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2011 The Proof Principle { 25 images } Created 12 Apr 2020

A specially-commissioned interactive project which celebrated one hundred years of research and development at Unilever’s Port Sunlight facility.

The work is presented in three parts: a display of photographic images, an installation using printed t-shirts and a short film. The exhibition opened at Port Sunlight in December, 2011 and went on to be shown at the Bluecoat, Liverpool in spring 2012.

In 2011, I was commissioned by Unilever to commemorate the centenary of the research and development facility at Port Sunlight. This would involve making an intervention into a world that was wholly new to me. As a non-scientist, it would be the people working there who would help shape the project and contribute to my understanding of how the facility works.

My initial approach was based on information: asking individual members of staff about the work they carried out, their approach to it and how that work fitted in with the overall aims and objectives of the facility.

Through my conversations, I discovered that the scientists, mathematicians, psychologists, researchers and technicians at Port Sunlight used illuminating words to describe to me what they were doing and how. By focusing on these key words, I came to discover that they had double or multiple meanings that allowed some degree of ambiguity and interpretation.

But one word stood out for me as non-negotiable: Proof. This is this word that informs, stimulates and defines the work at Port Sunlight. It is the determining motive behind the research and development: the search for proof that a product can perform as predicted and promised.

By attributing individual words to the images I made at Unilever, I am placing my own interpretation on what I observed and captured. This has been a subjective exercise, one based on my opinion of what I experienced. It is not definitive and certainly not scientific. Where science discovers and attempts to find proof, art interprets.

The use of these words combined with the images asks the viewer to consider what proof is. Is it negotiable? Is it real or imagined? Can we trust it? If the words and images are interchanged, is the principle of proof altered?

These are questions that artist, scientist and viewer can ask themselves and find their own collective and individual answers to.
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  • Word: PROCESS<br />
<br />
Caption: Unilever apprentice Hannah Dufton-Kelly pictured during a laundry appraisal test.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-01.jpg
  • Word: MEASUREMENT<br />
<br />
Caption: Trays containing libraries of polymers assigned to scientists at the Centre for Materials Discovery.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-02.jpg
  • Word: CONFIDENCE<br />
<br />
Caption: A computer in a molecular suite running analysis of the amount of bacterial DNA found in samples of saliva.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-03.jpg
  • Word: EXPERIMENT<br />
<br />
Caption: A 96-well microtiter plate containing mustard, lipstick, red wine and grass stained fabric.<br />
<br />
 The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-04.jpg
  • Word: CONTROL<br />
<br />
Modeller Massimo Noro reviewing data on skin cells hydration.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-05.jpg
  • Word: STRUCTURES<br />
<br />
Caption: Laboratory scale manufacture of a roll-on deodorant at the stage where oils are added to the aqueous phase to form emulsion in a glass rig.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-06.jpg
  • Word: INSTRUCTION<br />
<br />
Caption: A member of the consumer testing panel blow drying her hair during a test for hair gels.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-07.jpg
  • Word: DEMONSTRATION<br />
<br />
Caption: Consumers being tested by the Perception group of the Sensory Perception and Behaviour Expertise Group.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-08.jpg
  • Word: LANGUAGE<br />
<br />
Caption: An equation showing removal of salts from a material by ion exchange, written on a glass fume cupboard door at the Centre for Material Discovery.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-09.jpg
  • Word: DIRECTION<br />
<br />
Caption: Scientists adding laundry liquid to water in preparation for a hand washing fragrance assessment.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-10.jpg
  • Word: ANALYSIS<br />
<br />
Caption: The surface of an ergonomic rig showing the effects of a cleaning fluid on a sample of household dirt.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-11.jpg
  • Word: ADVICE<br />
<br />
Caption: Informatician Ian Wood pictured with a Linux cluster used for modelling ingredient effects and optimising formulation design.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-12.jpg
  • Word: EMOTIONS<br />
<br />
Caption: A computer screen showing a demonstration of image analyses of hair switches commonly used in testing.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-13.jpg
  • Word: DISCOVERY<br />
<br />
Caption: 'Lisa Marie', a laundry wash robot which duplicates global washing conditions and consumer habits.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-14.jpg
  • Word: MODELLING<br />
<br />
Caption: Members of staff at the hair salon washing mannequin heads prior to the application of a conditioner.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-15.jpg
  • Word: DEPLOY<br />
<br />
Caption: A birefringent light cabinet showing assessments of phase behaviour in liquids.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-16.jpg
  • Word: IMPLICIT<br />
<br />
Caption: Tools used for making a conditioner base in the Hair Discover laboratory. <br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-17.jpg
  • Word: SUBJECTIVITY<br />
<br />
Caption: Staff overseeing roll-on deodorant manufacture taking place at the pilot plant.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-18.jpg
  • Word: CLAIM<br />
<br />
Caption: A macro image of the laboratory scale manufacture of a roll-on deodorant being made by process scientist Emma Whitehead.<br />
<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-19.jpg
  • Word: FLOW<br />
<br />
Caption: A computer screen showing calculation of the extension level of keratin unstructured loops.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-20.jpg
  • Word: PERFORMANCE<br />
<br />
Caption: Sophie Papapavlou testing the technical benefits of a heat defence serum in one of the laboratories.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-21.jpg
  • Word: ASSEMBLY<br />
<br />
Caption: A  template of bolognese and poster paint stains ready for testing using everyday laundry products.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-22.jpg
  • Word: INSIGHT<br />
<br />
Caption: A detail image of gel used in consumer testing in the hair salon.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-23.jpg
  • Word: CHARACTER<br />
<br />
Caption: Research scientists Suzi Adams and Sally Grimshaw running a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) test looking at the bacterial DNA of saliva samples.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-24.jpg
  • Word: DESIGN<br />
<br />
Caption: Using a biomimetic testing system to test the plaque removal efficiency of new toothbrush designs.<br />
<br />
The image is taken from a project entitled 'The Proof Principle' by photographer Colin McPherson, which was commissioned in 2011 by Unilever to celebrate 100 years of work at the company's research and development facility at Port Sunlight, Wirral.<br />
<br />
All images © Colin McPherson, all rights reserved.
    Unilever_Final-25.jpg