Intercultural Design – Project 1 (Proposal)
05.02.24 – 23.02.24 / Week 1 – Week 3
Velicia Raquel Dewi Setiawan | 0369188 | Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
Intercultural Design
JUMP LINK:
1. LECTURE
Week 1 - Online Class
TASK 1 BRIEFING
Theme: "Cultural Sensitivity in Design"
- The students on the Osaka field trip will have to pick Japanese culture.
- There will be 5–6 students per group, chosen by the lectures on Week 2.
- The preliminary ideas can be products, can be artwork, it can be digital, it can be physical, it can be fashion, it can be anything.
CULTURE &; DESIGN
1. Visuals are
- Everything that can be seen:
- Wide and all-inclusive, including nature.
- Nature is not culture unless there's meaning and representation attached to it.
- Everything that is produced or created by humans can be seen:
- Everything that can be seen is produced by humans for visual representations
- Has functions, content, and communicative purpose.
2. Design System
Tattoos
- Sailors tend to have so many tattoos,
- Each tattoo symbolizes the story and journeys they make along the open water, like achievements.
- If they die along the way, it becomes a part of their identification.
- Tattoos in the Japanese culture,
- It was used initially to convey societal status and a charm for protection.
- It was often associated with the crime group of being a yakuza.
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| Figure 1.1 Week 3 (23/02/24) Design System. |
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| Figure 1.1 Week 3 (23/02/24) Design System. |
3. Design Sensitivity
Cultural Sensitivity Awareness:
1. Symbolism &; Imagery:
- Certain symbols and images carry different meanings in different cultures.
- Designers should be mindful of these to avoid unintentional misunderstanding or offense.
2. Colour Consideration:
- Colors have cultural significance and their meaning varies in different societies.
- Understanding them helps make appropriate choices.
3. Typography &; Language:
- Choosing fonts and typography that are culturally appropriate.
- Considering language variation and ensuring translation is crucial for reaching a diverse audience.
Addressing Cultural Sensitivity:
1. Inclusive Design:
- Accessible and inclusive for people from various cultural backgrounds.
2. User Research:
- Researching ethnographic studies and user testing diverse groups to gain cultural preference insights
3. Localisation:
- Adapting design with specific cultural localization design to enhance relevance and acceptance
4. Cultural Awareness Training:
- For a deeper understanding of diverse perspectives and sensitivities.
2. INSTRUCTIONS
3. PROJECT 1 — PROPOSAL
Requirements
- The general theme is "Cultural Sensitivity in Design"
- You are to study a cultural phenomenon, or a particular subculture that is perceived as 'sensitive', and "frame" your study within the chosen theme.
- You are to convey this cultural aspect without altering the actual facts but within a presentable interpretation and adaptation that raises awareness from the viewers.
- Produce some preliminary ideas on how to visually express your interpretation using design language. Each idea is to be supported by a short rationale. Conduct visual research to help Expand Your Idea Generation
Submission
Digital Submission (in one PDF File) in TIMeS:
- A PowerPoint presentation of the proposal that contains:
- 200-word write-up defining and interpreting the theme about the chosen cultural elements.
- Citation is necessary as evidence of the research.
- A minimum of 3 preliminary ideas in detailed sketches, each with individual rationale.
- Visual references (visuals that inspire/influence those ideas).
- Reference list
- Picture credits
Timeframe
- Week 01 – Week 03
3.1 PROGRESS
1. IDEATION
According to the NCCC (National Center for Cultural Competence), cultural sensitivity means being cognizant, observant, and conscious of the similarities and differences among and between cultural groups.
Becoming more culturally aware is a continual process and it can help to have curiosity, an open mind, a willingness to ask questions, a desire to learn about the differences that exist between cultures, and an openness to becoming conscious of one's own culturally shaped values, beliefs, perceptions, and biases.
As I am one of the students who will be going on the Japan trip, I searched for Japanese culture as the base of the project. Some I found on the internet and some I remembered watching on YouTube a long time ago.
- Tea Matcha and the ceremony
- Japan food (sushi, tempura, kobe beef, izakaya, bentobox)
- Geisha
- Manga/anime(otaku)
- Kawaii (Harajuku)
- Origami
- Japan garden
- Karoshi (overwork to death)
I haven't done much research on the options, feels like I have too many options to choose so I decided to wait until the group has formed to discuss further. The most interesting one for me is the Karoshi and Kawaii (Harajuku) culture.
After discussion with the group, we decided on Japanese Fashion Accessories as our topic. Japan has many traditional accessories that used to be part and parcel of a Japanese person’s daily outfit, and nowadays are only used in ceremonies or festivals.
We want to raise awareness about traditional Japanese accessories. Many of these accessories will be forgotten if people are unaware of their existence.
Each person in our group is tasked to come up with a preliminary idea for each branch of the topic. I choose the combination of fashion accessories and Japanese art.
2. RESEARCH
before this, I had already seen the custom fan on Pinterest and wanted to make something resembling that. There is a fan in Japan called "Uchiwa" whose shape is similar to the custom fans.
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After researching about the fans in Japan this is their history in a nutshell. The Japanese were the ones who invented the folding fan, also known as sensu, in the 7th century. It was created by a peasant after observing the wings of the bat.
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In the Heian period, using a fan was exclusively for men and women of the high court and eventually reached all other social classes. Traditionally made from Japanese cypress and silk thread, the number of wooden slats on it reflect the rank of its owner. There are many types of fans in Japan such as uchiwa fans, sensu or ogi fan, gunsen fan.
Flat fans (known as uchiwa in Japanese) have been used in China since the Zhou dynasty. They were introduced into Japan from China and The fans are used by people of high status to conceal their faces to preserve their dignity and to ward off evil spirits and insects.
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| Figure 3.2.3 Week 3 (23/02/24) A woman wafting an uchiwa. “Uchiwa” and ”Sensu”: Japanese Fans | Nippon.com |
In the scroll Yamai no sōshi (Diseases and Deformities), a low-ranking samurai is depicted holding an uchiwa-shaped fan made with leaves from the Chinese fan palm. In the turbulent Warring States period, the uchiwa fan made from leather or iron were used in the military for signaling war known as gunbai.
From the Edo period onward, fans made with a bamboo frame, covered in paper, and decorated with a picture, became common. Uchiwa may be used for grilling yakitori and eel or for cooling down sushi rice.
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Nowadays, the folding fan is a very popular accessory, particularly appreciated on hot days. The fan has been modernized and diversified over the years. You can find them in bamboo, plastic, with traditional or kawaii patterns.
After looking around the internet the most frequent Japanese art that came up is the Crane art, though most of the design was drawn or painted in modern times it's still prominent in Japanese culture.
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| Figure 3.2.5 Week 3 (23/02/24) Japanese crane on a pine branch by Ohara Koson. The Japanese Crane : Meaning & Symbol | Japan Avenue (japan-avenue.com) |
Japanese cranes the red-crowned crane, known as "tsuru," symbolize good fortune and longevity due to the belief that its life span reaches up to 1000 years. Japanese cranes are one of the largest birds in the world. It can be recognized by its long beak, its white plumage bordered with black, and its red spot on the head. The Japanese crane motif is common in a variety of mediums, such as painting, print, and textile design.
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Figure 3.2.6 Week 3 (23/02/24) Japanese crane.
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Cranes are also a popular design in origami, famously known as senbazuru, or the act of folding a thousand origami cranes, A gesture of healing, hope, and peace. This memorial comes from the story of a girl who suffered leukemia and started a goal to make 1000 origami cranes. In fictionalized version of the story as told in the book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Craneseven she didn't get to finish 1000 of them and her classmates folded the last 356 cranes. In the version of the story told by her family and classmates, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum says that she exceeded her goal and made 1.400 cranes.
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Figure 3.2.7 Week 3 (23/02/24) Origami crane.
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3. SKETCH
The idea is to get a blank uchiwa fan and add a lot of decorative materials.
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| Figure 3.3.1 Week 3 (23/02/24) Fan Sketch. |
- The cranes and clouds will be made using paper so it's 3d
- Could add beads and other mixed materials to add texture
- The main colors are red (symbolizes passion, strength, self-sacrifice, authority, prosperity, and happiness.) and white (stands for purity and is also considered a blessed and sacred color.)
Thus that completes my research and sketch on my preminilary idea. Other information is on the PPT.
4. FINAL SUBMISSION
| Figure 3.4.1 Week 3 (23/02/24) PPT. |
| Figure 3.4.2 Week 3 (23/02/24) Presentation. |
4. Feedback
Week 1: none
Week 2: none
Week 3: none
5. Reflection
1. Experience
in the beginning, I felt like there was no direction in our group, and had misunderstandings and a lack of information. But everything smooths out eventually and we got the task done close to the deadline.
2. Observation
it was difficult to decide on a topic, we didn't quite grasp the meaning of cultural sensitivity and kept throwing around ideas for for a topic. Because of our lack of understanding, we spent too much time worrying whether a topic was culturally sensitive "enough". When we did I rushed to make the preliminary ideas and didn't get to spend as much time doing research and applying it to my preliminary ideas as I wanted to.
3. Findings
It's hard to work in a group, Everyone has their ideas and expectations for the group. We needed to clarify and communicate (multiple times sometimes) to get our point across. I also need to be braver and participate more in group discussions, to be able to research only the necessary topic, summarize it to the point, and communicate it well to the group.
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