RESEARCH TEAM
Dr Jesse Adams Stein (UTS School of Design)
Dr Bettina Frankham (UTS Media Arts Production)
Dr Elizabeth Humphrys (UTS Social and Political Sciences)
This interdisciplinary project examines the experiences of hi-vis workers and the historical and social context of hi-vis garments in Australia. The project draws on the team’s expertise in history, design, labour relations, and creative screen production, to examine a rarely considered but ubiquitous aspect of Australian cultural and industrial life.
Through traditional research and research led creative practice, the researchers are exploring:
· Visibility, invisibility, and safety: How and why does the wearing of hi-vis simultaneously render workers visible and invisible?
· Class, politics, and protest: How has hi-vis been made political in Australia, and what does it communicate in this regard?
· Gender: How is gender implicated in the wearing of hi-vis in Australia?
· Creative practice: Investigating the intellectual, emotional, and social terrain of wearing hi vis through moving image practice.
The project will develop a more comprehensive ‘map’ of the social context of hi vis, illuminating its industrial, political, and societal dimensions.
This project is formally partnered with the Powerhouse, Sydney.
Papers & Presentations
Elizabeth Humphrys, Jesse Adams Stein, Bettina Frankham, “Vested Interests: The Emergence of Hi-Vis in Australia”, Australian Fashion Matters Symposium, Monash, 31 Jan 2025.
Jesse Adams Stein, Bettina Frankham & Elizabeth Humphrys, “Illuminating Hi Vis: Politics, Worker Safety & Social Invisibility”, Powerhouse/UTS Research Committee presentation, 31 May 2024.
Bettina Frankham, Elizabeth Humphrys & Jesse Adams Stein, “Illuminating the Hi Vis Vest: Gender, Class and Social Invisibility”, Textiles & Masculinities – A Design History Society Symposium (UK Online), 15 June 2024.
Jesse Adams Stein, Elizabeth Humphrys, Bettina Frankham, “Illuminating Hi Vis: Politics, Worker Safety & Social Invisibility”, DABXFASS project share, 30 October 2024.
Elizabeth Humphrys, Bettina Frankham, Jesse Adams Stein, “Illuminating Hi Vis: Safety, Visibility and Politics”, Centre for Public History Works in Progress, 7 November 2024.
Bettina Frankham, “Research led practice – Illuminating Hi Vis as a case study,” ASPERA Conference 2024 – Filmmaking intelligences, 26 November 2024.
Elizabeth Humphrys, Jesse Adams Stein, Bettina Frankham, “Vested Interests: The emergence of Hi-Vis in Australia”, (invited) in Australian Fashion Matters symposium (organised by Melissa Bellanta), 31 January 2025.
Publications
Elizabeth Humphrys, Jesse Adams Stein & Bettina Frankham, “The deep political power of fluoro: how hi-vis became a symbol of working class masculinity“, The Conversation, 18 September 2024.
Jesse Adams Stein 