ABSTRACT
In this chapter, our aim is to understand the relationships among and around the artisanal community of embroiderers, who are the focus of the Bordados de Passira (Embroideries of Passira) project in the countryside of Pernambuco, Brazil. We discuss the dynamics surrounding the production of artefacts and the artisans themselves, placing them at the centre of the action. In a society like Brazil, which is marked by multiple class, race and gender inequalities, it is essential to question the dimension of these aspects in design practices and learn how these exclusion mechanisms still guide the constitution and legitimisation of representation in this field. A main objective of this study is to question the universal and neutral position built by these hegemonic design narratives by examining the articulation of artefacts within the contexts in which they are inserted. Thus, beyond reflecting on methods that are already defined, we propose expanding the narratives in this field by mapping the relationships present in design practices and artefacts. Finally, in considering the construction of pluriversal perspectives, we propose a situated and relational approach that employs feminist theories and working with the community of embroiderers in Passira.
