Wanderer: An Aisthetic Inquiry Into the Experience of Exile

Abstract

This article presents Wanderer: An Aisthetic Inquiry into the Experience of Exile, a practice-led research project completed at the master’s level in New Zealand. The study explores how a sensory designer might draw on the historical literary convention of 羁旅 (exile) to create a fictional 旅行皮箱 (portmanteau) that expresses the experience of loss and disorientation encountered by Chinese international students studying abroad. The research examines how poetic inquiry and sensory design function within practice-led research to articulate themes of displacement, nostalgia, and cultural estrangement. The study is structured around the iterative development of artefacts, employing creative writing, close reading, prototyping, and material experimentation to construct a fictional world. The portmanteau serves as both a conceptual and material repository, housing print media, personal correspondence, and ephemera that collectively form a sensory and narrative representation of exile. These artefacts are designed to evoke tactile, visual, and olfactory engagement, positioning sensory experience as a critical mode of communication within the research. Beyond documenting the project, the article critically reflects on its methodological approach, considering how the integration of poetic inquiry and material storytelling expands the scope of practice-led design research. The study contributes to discussions on exile as a cultural phenomenon and highlights the potential of creative practice as a means of articulating affective and embodied knowledge. Through its synthesis of narrative, sensory design, and artistic research, the project demonstrates how practice-led methodologies can engage with complex emotional and cultural conditions, offering new perspectives on identity, belonging, and displacement.