Νιώσε Άβολα (feel uncomfortable )
Film
Invisible Work
Project Description
After an in-depth focus group and a series of one to one interviews with selected research participants from a diverse group of refugees employed across various sectors in Cyprus, our team developed a set of narratives and information that made it to the posters’ storyline.
The awareness campaign poster series created by our leading designer Andriana Lagoudes will be revealed to the public for the first time. This poster campaign aims to raise awareness, advocating for the labour rights of various refugee and migrant demographics and is intended to provoke important discussions on such critical issues on the frontline of migration politics. After the reveal event the poster campaign will be placed all around the streets of Nicosia, extending the conversation to the general public and allowing the posters to create ripples to the city's urban narrative.
PROJECT DURATION: March - September 2024
RESEARCH STEPS: Desk Research > Focus Group > 1:1 Interviews
DESIGN METHODOLOGY: Social Design and Co-Design
EACH POSTER FOCUSES ON A PARTICULAR REFUGEE DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE.
Creative Direction and Poster Design by ANDRIANA LAGOUDES
THE PRODUCTION OF THIS PROJECT WAS A RESULT OF THE EFFORTS OF GENERATION FOR CHANGE CY AND ANDRIANA LAGOUDES AND FUNDED BY THE ART FOR SOCIAL ACTION SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM (ASA).
RESEARCH STEPS: Desk Research > Focus Group > 1:1 Interviews
DESIGN METHODOLOGY: Social Design and Co-Design
EACH POSTER FOCUSES ON A PARTICULAR REFUGEE DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE.
Creative Direction and Poster Design by ANDRIANA LAGOUDES
THE PRODUCTION OF THIS PROJECT WAS A RESULT OF THE EFFORTS OF GENERATION FOR CHANGE CY AND ANDRIANA LAGOUDES AND FUNDED BY THE ART FOR SOCIAL ACTION SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM (ASA).
POSTER TITLE: Embracing the Hijab.
AIM: This poster aims to dismantle harmful beliefs about the hijab and make way to reveal the complexity that lies behind its symbolism.
NUMBER OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS IN FOCUS: [2]
IDENTITY CHARACTERISTICS: [1] Early 20s, Able-Bodied, Muslim Woman [2] Late 20s, Able-Bodied, Muslim Woman.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: [1] Somalia [2] Somalia
TIME IN CYPRUS: [1] 2-3 years [2] 2-3 years
WORKED IN CYPRUS: Yes
THE WRITTEN CONTENT OF THIS POSTER WAS CO-CREATED WITH A SELECTED RESEARCH PARTICIPANT.
AIM: This poster aims to dismantle harmful beliefs about the hijab and make way to reveal the complexity that lies behind its symbolism.
NUMBER OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS IN FOCUS: [2]
IDENTITY CHARACTERISTICS: [1] Early 20s, Able-Bodied, Muslim Woman [2] Late 20s, Able-Bodied, Muslim Woman.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: [1] Somalia [2] Somalia
TIME IN CYPRUS: [1] 2-3 years [2] 2-3 years
WORKED IN CYPRUS: Yes
THE WRITTEN CONTENT OF THIS POSTER WAS CO-CREATED WITH A SELECTED RESEARCH PARTICIPANT.
POSTER TITLE: Work RoadMap of a Refugee in Cyprus
AIM: This poster maps one journey of an able-bodied refugee man into the labor sector in Cyprus. It aims to reveal the obstacles and learning processes that take place.
NUMBER OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS IN FOCUS: [1]
IDENTITY CHARACTERISTICS: Early 20s, Able Bodied Man, No Previous Work Experience
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Congo
TIME IN CYPRUS: 3 - 4 years
WORKED IN CYPRUS: Yes
THE WRITTEN CONTENT OF THIS POSTER WAS CO-CREATED WITH A SELECTED RESEARCH PARTICIPANT.
AIM: This poster maps one journey of an able-bodied refugee man into the labor sector in Cyprus. It aims to reveal the obstacles and learning processes that take place.
NUMBER OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS IN FOCUS: [1]
IDENTITY CHARACTERISTICS: Early 20s, Able Bodied Man, No Previous Work Experience
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Congo
TIME IN CYPRUS: 3 - 4 years
WORKED IN CYPRUS: Yes
THE WRITTEN CONTENT OF THIS POSTER WAS CO-CREATED WITH A SELECTED RESEARCH PARTICIPANT.
POSTER TITLE: Unheard Work Stories of refugees with (Dis)abilities, Digital Version.
AIM: This poster advocates for the visibility of a demographic of refugees that live their life with visible and invisible (dis)abilities.
NUMBER OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS IN FOCUS: [2]
IDENTITY CHARACTERISTICS: [1] Late 20s, Man with disability [2] Early 30s, Man with Disability.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: [1] Sierra Leone [2] Cameroon
TIME IN CYPRUS: [1] 4 years [2] 4 years
WORKED IN CYPRUS: Yes
THE WRITTEN CONTENT OF THIS POSTER WAS CO-CREATED WITH A SELECTED RESEARCH PARTICIPANT.
AIM: This poster advocates for the visibility of a demographic of refugees that live their life with visible and invisible (dis)abilities.
NUMBER OF RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS IN FOCUS: [2]
IDENTITY CHARACTERISTICS: [1] Late 20s, Man with disability [2] Early 30s, Man with Disability.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: [1] Sierra Leone [2] Cameroon
TIME IN CYPRUS: [1] 4 years [2] 4 years
WORKED IN CYPRUS: Yes
THE WRITTEN CONTENT OF THIS POSTER WAS CO-CREATED WITH A SELECTED RESEARCH PARTICIPANT.
At the event we revealed the posters and had a panel discussion focusing on racism and exploitation in Cyprus' labor sector. Our audience heard directly from refugees, migrants, and representatives from a migrant-focused organisation from the North. Additionally, individuals who have contributed to our project's research shared their personal experiences, providing a unique and valuable perspective followed by an open form Q&A conversations.
The Generation for Change team in collaboration with designer Andriana Lagoudes funded by the Art for Social Action sub-granting program (ASA) created a framework to research migrant and refugee experiences in the labor market in order to create an impactful awareness campaign.
An opportunity to gain impactful insights that arose from our interdisciplinary approach to this project of research and social design.
The Arts for Social Action sub-granting program (ASA) implemented by Visual Voices, the Civil Society Initiative, and The Management Center of the Mediterranean within the framework of Building Community - Arts for Social Action Project (BCASA), made possible by the generous funding from the European Union under the Financial Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot Community.
The Generation for Change team in collaboration with designer Andriana Lagoudes funded by the Art for Social Action sub-granting program (ASA) created a framework to research migrant and refugee experiences in the labor market in order to create an impactful awareness campaign.
An opportunity to gain impactful insights that arose from our interdisciplinary approach to this project of research and social design.
The Arts for Social Action sub-granting program (ASA) implemented by Visual Voices, the Civil Society Initiative, and The Management Center of the Mediterranean within the framework of Building Community - Arts for Social Action Project (BCASA), made possible by the generous funding from the European Union under the Financial Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot Community.
How to reduce systemic bias in Public Health Commissioning?
Workshop & Toolkit
Project completed as a Service Designer at Comuzi
Client: Southwark Council, Healthcare Division
April - July 2022
Scenario
Southwark Council commissioned Comuzi to do an independent review of their processes to analyse how they design and commission healthcare services. The overarching aim of this research is to understand how Southwark established practices contribute and help in worsening inequalities faced by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.
Task
To develop a toolkit and Workshop training package which can be used by healthcare funders to help reduce systemic biases within Southwark’s commissioning. After a thorough literature review of Southwark's healthcare reports we had to identify next steps for for them to go through.
We were also asked to develop a guide for training sessions so that healthcare commissioners can use our outputs to inform commissioners elsewhere in the health and social care system.Finally our guide had to include a long term plan on how healthcare commissioners could continue to collect data from different stakeholders who were active participants in their services in order to continuously engage in the work of eradicating racism in providing their services.To complete this long term projection we used methodologies of systems design that could then be translated in Southwark’s policies.
Actions
We researched the topic to build our background knowledge of systemic bias in healthcare, run focus groups with Commissioners, Residents and Providers of healthcare services to understand the issue at hand and started conceptualising a workshop/toolkit design alongside communication strategies for commissioners to continue working with underrepresented communities in the long run. We tested our workshop with all 3 different groups of stakeholders in focus groups and continued developing outputs that aligned with the policies that Southwark Diversity, Equity and Inclusion staff had already been putting in place under their EINA policy framework. In focus groups with providers and residents we made sure to turn their feedback into the requirements of making this workshop and toolkit to advocate for the needs of underrepresented communities.
Result
Created a workshop, toolkit, facilitator’s notes document and report for Southwark council’s commissioners to unearth their interpersonal perpetuation of oppressive biases but also to start identifying how their biases build power dynamics on an institutional level. After testing it a couple of times, commissioners have come back to us with feedback that this workshop and toolkit really helped them have the first difficult conversation about the complex topic of systemic racism and see ways in which they can build and reinforce anti-bias structures for the future.
Tags: Speculative design, Research, Strategy, Sustainability Ethics, Education, User-centric design, Co-design, Social Design, Systems Design, Stakeholder Interviews, User Centric Data Collection, Community Centred Design
Sound - Walking
We Are Not Ghosts, Varosha Narratives
Sound-Walking, We Are Not Ghosts: Varosha Narratives is a poetic walk into Varosha public space memory, through narratives of forced displacement and desire of return, with the poems of Nafia Akdeniz. This poetry-based interactive sound walk draws on Akdeniz’s ethnographic research on Varosha narratives and is experienced as an immersive audio environment, on location and online in 3 languages: Turkish, Greek, English. The project is a collaboration between the poet Nafia Akdeniz and D6:EU and funded as part of the Art for Social Action sub-granting scheme.
Lagoudes developed the Visual Storytelling and Video Art for the project. You can watch the videos below. For the Greek version of the videos go here, for the Turkish versions here.
While the Varosha area is increasingly open to visitors, this work focuses on the human impact of Famagusta / Varosha history and aims at creating empathetic understandings for both locals and visitors. The poet explores place memory and refers to the interrupted life trajectory in Varosha, a place marked by forced displacement. By tapping into the collective memories of several public spaces, such as the Glossa Beach, the Municipal Park, the Municipal Agora, the Greek Gymnasium and others, Akdeniz aims to identify the familiar and foster a deeper understanding of the refugee experience and the complex realities of the Cyprus conflict. These geo-triggered poems are accessed through the application ‘Sound Walking’ on location and on-line with printed QR codes at specific locations in Famagusta.
The title, We Are Not Ghosts, echoes a common phrase used by Varosha refugees. It serves as a counter-response to labelling the city a “ghost town”. Instead, it reclaims the collective memory of its former inhabitants, and the possible future of the city.
WIth these poems, Akdeniz, skilfully navigates the memory of this historical place and merges it with the present experience of the city as a post-war site. This work is produced from Akdeniz's belief in poetry, aiming to enhance the human experience by involving all the senses and making both tangible and intangible aspects of human existence visible.
The sound walk is a collaborative work of the poet Nafia Akdeniz, curator Alessandro Vincentelli, cultural director Argyro Toumazou, sound designer Inal Bilsen, visual designer Andriana Lagoudes, and application developer Redif Ekinci. The project is produced by D6:EU, a visual arts organisation based in Cyprus, developing new opportunities for artists and cultural collaborations in Cyprus, Europe and the Middle East.
Poetry: Nafia Akdeniz
Visual Storytelling, Video Direction and Editing: Andriana Lagoude
Sound design: Inal Bilsel
Curation: Alessandro Vincentelli
Application development: Redif Ekinci
Cultural Direction: Argyro Toumazou
Video Still from poem'Barbed Tongue’
Poetry Nafia Akdeniz
Visual Direction Andriana Lagoudes
From the series of poems for Sound-Walking, We Are Not Ghosts: Varosha Narratives
2024
Poetry Nafia Akdeniz
Visual Direction Andriana Lagoudes
From the series of poems for Sound-Walking, We Are Not Ghosts: Varosha Narratives
2024
CAN YOU INTRODUCE MYSELF?
Essay-Documentary, 11min04, August 2019, NYC
Dir: Andriana Lagoudes, Ibrahim Cissé
Can you introduce myself? from Andriana Lagoudes on Vimeo.
Can you introduce myself? is a visual essay that came out of an encounter between Andriana Lagoudes and Ibrahim Cissé. The pair spontaneously addressed the potential for post-nation states to be a potent answer for a sustainable collective future by questioning the brief at the root.
Can a revolution take place if it does not start with the self? Who is the self? Can we learn about it through others? How much do we understand it? And how much do we actually really understand each other? These questions led to more, and escalated to highlight the fundamental and urgent issue of global governance and mass movements. Wandering in the streets of New-York City, Andriana and Ibrahim weaved their daily visual and sonic findings and edited the reflections that stemmed out of it into a collage. The result is an 11 minutes stream of thoughts, flowing from the river to the ocean, a film showcasing moments of doubts and clarity, two opposing languages attempting to find peace and at last, a glimpse of surrender.
stills from film
Credits
On the spectrum between Research and Design falls a whole lot. Below are the credits on work I completed as a Filmmaker, Creative Director,Designer, Facilitator and Researcher.
Some clients:
FACILITATION & EDUCATION
2022
Samsung ‘Solve For Tomorrow’ competition
https://www.samsung.com/uk/solvefortomorrow/competition/
Course Mentor and Critical Design Lab leader
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZzyCH89MeA&list=PLrUG7VyDs_IWkj-rcntcDfN3nUbHEEyEv
& on Samsung’s UK private Discord channel:
https://discord.gg/samsunguksft
2021
Cyprus Refugee Council workshop as part of the #Bemyvoice UNHCR campaign. Created Tapestries of future visions with refugee women.
Goethe Institut, Social Sculptures Program inspired by the work of Joseph Bueys. Delivered a Love Letters workshop with the Social Club Cyprus team.
2020
Samsung 'Not a School' Lead Mentor of new online learning experience
https://www.samsung.com/uk/explore/kings-cross/not-a-school/
Online courses
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/collections/samsung-solve-for-tomorrow
University of the Underground Research bureau workshop: Deconstructing the interview
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAICRNKF_vA/
2019
Samsung 'Not a School' / Course Mentor & Facilitator for running of the whole programme
https://www.samsung.com/uk/explore/kings-cross/not-a-school/
London College of Fashion - Creative Direction and Fashion Film / Visiting Lecturer
Camp Bestival, Make & Craft Space / Workshop Facilitator
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0oGK_FlYn2/
Girls in Film sponsored by Converse, Croydon / Workshop assisting
2018
Camp Bestival, Make & Craft Space / Workshop Facilitator
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl2MRc6BpZT/
2017
Women's Prize for fiction by Natwest in Wolverhampton, Grrrl Zine fair workshop / Workshop facilitator
https://www.instagram.com/p/BoejE_lh-RS/
Art Hub Visual Laboratories, Nicosia, Pattern Cutting and Recycling Workshops / Educator and Facilitator
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbY_B5SDsDn/
This is Motivw, Political Interruption workshop in Nicosia/ Military uniform upcycling facilitator
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbY_B5SDsDn/
2016
Allospos alternative education community project in rural Cyprus / Producer
https://www.allospos.org/
2015
Xarkis Festival, Socially Useful Design: A Systemic Approach to Design/ Guest Speaker and Facilitator
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjbY6HZa6WE&t=1543s
DESIGN
2021
Social Club Cyprus, founding member
http://www.instagram.com/socialclub.cyprus/?hl=en
2019
University of The Underground ' Post-Nation States ' Critical Design Course, New York/ Co-directed film ' Can you introduce myself' in response to the brief. Certified critical designer
http://universityoftheunderground.org/post-nation-states-well-underway
Drii - 'Alien' Single Track release / Concept Designer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngbL7FXgEG0
South London Gallery with Panicattack-duo performance duet for 'Nothing Really Mattress' / Invited to discuss the impact of the arts in society, education systems and policy
https://www.southlondongallery.org/events/panicattack-duo-nothing-really-mattress-performances/
Newham Word Festival & Raw Labs for Bow Arts, ' Deconstructing National Identity ' / Workshop developer and facilitator
https://bowarts.org/whats-on/exhibitions-and-events/drink-draw-deconstructing-nationality-march19
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4NMPEmnLQ1/
2018
OWK zine issue 9, Front and Back Cover Storytelling / Images and photography to form the analysis of ' Engaged objectivity of streetlife mobility'
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrDX-M1Fruq/
Kimera Collective, Mainesthai Exhibition / Guest Exhibitor
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmLlx4UFIpw/
Conceptual Photo-Series, 'Raw Power on the Go' /Concept Developer and Photographer
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjFQS_3Fqgx/
Haute Culture Fashion Blog and Tours empowering indigenous tribes globally / Researcher, Writer and Admin assistant
https://hauteculturefashion.com/
Sans Soucis Music /Art Director, Concept & Brand Developer
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4vXFvvWirlvTwcl184KfDc?si=WE4hMRgHT0m3JxbeNSdPFw
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlsTmOwFInz/
Brenda Magazine / Featured writing and documentation of life
https://www.brenda-mag.com/
Kaltblut Magazine, Berlin / Featured article on 'Down to your Rawness' fashion collection
https://www.kaltblut-magazine.com/down-to-your-rawness-by-andriana-lagoudes/
2016
Barcelona Fashion Week 080 Moda: Best Emerging Designer Award for Blame Label 080 blame label / Design Assistant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWOtvP_0KFk
2013
Imbroglio exhibition, Nicosia Cyprus /Contributing work with Stelios Tzivas. The work responds to the personal affiliation of the people of Cyprus towards their football teams and what that means for to the polarisation of society.
https://www.cyprusevents.net/events/imbroglio-state-of-mind-2013
FILMMAKING & PHOTOGRAPHY
2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gokYlb9v2Y&t=36s
2020
https://www.instagram.com/p/CG0N52Cn5wG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Authors Of the Estate / The Documentary Trailer from Andriana Lagoudes on Vimeo.
Freedom and Balance Authors of the Estate / The Documentary / Director and Editor
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12628964/
Material Bodies / Production Assistant
I, Tony / Art Director and Wardrobe Designe, Poster photographer.
http://www.anicolaou.com/video
2019
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11347680/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
'Mosquito' short horror film by Mimi Koku/ Art Director
London Queer Fashion Week 2019 / Photography Documenter
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2wRr4cn3IF/
Joviale - ' Ride Away' Music video - Documentary director of behind the scenes video
Relevant Artists ' Breaking Points' fashion film / Director, Producer and Editor
Portrait photography for Jay Scott
https://www.instagram.com/jayscottttttt/
Be the Art you want to see in the world photography concept series / Concept Developer & Documenter
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxruPwMnSju/
Dana Buckard 'True' music video / Editor
Relevant Artists, Spring-Summer 2019 'Silver Rose' Collection Lookbook / Photographer
https://www.instagram.com/relevantartists/?hl=en
Cause and Effect Magazine 2nd Issue Mag Launch / Event Documenter
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsvnKxPFvHZ/?hl=en
2018
Joon Switon, 'The Wind Cries Mary' song release / Filmmaker & Editor
Into the Limbo Festival, 2018 festival promo video / Documentary Director and editor
The Man and the Lake, 'Get Away' live performance video / Camera operator
https://seveneightstudio.com/projects/the-man-and-the-lake/
Marios Miltiadous, acclaimed choreographer of 'House of Drama', Press photoshoot wearing Efieri/ Documenter and Concept Developer
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfdZeoWDGHe/
2017
Kompany DMC, Lidl cooking recipe advert / Art Director
https://vimeo.com/kompanydmc
2015
Traphouse CY, 'To Dynato' music video/ Art Director and production designer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR8kguPUhBY
Kika Ioannidou, Kiki by the sea capsule collection / Photographer
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDNWY0ot6i3/
Blackcut Productions, 'Φarma Projekt II 2014' short film / Wardrobe exec and Production assistant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5n0Lsfrdds&t=314s
PRESS
2019
How Samsung’s ‘Not A School’ Helped Young People to Reimagine What the Future Can Look Like.
https://notaschool-samsung.vice.com/participants-and-mentors
https://open.spotify.com/episode/61jKm7ThEcU7SgJB9gF02O?si=1935cefcd0ed41b4&utm_medium=share&utm_source=linktree&nd=1
https://www.goethe.de/ins/cy/en/kul/fok/24103241.html
https://youtu.be/QZzyCH89MeA?list=PLrUG7VyDs_IWkj-rcntcDfN3nUbHEEyEv
https://youtu.be/wAolD3Zpb3E?list=PLCvkSV0ymY3XgsQ1Z0Q9lfwfTFNQLEtQ0
about.
Andriana is a visual communication designer and researcher working with photography, documentary practices, and writing. Her work explores the politics of visibility and cultural memory, informed by studies in political science, gender, and folklore. With a background in fashion design and current MA research in Peace, Conflict and Democracy, she brings a strong visual and critical sensibility to marginalised narratives.
Her main disciplines are photography, ethics, education, social design, speculative design,writing and theory. In her professional life she works as a Designer, Researcher, Creative Director and Cultural Producer. In her work Andriana unpacks difficult questions to design inclusive systems for sidelined people to unlearn their shame and build frameworks for the future that they want to be a part of. Her studies in fashion design urged her to question the biases that we conform to when performing our gendered identities. She has ever since searched for liberation from binary ways of thinking and surrender to the truths of our ecosystem.
She is a founding member of faculty at Freedom and Balance, an art college for the artist in everyone, taught at London College of Fashion, was a Lead Mentor for Not a School; an alternative education program at the intersection of ethics and technology by Samsung UK. She also worked as a designer at Comuzi Studio in London designing methodologies for healthcare funders to address the systemic bias in their funding processes.
