Intercultural Design | GCD 61304
05/02/2024 - 22/03/2024 / Week 1 - Week 7
Eng Yan Ling (Group 4)
Bachelor's Degree in Creative Media (Hons) - (Taylor's University)
Intercultural Design - GCD 61304
TABLE CONTENT
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1. Instructions
5. Feedback
6. Reflection
PROJECT 1 : PROPOSAL
Group 4
Once our group was formed, we had a discussion among us to compile our opinions and ideas on what topics we could research on relating cultural sensitivity in Osaka. Therefore, we decided to work around these 3 ideas :
1. Tattoos
2. Torii Gates Architecture
3. Yami Kawaii
LINK : GROUP 4 PROPOSAL
Final Approved Topic : Yami Kawaii
PROJECT 2 : FIELD STUDY
Once our topic was approved by Ms Anis, we planned out locations where we could learn more about Yami Kawaii around Osaka and Kyoto.
1. Dotonburi
Street & Culture Exploration, learning more about Osaka's street arts and design. Based on my observation, the big and colorful 3D sign boards above restaurants were seen across the streets.
We also came across an arcade where there were many graphic design posters advertised.
Clothing stores around Ebisubashi Street where there were several clothing that has Yami Kawaii prints. With the consent from the shop keepers, we conducted an interview where we were able to conclude that Yami Kawaii is not abnormal in Japan but it is quite known and common.
On top of that, the shop keeper recommended America-mura Shopping Street to look more into Yami Kawaii to further our research as it is more know for the Yami Kawaii fashion around Osaka.
2. America-mura
As we walked down the streets to America-mura, there were a lot of murals/graffities on the walls as well as unique designs of lamp posts.
Based on my observation, there were a lot of second-hand clothing shops and many of them sells uncommon fashion styles around Japan. There were several shops where my group and I went inside to further explore the different prints on the clothings. However, most of them were other styles of print rather than Yami Kawaii. Along America-mura, we found a clothing shop called "Volcan & Aphrodite" where their main focus of fashion revolves around the Yami Kawaii fashion and the shop keepers themselves were also dressed in that style of fashion. We conducted an interview the understand more about Yami Kawaii culture around Osaka.
Questions & Answers :
Furthermore, we did found another similar store nearby with more gothic fashion but we were not permitted to take any pictures. Compared to the previous store, this store focuses more of an extreme gothic fashion rather than a dark cute fashion like Yami Kawaii.
While commuting around the metro/train stations around Osaka, there were many pamphlets racks for visitors/tourists to take along with them to get to know tourists spots around Osaka. We took these pamphlets as a source of inspiration for our look book pamphlets and understand the style of design around Osaka.
3. Teramachi Street
Kyoto, Japan
Our first stop in Kyoto is Teramachi street to research more about Yami Kawaii but could not find much data relating to our topic as Kyoto focused more on materials used in fashion, shops that sells handmade items and more. Based on my observation, the clothing stores has more graphic tees with dramatic prints such as dragons, lions and more.
4. B-side Label
Osaka & Kyoto, Japan
Along the road down Dotonburi, we walked through Shinsaibashi where we found a sticker shop called "B-Side Label". We also conducted a short interview to know if they had any Yami Kawaii style of apparel. We found these stickers and pouches that has wordings with dark meanings but a cute style of character on it. We also came across another branch of B-Side label at Kyoto where there similar products to the ones we found at Kyoto except they had more products that revolves around the Yami Kawaii design.
5. Street Exploration - Gion District
Kyoto, Japan
Gion District did not have much of Yami Kawaii related stuff but more of a traditional place in terms of minimalists fashion and traditional architectures.
6. House and Living Museum
While learning the house and living of the Japanese cultures in the Osaka House & Living Museum, there were several pieces of informative brochures for visitors to take. I took these informative papers as I believe would be a source of inspiration for the look book.
Fig 1.17 Osaka House & Living Museum
GROUP 4 | DATA COLLECTION
LINK : FIELD STUDY COMPILATION
FINAL PROJECT
1. Data Collection Slides
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1be71ftldClE7WVqXUA6Y0R9-JlGDk01kuaaw3L8o00c/edit?usp=sharing
2. Graphic Tee Designed & Illustrated by Qistina
Illustration Folder : https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-EiP0fu-Sf16-SINx9GEMhblrtVNH0RB?usp=drive_link
2. Photoshoot & Model by Vishmitha & Joey
From props to the combination of our outfits, they were customized and done by Vishmitha & Joey.
Photoshoot Images : https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_afU6OkYyEW6YboSYk4ApkNu7P3GiePe?usp=drive_link
Photographs Chosen
3. Pamphlets by Yan Ling & Isabel
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4. Presentation Slides
I was in charge of compiling the results/outcome of our research for the presentation slides. Based on the Data Collected, I summarized our the results of research and what we did as a result of our research.
FEEDBACK
REFLECTION
Reflecting back throughout the journey of completing this project, it was truly meaningful to be able to study another culture apart from the Malaysia culture in person. I was able to learn the importance of cultural sensitivity in design through my research alongside my group members. At the start of this module, I had concerns regarding this module being an open ended project which was challenging to figure out a direction I am confident in. As I work with my groupmates, it was very motivating to see our progress throughout the semester and how it has formed into our final results. This module overall was a very different experience in terms of learning and enhancing my knowledge as a design student by challenging myself to unfamiliar grounds and direction.
The journey of the field study was definitely challenging due to the language barrier and being in an unfamiliar country. However, my group members and I have managed to overcome these challenges in order to gain data that are useful for our research. All in all, exploring and researching on site in Japan was an eye-opening experience to me as a design student through studying the designs such as graphic design or street art & culture in a foreign country. I believe these experiences have allowed me to gain important skills and knowledge to improve myself individually and professionally as a design student.
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