gracekohwanying

[gracekohwanying]

Self-Reflection

For the topics from week 1- 4, the one thing in common is about perception. Phenomenology happens around us. For instance, the menu icon in an app.

Aesthetics is a style that one embodies. I could relate this to my studio work, where I had to analyze artists’ style. I find semiotics most in advertising. The signs and symbols tell a message using signifiers and signified.

I learned to analyse a work of design by looking into the process, purpose, meaning, form and craftsmanship.  I can relate this to that of product design.

Cultural materialism, post-structuralism and post-modernism had shaped the way works had been produced over the years. cultural materialism  is evident, referencing with  Chinese painting and Western Painting. Chinese painters use expression and imagination for artworks on nature, based on the Taoist philosophy of nature. Western paintings more on light and shadows, emphasizing on realism (DrawingAcademy).

Poststructuralism is closely related to semiotics. I feel that by deconstructing a design, it can be modified into new meanings and interpretations. 

Postmodernism is like a movement that was experimental and focused on addressing social and cultural concerns. Postmodernism and poststructuralism do share something in common; which is the scepticism behind something that was the norm or the ideals. 

The art ecosystem makes the groundwork of our arts industry. From where we get our resources from to industrial partners, we are not an individual entity. Through our works and collaboration, we impact society, thrusting new innovations.

(271 words)

References:

DrawingAcademy. “Chinese vs Western Painting.” Drawing Academy, 21 Apr. 2021, drawingacademy.com/chinese-vs-western-painting. 

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Week 11: Postmodernism

Postmodernism focuses on challenging conventions and critiques and it is a movement that would result in diversity as it embraces different forms of inspiration (Zamfir). Diversity results in fragmentation, when too many different styles come together to form a movement (Heylighen). Modernism was shaped by reform developments like industrialization and urbanisation that dated as far as the 860s to 1940s and considered traditional arts as its rudimentary form; postmodernism deviated from the concept and reacted to the limitations of modernism, in particular addressing social and cultural issues. Postmodernism would reject universal ideals in modernism such as clarity, purity and simplicity (Paniagua). It’s a very experimental movement,  borned of scepticism of idealism. It emphasized on subjectivity and that personalization should dominate over idealism (Tate). Boundaries are then pushed and re-invention occurs when it has become more avant-garde and extraordinary (Berry).  With diversity comes pluralism, when there is an acceptance of such extraordinary and individualism such that there was no black and white over the correct application of techniques, concepts and perspectives (Pluralism in art). The idea of “less is more” is a key hallmark in postmodernism. (Ghisleni)

One example of an artist who embraces postmodernism is April Grieman. While I was in the studio, I came across her and I could see that she challenged the boundaries of graphic design for her time. She was one of the first few women of design  who experimented with technology to create artworks, much to the reluctance of the other graphic artists back then. She used it to create various styles of typography and brought much depth in works. (Chelsea Woo)

(263 words)

Resources:

Zamfir, Namicev. “The Art of Postmodern Architecture: Breaking Boundaries and Embracing Diversity.” Journal of Steel Structures & Construction, Hilaris SRL, 30 Oct. 2023, www.hilarispublisher.com/open-access/the-art-of-postmodern-architecture-breaking-boundaries-and-embracing-diversity-103698.html. 

Heylighen, F. “Post-Modern Fragmentation.” Post-Modern Fragmentation, 22 July 1999, pespmc1.vub.ac.be/POMOFRAG.html. 

Tate. “Postmodernism.” Tate, 1 Jan. 1963, www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/p/postmodernism. 

Berry, Ellen E. “Postmodern Avant-Gardes and Cultural Reinvention.” SpringerLink, Palgrave Macmillan US, 1 Jan. 1999, link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780312299712_4#:~:text=Postmodern%20Avant%2DGardes%20and%20Cultural%20Reinvention%20%7C%20SpringerLink.&text=It%20has%20been%20characterized%20as%20an%20attitude,to%20transform%20the%20former%20through%20the%20latter. 

“Pluralism in Art - Definition, Examples, History & More - Art Theory Glossary.” Jerwoodvisualarts.Org, 15 Apr. 2024, jerwoodvisualarts.org/art-theory-glossary/pluralism-in-art/. 

Chelsea Woo. “Post Modernism in Europe – April Greiman.” Chelsea Woo, 10 Mar. 2022, eportfolios.capilanou.ca/chelseawoo/2022/03/10/post-modernism-in-europe-april-greiman/. 

Paniagua, Gustavo. “What Is the Difference between Modernism and Postmodernism.” What Is the Difference Between Modernism and Postmodernism, slidebean.com/blog/difference-between-modernism-and-postmodernism. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025. 

Ghisleni, Camilla. “What Is Postmodernism?” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 14 July 2021, www.archdaily.com/964625/what-is-postmodernism. 

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Week 5 + 6 : How to analyze a design + Kampong Glam field trip

Process is the actions taken to fulfill the promises of an object’s purpose (Thompson). Purpose would be similar to usability. Subject matter and meaning would be the significance of an object and dictate the impact it should rightfully make. Choices and uses of medium have to be chosen carefully for the intended purpose. The process of making a design is shaped by the purpose, meaning and mediums used.

The context of a piece has a direct impact on the design. With technology advancement and design style, a design can be influenced by such factors. Form is a fundamental design that can influence how a product is received by the user (Product Design Product Design). A design is often rated good or bad depending on how well thought out a design is (Tantiprasut). It’s imperative for any design to be meticulously checked through, to ensure the longevity and the sustainability of the design.

Theme:  Material and Structure 

These objects possess wood. I decided to document wooden chairs as part of the group items in week 5. I decided to document these as wood can be torn easily, but it could also be made to be durable like that of furniture. Hence, they are made of the same material but with different durability.

This would be a great addition to this group of structures. They all have the same function but this one would be bigger in size and made of metal foil material, but still have the ziplock function just like the others in the earlier and a solid base.

Theme: Memory and Place 

The four works are scrapbook, thumb drive, hard drive and a diary. All these could be found in my bedroom.

For scrapbook and diary, it’s mainly used to store memories that have sentimental value. As shown in picture, the scrapbook is used to record events that happened in the year 2021 in a pictorial format. The diary also records personal events but some entries are dated as far as 2022. Both thumb drive and hard drive store documents, though the capacity for memory for the hard drive is more than that of the thumbdrive.

(346 words)

References:

Thompson, Tsuwa. “Purpose versus Process.” Medium, Medium, 25 May 2020, medium.com/@TsuwaThompson/purpose-versus-process-ef8749be6593#:~:text=The%20main%20takeaway%20here%20is,process%20but%20always%20think%20purpose. 

Tantiprasut, Patima. “Good Design, Bad Design. What Is Design, Even.” Medium, Medium, 15 Aug. 2017, medium.com/@the_patima/good-design-bad-design-what-is-design-even-bcac7d04b62. 

Product Design. “How Can You Design a Distinctive Product Using Shape and Form?” How Shape and Form Can Make Your Product Distinctive, www.linkedin.com/advice/0/how-can-you-design-distinctive-product-using-shape-cmbfc#:~:text=Shape%20and%20form%20are%20two,and%20communicates%20your%20brand%20values. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025. 

Wolfe, Shira. “Agents of Change: How Printmaking Transformed Art.” Artland Magazine, 14 Apr. 2023, magazine.artland.com/agents-of-change-printmaking-in-art/. 

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Week 4: Semiotics

Semiotics would be an integral part of graphic communication. It is important as through semiotics, a message, ideas, attitudes, meanings or beliefs are conveyed. However, the interpretation is subject to the viewer, based on their background and lived experience (Institute of Historical Research), which can be referenced back to phenomenology. Signs are usually instructional while symbols are often images that carry meaning but require you to have some background knowledge (What is the).

I can relate this to my studio work. I decided to do a tribute to M/M Paris. One of their works made use of semiotics well and that the real meaning behind the poster was well-conveyed.

In this advertisement, the signifiers would be a pair of male legs wearing Mr Leggs pants, a tiger-skin cut out and a woman's head. It’s in grayscale.This was shot at a rather low angle but facing downwards. A pair of man’s legs and woman’s head are centralized to create emphasis. It seems to signify dominance and gender inequality and that men are always overpowering women. They portray an impression that women are to be subservient and women are preys, ready to be poached. This ad apparently advocates the victimization of women. This ad promotes misogyny and that men are meant to look presentable and self-entitled. I think this ad speaks to people that are of an older age or someone with little education background with a conservative mindset but definitely not someone who is well-educated and sophisticated. It may  also be advertised during the era where male dominance is prevalent.

(259 words)

References:

Institute of Historical Research (IHR), University of London and Institute for the Public Understanding of the Past.“Semiotics.” Semiotics - a Method to Study the Media and How the Abolition of Slavery Has Been Commemorated, archives.history.ac.uk/1807commemorated/media/methods/semiotics.html#:~:text=These%20theories%20are%20important%20because,relay%20information%20to%20the%20audience. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025. 

What Is the Difference between a Sign and a Symbol? Signs ..., www.bridgewater.newcastle.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Signs-and-Symbols.pdf. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025. 

“M/m (Paris): Obsessed with Images Final.” Vimeo, 11 Mar. 2025, vimeo.com/678735840. 

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Week 2 - Aesthetics

I learnt that form and function should be representative of what an object is. When analyzing a design, the form tells the viewer what the characteristics are. I would relate “function” as purpose. The form should match the purpose of an object (Bear) so that the overall outcome would provide a unanimous profile of something. Form following functioning is a design principle, applied across various industries. (designer et al.) These two factors would provide an engaging and effective outcome (Archademia) . Communication should also be reflective of the purpose. However,  communication is also an end-result of how an object is interpreted. Communication comprises both form and function. Form of communication would be the mode of communication (Health), which in design context, it could be a poster, publication,etc. Though dissonance can lead to unpalatable results in design, it also means to challenge beliefs and conventions (Design with Dissonance) . The stark contrast of the dissonance could be like an accent, bringing attention to the viewer’s eye. Interpretation comes when as viewers, we make sense of the object in question. But for designers, interpretation is based on rationality and we can predict the viewer's interpretation to improve our designs  (Soares and Pombo). The meaning of a design would be the underlying message that it is trying to imply. But I feel that meaning is something that is dependent on how clear the message has been structured, which boils down to form and function so they are linked. This can be applied to Studio and Craft in which we did brochures and the folding of the brochure affects the way we present and organize our information. The form of other deliverables, such as posters, affects the look and feel of it and how well our message is interpreted.

(282 words)

References

Bear, Jacci Howard. “Understanding Form and Function in Design and Publishing.” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 4 Nov. 2019, www.thoughtco.com/form-and-function-design-and-publishing-1078415. 

Health, KidsCare Home. “Form and Function from an SLP.” KidsCare Home Health, 20 Mar. 2012, kidscarehomehealth.com/form-and-function-from-an-slp/. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.

“Design with Dissonance.” Smashing Magazine, 13 Oct. 2011, www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/10/design-with-dissonance/.

‌designer, Jacci Howard Bear Writer A. graphic, et al. “Understanding Form and Function in Design and Publishing.” ThoughtCo, 3 Nov. 2019, www.thoughtco.com/form-and-function-design-and-publishing-1078415.

‌Soares, Lilianna, and Fatima Pombo. Interpretation as a Design Method, 7AD. 

Mastering the Art of Balancing Form and Function in Design | Archademia, archademia.com/blog/mastering-the-art-of-balancing-form-and-function-in-design/. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025. 

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Week 1 - Phenomenology

Through this exercise, I learnt that there are many ways of interpretation. I can link this to my Studio assignment. We were supposed to construct 8 artworks including one that’s static. Static has the idea of obstinate, but one of my other classmates chose an artwork that was more of a rhythm and claimed that it looked like static electricity to her, from her background of engineering. She is an example of how lived experience affects phenomenology. I felt that certain design principles do overlap each other such as rhythm and movement, static and symmetry. So I learnt that the meaning behind design and concept is very subjective, based on the basic knowledge and experiences. And how perception moulds the reaction of viewers.

In craft week 1-3, we learnt how to make our own typography by using basic shapes. There were variants on the letter “H” , even when we were tasked  to use the same shapes. Eventually we had to incorporate an emotion into the letter “H” based on our memory, my design became solely based on whatever I had been through. I used the phrase “dead inside” and even with the dark theme icons I used to incorporate into my letter “H”, I had this desire to link it into a yamikawaii style. Yami Kawaii is a style originated in Japan that carries dark taboo aesthetics but with a cute tinge. It’s the concept of expressing something taboo in a palatable way. So, I feel that yamikawaii is something that thrives on phenomenology.

(255 words)

Menhara streetwear: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/445012006912118581/