The RLF (Research Liberation Front) event this year was designed to liberate art from research. They set up a gallery of objects taken from the research world to see if they could be counted as art and the overall feelings seemed to be a resounding yes….

Many research companies contributed things such as respondent drawings from groups, videos of research being done online, early stage concepts developed for research and diaries from respondents lives. These were arranged in a gallery space at the Young Vic Theatre and judged both by popular vote and by a professional art critic.

The winner of the popular vote was a piece from TNS showing respondent generated feedback about the Cadbury’s Flake brand and some of these quotes bordered on the saucy! The piece itself was very nicely laid out and had clearly impressed both the client and the assembled crowd.

The art critic chose a piece from MESH which was a book made from recycled questionnaires. Beautifully bound it apparently subverted our understanding of research!!

As ever a fun night out from the RLF and a welcome juxtaposition to the main conference event…..