Intercultural Design
Qaezie Ayeman Ramlan (0332981)
Intercultural Design
Instructions
Lecture Notes
Lecture 1_ Introduction to module
Week 1What are we going to do there? Why go there in the first place? Where exactly are we going? As students, we are embarking as tourist but also investigators to a foreign land with their own histories and ancient stories to tell. We are to observe and study the mythological influences to current and contemporary design through sociological and cultural perspectives. It is to understand the history and culture of ancient folklore, its motives and the stuff that makes up culture. Also, to understand the stories of old and its backgrounds such as World War 2.
By looking at designs, we are to make the connections and see the patterns within society. How has it evolved to what we see today and how will we redefine it. We need to look at the futuristic and modern, the fusion of the old and new and observe the dialogues, people and posters around us. The task is to redefine these cultural perspectives and experiences. Consider: How do you define their identities? Be observant to your surroundings, to its products, inventions and innovations.
Influences of Mythology > Culture > Identities
Creation of Modern Myths > Synthesis > Symbols
Project 1: Proposal 30%
Project 2: Field Study 30%
Final Project + ePortfolio: 40%
Week 2
Going back to Michelangelo's painting named Narcissus, and the source of the words echo, the term narcissistic and the flower name narcissus-we speak about the roots of items around us.
Which Culture Is? Is that the crowds, the parties, the dances, the food-is all that? He sees culture as an ocean, there is a noticeable culture (things on the surface e.g. touch, taste, sound) and an invisible deeper culture (beliefs, attitudes, hard to perceive, core values) according to Edward Hall. Culture refers to the collective deposits of knowledge, traditions, experience, opinions, behaviors, perceptions, hierarchy, nations of time, positions, ideas, material objects and possessions gained by a group of people through individual and group strivings over the course of centuries. It is a way of life, usually without their thought.A good example would be festivals, because you most of the time don't know why you're doing it.
Within culture you have symbols (recognised by the same people e.g. greeting and totems), heroes (key people to show the moral values e.g. characters in books), rituals (to show social cohesion) and all of it is to share important values or practices. Mythology is part of understanding how the earth or phenomenons happen in the world.
Layers of culture - national level, regional level (ethnic and linguistic), generational level, social class (education and preferences) and corporate level (classroom and professional). Significance of this study - in line with UNESCO. To Know the connections of different knowledge and perspectives. To Do teamwork and To Live with each other immersed in a different culture. To Be able to develop skills and personality.
Within culture you have symbols (recognised by the same people e.g. greeting and totems), heroes (key people to show the moral values e.g. characters in books), rituals (to show social cohesion) and all of it is to share important values or practices. Mythology is part of understanding how the earth or phenomenons happen in the world.
Layers of culture - national level, regional level (ethnic and linguistic), generational level, social class (education and preferences) and corporate level (classroom and professional). Significance of this study - in line with UNESCO. To Know the connections of different knowledge and perspectives. To Do teamwork and To Live with each other immersed in a different culture. To Be able to develop skills and personality.
What is YOUR narrative of THEIR mythologies in the 21st century?
Lecture 3_
Week 3
No lecture due to presentation of Proposal
Lecture 4_
Week 4
No lecture due to Chinese New Year
No lecture due to Chinese New Year
Lecture 5_
Week 5
No lecture due to departure to Tokyo, Japan
No lecture due to departure to Tokyo, Japan
Lecture 6_
Week 6
No lecture due to arrival from Tokyo, Japan
No lecture due to arrival from Tokyo, Japan
Project 1
Project 1_ Proposal (30%)
Week 1 - Week 3
Using powerpoint slides and a 200 word statement, we are tasked to present a proposal to the assessors and get it approved in order to be well prepared for the trip to come. The proposal
consists of:
1) Working Title
2) Background of study & Problem Statement
3) Research Questions
4) Objective
We are meant to meet the lecturers as a group on Thursday (08th Janua) and present our ideas and suggestions (minimum 5 ideas).
Below is the Round 2 of further research done as a group before placing it on slides.
Feedback from Mr Charles:
It is better to avoid making claims or conclusive statements within your proposal. If you are going to state sources, ensure to cite it but also paraphrase and explain it in your own words. Aim to deepen the understanding and interplay between traditional and modernity. The objectives will guide your research on ground and help answer your research questions. Use action tenses. For the Problem statement and 200 word write up, have strong foundational connections (may have) or make initial assumptions (possible, may), not claims. We may consider also that the essence of Shunga Art may have been corrupted by Western influence. Whereby it shifted from being an art form to entertainment.
After receiving the feedback on our research, we compiled the information into powerpoint presentation slides in order to present it to the whole class on Monday (20th January). Below is the presentation deck:
Overall the presentation went well. However, the lecturers had some feedback in regards how we may refine our presentation and proposal to make it more understandable.
Feedback from Ms Anis, Dr Jinchi, Mr Asrizal and Mr Charles:
Ukiyo-e is not just about woodblock print but it represents the 'Floating World'. Perhaps explain about that aspect as well because it may lead to the understanding as to why the Japanese people are polite and well mannered yet have another side of them which is the opposite. Why is Shunga considered a sacred art? Why has the visuals changed from the Shunga style to the more exaggerated form which is hentai. What do we mean by 'commercialised', in what angle are we looking from. We need to funnel down the terms of commercialisation and sacred art. Consider the juxtaposing of sacred and commercial art. How can sensuality be depicted besides visually?
We went back into the research aspect of Shunga and Ukiyo-e. Also to properly define and explain the commercialisation and sacred art of Shunga. Below is Round 3 of our research compilation:
After considering all the feedback given. We tweaked the contents of the slides to remove the grey areas of information. Below is the final Proposal (submission 23rd January):
Project 2
Project 2_ Field Study (30%)
Week 4 - Week 5
Data Collection.
We are back from Japan, and its time we compile our data in google slides to present to the class what we found. But before we had met up with Mr.Charles and asked his feedback on how to move forward with the discussion.
With all the information that we have, our next step was to try and make sense of the responses and observations gathered.
Feedback from Mr.Charles:
Information from Questionnaire and interviews. The important thing about qualitative data is narrative, we need to give detail and explanations. Create categories. Look back on every questionnaire and response, group answers by category for example: entertainment, sexua culture, etc. Under these categories, put the entire reply then state the key words. Its good to make a table. From 5 categories narrow it to 3 or 2. Funnel it till it cant be funneled anymore. Write about what you have discovered, start with a short introduction eg. the above categories presents the findings. Below, the analysis of these findings can be explained by a comparitive study and categorsied findings… connect the dots. The initial assumption was… but the findings show/ the data shows.. The initial asusmptions were debunked. Chart it out accordingly.- Analysis of data (tables and diagrams)
- Findings (It is discovered that…)
- State your limitations
- Final is Conclusion. Final outcome: A research paper for publication. We found credible information. *Eroticism is necessary. Use Malaysian elements, not too many, but perhaps in pairs to communicate eroticism in Malaysia. Look at the meaning behind the elements we use. Consider looking at Malaysia artists that have done nature paintings before.
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