Project 1 – Self Expression through Object
The first project was designed to be an ice breaking
assignment that introduces basic methods and approaches in generating ideas and
conceptual narratives. It allows the exploration of interdisciplinary modes of
artistic expression and representation of the self. A piece of art was required to be constructed
based on ideas that have been abstracted and redefined through the process of
translation and interpretation.
Sketching exercise of myself
In this assignment, I chose to use flowers to represent
myself. The reason why is because I think of myself to be a feeble person at
heart, even if I do not show it. Flowers tend to be rather delicate and weak,
especially when they are not handled carefully. Like the flower, I can easily
be oversensitive that usually leads me towards a negative point of view.
There’s also something about the flowers that captured my
attention, which is the language of flowers. It is a mean of cryptic
communication that gave each type and color of flowers different meanings. It
was popularized by the Western culture because of their emblematic symbolism
and was sent as gifts to express feelings, which they cannot say aloud. One of
the examples is the use of roses that are given to and by lovers because red
roses interpret as ‘romantic love’.
In order to further define myself, I decided to pick 3
flowers. A white rose, a purple rose and a pink gerbera. A white rose meaning
‘innocence’ represents a part of me, which is innocent and naïve due to my lack
of exposure towards the outside world and my lack of knowledge. It could also
mean ‘secrecy’ which I almost always am because I do not like to disclose
personal information about myself even to those who are closest to me.
A purple rose symbolizes ‘ enchantment’, a flower that
describes a part of me that is always fascinated with new things and new
people. Lastly, a pink gerbera represents ‘friendship’, an offer that I would
make to anyone that I meet in hopes to make acquaintances and friends with.
At the end of the verbal presentation, both of the roses
were given to a lecturer and my own tutor, asking them to take care of it as
how they would take care of me.
Project 2 – Self-expression through architectural space
The objective of this project was to further expand on the
interpretation of the self. Introduction
to notions of scale and proportions were made by an in-class exercise where we
explored the human form relating to space and develop and understanding of
scale and proportion in the relationship of the body and space. We were also introduced to basic design
principles and terminologies that taught us to articulate and dictate our
designs based on the developing ideas and interpretations of the self.
We were divided into groups of 3, with each of us producing
different initial designs all that were somehow relating to each other. After
consulting and discussing among our group members as well as out tutor, we
decided to combine all three of our designs into a final product that was created
for the verbal presentation.
This was our mockup of the final design.
After finalizing our model design with the tutor, we went
ahead and began constructing it into a 1:1 scaled installation.
The idea behind our design is that in order to be creative,
our minds are always wondering and never stop imagining. When we started to construct
our installation, we did not fix a proper order of how the squares were built
up and built it randomly. Its to show that our thinking is constantly changing and
improving so that if we do not like how it turn out halfway through the
construction, we would alter the design a little.
The solid squares gradually becomes into frames once they
near to the top is to symbolize that no matter what are our goals, there’s
always light at the end of the tunnel to achieve.
This is the final 1:1 scale installation.
Project 3 – Space for the self
For our final project, we were divided into teams of five
for each tutorial group. Four different sci-fi movies were given and each team
can only choose one movie of their choice and individually create a character
to be inside the movie itself. The movie that my group chose was ‘Fifth
Element’.
The learning outcomes for this project were to be able to
design and produce a space that expresses and idea or conceptual narrative. It
also allows the identification, articulation and application of basic design
principles in spatial organization and relationships between the body and a
designed space.
As a group, we were to recreate a part of the city in ‘Fifth
Element’ and within that particular space; we had to design a hideout space
that fits our character’s individuality. The site model that was produced was in the
scale of 1:50 that clearly represent the design and its elements and our
setting was a futuristic New York.
After the completion of the group work, we then began on our
individual work. My character was a fashion designer working for one of the
famous celebrities in the movie, Ruby Rhod. She had an edgy style that she
developed from her love of pointy shapes and difference from the normal, which
is also why she idolizes Rhod who had a unique and unusual sense of fashion.
Because of that, I decided to choose triangles in order to design for her
hideout.
These are the developing mockups leading to the final model.
The final model.
It is in a crystalized form because I was initially pursuing
for a diamond like shape, which represents her stage name, Diamond. The three
pointed structures at the top that resembles a crown actually symbolize the
three most important figures in her life: God, her father and her idol.
My presentation board
