Speak No Evil : Wearables
November 2019
The concept of the wearables came from the title of the song along with the hook of the song “speak no evil”. When hearing this line, I think of “The Three Wise Monkeys” where one speaks no evil, one hears no evil and one sees no evil. In a broader context, these wearables, within the context of the video are about technology, fashion and other materialistic objects blinding the people and inhibiting them from seeing, hearing and being able to speak the truth.
There were many different ideas that were thought about in the making of these specific objects. When thinking about what to create for the mouth piece, I thought through a few designs that would cover the mouth, to directly represent an inhibition of speech. However, when thinking through this concept, I began to think about the use of muzzles on slaves and the different connotations this would have in this music video. Listening more to the lyrics of the song for inspiration, I was drawn to the line by Jasiri X, “smile showing all of my teeth”. Within the rest of the context of the lyrics, this line to me was about how he feels forced to smile through life, even though he is not happy with the situation he, and more broadly, his people are in. So with this dental cheek retractor, I am visually representing a forced grin on the faces of those wearing the devices, much as Jasiri expresses he often feels. This retractor also accomplishes what a muzzle would do as well, inhibit speech, and in this way it is an object that fits within the context of the song but is still an object with criticality. The ear pieces were inspired by the “air pod” phenomenon and how many people are often in their own world, at the mercy of these small white devices. Air pods inhibit you from hearing, and these devices are merely a representation of a device that already exists and is already taking control of us. The eyewear are a representation of being blinded or having your vision distorted. By being gold, they are a representation of how many in our society have their sights set on personal success and wealth without looking past their own self interest.
The wearable “Device 2.0” is a piece that I created after the video premiere. When looking back at the designs for the original wearables featured in the video, I was not completely satisfied with their design and how that design represented my concepts and how they relate to the message of the song. This diamond device has a bold design that I think would have emphasized the concept that Jasiri is making about feeling of the forced smile and feeling like it is part of the showmanship of life. Additionally, this piece speaks more to the idea that certain objects hold meaning within society. Similarly to Air Pods representing wealth, this diamond device is a representation of glamor and class, even if in reality it is inhibiting speech.