Eye appeal is buy appeal: The design, mediation and consumption of Kenwood's kitchen appliances, 1947-2020

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This project will critically explore the design, mediation and consumption of Kenwood Manufacturing Company Ltd's products. The student will focus on a yet unspecified period between its founding in 1947 to the present.There will be a particular emphasis on demonstrations in shops, department stores, trade and public exhibitions, country and agricultural shows as a selling technique, a hitherto neglected area of study.These mediation strategies will be compared and contrasted with the actual consumer experience of Kenwood products through oral and written testimonies. This will be set within the broader context of domestic appliance consumption and include a critical investigation of contemporary gendered and class identities of technologies and consumers.The project draws on the Science Museum's Kenwood and related holdings. Based at the University of Portsmouth, the student will have access to nearby archives at Kenwood's Havant headquarters and research material from the recent HLF funded exhibition and documentary film 'Kenwood in Havant' at The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre.The student will build object histories of design, mediation, circulation and use, providing valuable insights that will help the Science Museum in informing the development of a model for future displays, interpretation and collecting strategies.