MELT took us on a ‘slow-burn’ journey to explore how personal stories can become data (or not). Through a workshop in October 2022 and some ‘slow-burning’ in-between times, we transformed our personal collections to shapeshift the boundaries of data.

In collaboration with participants from a hybrid workshop at Knowle West Media Centre, MELT created the “Imagining Backwards Computer” process, which explored transforming personal collections to shapeshift the boundaries of data. We loved seeing everyone’s collections come together – from contact lens fluid to ‘things my dog brought in from the garden’!

MELT asked questions like: What does data set creation mean to you? What and whom does it include, or exclude, and why? How we can shift practices of data collection towards our beloved disabled and trans*feminist presents? How can we make data something that cares for us (particularly as trans* and disabled people) in the past, present and future? Who do these boundaries serve, how could it be different?

This research led to an artwork installed at St Annes House for our Feeling Machines Weekender in Spring 2023. 

MELT’s workshop on was on Sunday 30th October 2022, and you can experience a collectively made installation at the Feeling Machines Weekender 31st March-2 April.

Co-commission with Bristol & Bath Creative R+D