Instructions for the Unspoken (2024) is a collection of pictorial guides designed to navigate the intricate web of social protocols. Drawing inspiration from the universality of IKEA assembly instructions, a furniture giant hailing from my native Sweden, I set out to translate observed implicit social norms into visual narratives. The outcome is a series of 12 graphic images, deliberately crafted to embody the inherent flaws and intentional ambiguity often encountered in social interactions. The guides depict norms that are there but never spelled out, such as appropriate eye contact, optimal seat selection on public transport and more explicit etiquette around social gatherings and office zoom calls. By offering guidance, the illustrations aim to circumvent potential pitfalls such as embarrassment, awkwardness, or miscommunication, ultimately fostering social fluency and facilitating smoother interactions within diverse social landscapes.
Cecilia Stenbom 