Gowon is a sound artist and researcher whose artistic practice explores how to create connections with people who experience communication barriers and social vulnerability in everyday life through sound. Her work is grounded in an epistemic inquiry into how knowledge, perception, and social assumptions are formed, particularly regarding those who are often marginalised or misunderstood by dominant social structures.
Through an epistemic lens, she investigates ways to challenge the prejudices and preconceptions that shape perceptions of vulnerable individuals and communities. Her practice draws on ethnomethodological approaches that allow her to cross diverse boundary fields and rethink from different perspectives throughout the process.
She earned a PhD in co-design of multisensory-focused communication tools for people living with dementia, working closely with dementia communities and care professionals. The research received awards at international competitions and was published in papers and in her doctoral dissertation.
She is currently studying Epistemic Media of Sound and Reality in the Institute of Music and Media at Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf, Germany.
@g_o_w_o_n_
Education
2026 - Present. Epistemic Media of Sound and Reality at the Institute of Music and Media at the Robert Schumann Hochschule, Düsseldorf, Germany.
2017 - 2021. PhD, Institute of Textiles and Clothing at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
2014 - 2016. MA, Textile Design at the Royal College of Art, London, UK.
2011 - 2014. BA, Textile Design at Chelsea College of Art, London, UK.
Experience
2022 - Present. Remote lecturer in the Applied Ageing Studies Programme at the Singapore University of Social Science.
2026 - Present. Tutor in Epistemic Media of Sound and Reality in the Institute of Music and Media at the Robert Schumann Hochschule, Düsseldorf, Germany.
2022 - 2024. Volunteer work through charity organisations, Hong Kong.
2022 - 2024. UX/UI researcher and designer, Hong Kong.
2021 - 2022. Course developer in the Applied Ageing Studies Programme at the Singapore University of Social Science.
2021. Research associate in the School of Design at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Awards and Honours
2026. Invited speaker at the Smart Health Conference, Singapore.
2024. Invited speaker at the RCA Textiles Symposium at the Royal College of Art, London, UK.
2023. Invited speaker at the Royal College of Art, London, UK and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
2022. Invited speaker at the East Coast Digital Festival, Singapore.
2021. Invited speaker at the Singapore University of Social Science.
2021. Invited panellist in a panel discussion at the World Ageing Festival in Ageing Asia.
2017 - 2020. Research studentship at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
2019. Finalist at the 1st Techstyle for Social Good International Competition, Hong Kong.
2019. Finalist at the 7th Eldercare Innovation Awards, Singapore.
2018. Design research fellow in Open Style Lab at the Parsons School of Design, New York, USA.
2017. Design research assistant at Shih Chien University, Taiwan.
2017. Design research assistant at the Royal College of Art, London, UK and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
2016. Award nominee at the Helen Hamlyn Centre at the Royal College of Art, London, UK.
2016. Design workshop leader in Design Lab at the Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan.
2015. Competition winner at Waddesdon Manor live project competition, London, UK.
2014. Competition winner at Design Factory competition, London, UK.