  

• Purpose: The purpose is to educate and raise awareness within the student community.

Title 3: Why do Adrian Piper’s Calling Cards still matter?

• Currency: It is current; the article was updated in April 2025, even though this artwork was created in 2018.

  
  

• Relevance: Highly relevant, because it analyzes how the artwork confronts subtle racism and the behavior of assumptions.

  
  

• Authority: Public Delivery is an online art platform. This article includes descriptions, analysis, and citations of references. While not academic, the source is well-researched and includes images and quotes.

  
  

• Accuracy: The article provides descriptions of the Calling Cards, their usage, and audience reactions.

• Purpose: To analyze and reflect on the significance of Piper’s work in contemporary dialogue on social bias. It aims to elevate awareness of Piper’s ideas.

Nevertheless, one challenge of digital activism is 'slacktivism'. In simple words, this means showing support online, such as sharing or liking a post, but actually not doing anything in real action. This concept is surprising me because I used to think even small actions online were helpful. However, after today's class, I began to question: if people only show support online and do nothing else, how does it help? I realised that slacktivism can create the illusion of action. For example, if someone shares a petition but doesn’t actually sign it, the cause may not move forward. This is a real challenge for online activism.

The campaign that stood out to me was #FreePeriods, because it focused on an issue we don’t often talk about: period poverty. What surprised me was that the campaign influenced the UK government to act (Jones, 2024). It made me realise that even a topic that seems small can bring major change when enough people support it online.

I personally believe that digital activism can lead to real change, but only if people use it in the right way. As seen in movements like #MeToo or climate protests, online platforms can build global awareness and inspire action. However, it only works if people move beyond the screen and take action offline.

For my activism project about racial bias and microaggression, I plan to create a digital space where people can share their own stories, maybe through photos, voice recordings, or anonymous text messages. I believe that this space will help others understand racism from real experiences, just like a moodboard. It also provided a space for people to reflect and support each other, especially for students who don’t feel safe speaking up in public.

• Conclusion & Action plan

  This week’s experience helped me understand that listening and note-taking are closely connected. It should support, not interrupt my understanding. I also discovered that drawing simple visual elements, like arrows, boxes, or symbols, can help me remember the structure of the message better than long sentences, and I need more practice.

In today's class, we presented our group poster for the Activism in Music & Literature project. Our topic was The Pianist, a film that tells the story of a Jewish pianist surviving the Holocaust. We chose this film because it shows how music can be a quiet but powerful form of resistance and healing. In our poster, we show how the film reflects the reality of war, human rights abuse, and survival.

Feelings

Before the presentation, I felt more relaxed than usual because I trusted my groupmates. They were all responsible and communicated well. I also felt proud of our teamwork, especially since we planned an extra meeting on the weekend to discuss. Even though I was a little nervous about speaking in front of the class, I was more excited to share our ideas.

Evaluation & Analysis

One thing that went well was how efficiently we worked together. We quickly agreed on the topic. Although the member who hadn’t watched the film still catches up by reading summaries or asking questions. Kexin is so hardworking. When she didn’t understand something, she always asked for help. Yihang was also a strong and reliable teammate. This made our group discussion more active and productive. However, we did face some problems. For example, we weren’t sure how to write our references correctly, even though we noticed that something was wrong, we still didn't know how to find an alternative to fix it. This made us hesitate about whether to include certain sources on the poster. If we had checked the citation format earlier, or asked our tutor before, we might have avoided this issue. I think this shows how small technical mistakes can affect the professional look of a presentation.

Conclusion & Action Plan

What I learned is how important communication and shared responsibility are in group work. Next time, we will try to have a short rehearsal before class. I believe that these small changes could make a big difference in how confident and polished we feel during the actual presentation.

From their perspectives, I realised that while I was trying to highlight students’ voices and situations, I was still too focused on racial theory and data to ignore the part of emotion. Even though my aim is to create an installation that allows the audience to truly feel that emotion, I haven't explored more about the emotional side of these experiences. This helped me notice a gap between my original intention and the way I have been developing the project.

Although their feedback didn’t change my core idea, they definitely encouraged me and gave me more confidence. When I was listening to their project, I also reflected on what was missing in my current plan. For example, after seeing Bangjie’s installation concept, I noticed that my own idea didn’t yet have a clear visual centrepiece or striking feature. It made me realise that I need to research more deeply into my design elements and artistic approach.

I was also inspired in class by my tutor, Jamie, who reminded us that the soul of art often comes from how the audience interacts with it. This idea made me start thinking more seriously about how to design a piece that invites audiences to participate, not just observe.

Next step, I plan to explore more artworks and installation artists to gather inspiration. Meanwhile, I will also begin drafting my poster, because I know that the process might reveal new problems, and I'll have more time to solve them if I start early enough.

Location 1 - Reception corridor

This space is the main corridor near the school reception. It is a busy area where students, staff, and visitors walk past every day. Some people stop to look at the posters on the wall, while others are just passing through. Because many different people use this space, it is a good place to show work that starts conversations.

A simplified version of my mirror installation could be placed here — maybe just one or two mirrors with coloured filters and a speaker that plays student voices on a loop. This space makes the message stronger because it brings a private topic into a public place. People may stop, see their reflection through different filters, and hear how students wish to be seen.

Location 2 - The Corner of Gallery

This gallery corner is a quiet and calm space where people come to focus on exhibitions. Most visitors walk slowly, read the artworks, and spend time thinking. It’s mainly used by students, tutors, and guests who are interested in art and reflection.

This setting is perfect for a full mirror installation — a closed space with coloured filters, quiet background audio, and recorded voices that play through headphones. Visitors would take their time inside the space and truly connect with the message. The silence and isolation of the gallery can make the topic of racial identity and microaggressions feel more personal and emotional. It gives people the time and space to reflect deeply.

On the mirror surface, I will include commonly heard microaggressions, such as:

• “You don’t look British.”

• “Asian people are always so polite.”

  
  

These comments will be audio recordings of real students sharing their emotional responses to hearing such statements. This voice element adds a personal and emotional layer to the experience.

Next to the installation, there will be a QR code survey inviting participants to write down how they hope to be seen by others. This gives everyone a chance to reflect on the gap between how they are perceived and how they wish to be understood.

I’m currently considering using the UCA gallery corner or the corridor near reception as the location. These are public spaces where students naturally pause, which could help spark spontaneous engagement and conversation.

Firstly, Olafur Eliasson uses art to help people think differently about energy and how it connects us to the world. In his project 'Little Sun', he designed a solar lamp that gives light to people who live in areas without electricity. He says, “light is life,” and this is why he wanted to use light as a way to help others (Eliasson, 2020). This shows that his art is not only about beauty, but also about solving real problems. For example, the lamp helps people feel safe and connected, and it also brings attention to energy inequality. This idea is important because it shows how art can build a global feeling of community.

Secondly, eL Seed uses art to help people from different cultures understand each other better and think about social and political issues. His project Calligraffiti mixes Arabic calligraphy with modern street art. One of his most famous works is a large mural on a mosque in Tunisia, which shares a message about peace and tolerance from the Qur’an (Bengoechea, 2016). This shows that eL Seed’s art is more than just decoration. He wants people to talk about difficult topics like religion, identity, and freedom. His work helps people feel proud of their roots and opens space for public conversation. I think this kind of art can break down stereotypes and connect different groups in a powerful way.

In conclusion, we have seen how both of them use their art to create social impact. On balance, I would say that art does have the power to change the world, especially when it makes people think, connect, and act in new ways.

• What was challenging

  One challenging part was the listening section, which was difficult because of the speaker’s speed and the large amount of detail to follow. On the other hand, the reading section had more content than I expected, which required fast thinking and strong focus. For me, managing time without losing concentration is still a challenge.

Improving my ability to understand videos about artists and brands. To achieve this, I will watch related videos, try to turn off the subtitles. I will also work on recognising different accents and predicting content while listening, as this will help me follow the ideas more actively.

For Note-taking:

My aim is to make my notes more structured and relevant to the questions in the quiz. In previous practice, I realised that I sometimes recorded too much information that was not useful for answering the tasks. To address this, I will keep practising and prioritise recording keywords rather than full sentences. I will also review my notes after each practice to see which points were actually useful, so I can adjust.

For Reading:

I want to improve my speed and accuracy in locating key information under time pressure. I will apply skimming and scanning techniques to quickly identify the main ideas and supporting details. I will also pay more attention to recognising synonyms and paraphrases, as these are often used in the questions.

For writing:

My main goal is to produce essays with a clear structure, accurate grammar, and well-developed ideas. I will continue practising IELTS Task 2 relevant topic, using a consistent framework to organise my paragraphs.