The use of blind-portrait: an opportunity to de-essentialise intercultural, educational research

ABSTRACT

In this article, I discuss my use of blind-portrait in which participants draw an image about ‘who I am’ in a particular context with their eyes closed. Blind-portrait, as an arts method, could provide a political and ethical tool to redefine the knowability of intercultural, educational research. It moves beyond and besides the traditionally-privileged, central medium of language, challenges the quest for certainty, and disrupts the traditional power hierarchy between the researcher and participants. Blind-portrait could contribute to challenging epistemic injustices and to de-essentialising what counts as knowledge and how knowledge is created in intercultural, educational research.

本文中我讨论我对闭眼肖像画的使用：让受访者闭上眼睛去画某个特定语境中的‘我是谁’。闭眼肖像画作为一种艺术研究方法可以提供一个政治、伦理的工具去重新定义文化间、教育研究的可知性。该方法超脱于作为传统优势、中心媒介的语言之上和之外，质疑对于确定性的追寻，并且突破研究者和受访者之间的传统力量等级关系。因此，闭眼肖像画可以有益于质询认知不公，并且从去本质化的角度去理解和实践在文化间、教育研究中，什么算作为知识，以及知识是如何产生的的问题。

KEYWORDS:

• blind-portrait
• arts methods
• knowledge
• epistemic injustice
• intercultural research

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Zhuo Min Huang

Zhuo Min Huang is a Lecturer in Education in the Manchester Institute of Education at The University of Manchester. Her research interests involve: intercultural education, arts methods, intercultural personhood, intercultural ethics, and mindfulness.