Perform—Produce

Concept

Perform—Produce is an MFA thesis by Rebecca Wilkinson at the Rhode Island School of Design that reframes design practice as both performance and production. The project asks viewers to consider the contexts, labor, and decisions that shape finished objects rather than treating outcomes as isolated artifacts. It positions process, relation, and contingency as central research concerns. The work reads as a reflective inquiry into how design is made visible and narrated.

Visual Language & Motion

The presentation emphasizes sequencing and composition to make process legible, using visual rhythms that guide attention through stages of inquiry. Imagery and layout appear arranged to foreground material evidence and documentary fragments alongside conceptual framing. Visual choices support a narrative of making, where relationships between elements matter as much as individual pieces. The overall language favors clarity and evidence over decorative excess.

UX & Performance

Content is organized to support focused reading and exploration of research materials, allowing visitors to move between argument, documentation, and reflective commentary. Navigation and structure prioritize access to the thesis’ core questions about production conditions, helping viewers trace methodological threads. The site appears designed for sustained engagement rather than quick consumption, centering the reader’s ability to follow process. Attention to legibility and pacing reinforces the project’s investigatory aims.

Takeaway

Perform—Produce shifts attention from finished products to the contexts and actions that produce them, making an argument for process-centered design inquiry. As an MFA thesis, it offers a useful model for designers and educators interested in documenting and critiquing how work is made. The project encourages a more responsible and reflexive approach to design practice. It stands as a clear reminder that production conditions are integral to the meaning and ethics of design work.