Design: what margin are we in? Reflecting about design praxis after the Letras que Flutuam project

Abstract

This article reports the evolution of the Letras que Flutuam project, started in 2004, which involves design-researchers and popular artists involved with painting names on boats in the Amazon region, to then address issues that arise from the designers’ praxis and its consequences. The reflection on its consequences and the impacts caused on those involved in the project, and on society, is fundamental to the discussion on the positionality of the designer, immersed in a cultural context and his responsibilities. As these are recent events, difficult to analyze with due impartiality, it relies on authors such as Paulo Freire (2011, 2013, 2017), Rafael Cardoso (2013), Ahmet Ansari (2015), Felipe Kaizer (2023) to collaborate in the problematization, and therefore, does not present paths or solutions.