Beginning this semester, I start my learning in remote mode. Being in China with 13 hours time difference, I have to overcome a lot of obstacles with zoom and online reviewing. However, I never realize that I will enjoy peer collaboration that much. I create significant works with Lucy Baik and then collaborate with Ek Hong and Yi Yang. Although I am physically in Beijing, China, the class atmosphere, and overall courseload help me to engage with my classmates. In this blog post, I am going to introduce and reflect on what I have done through this semester.
Project 1: 9 12 pm
Focus: Cooperation and Design
My first project for this semester is called 9pm 12pm and collaborates with Lucy. We initially have a lot of ideas and topics that we like to try. The infographic is our starting point to connect all the ideas together. We explore how symbols and shapes can play different roles to represent different meanings. We place emphasis on three different branches: social criticism, gender equality, and learning in 2020. I did a lot of practice using hands-on activities, such as doing photography, cutting the paper. The goal of making this book is to show a design practice that we experimented with. How can it relate to process making and develop our own pedagogy of cooperation and design? We also put a data label on each page.
During this process, I did countless Zoom meetings. Lucy is in Irvine, California and I am in Beijing, China. we need to overcome the 15 hours time differences. This is also how our book name comes from.
The total page is 116 pages. We are planning to do the stitches binding when we back to campus. This is the demo we want it to be at the end.
Video supplement
we choose to do side by side and show the physical difference we encounter throughout the project. We document what we see at the same time of the day but with different locations. the middle part shows the initial iteration we make.
Project 2: Commercial+Art
Duration: 8 weeks
This is eight-week research of what you are interested in. I explore my view of the non-graphic design area. Such as ceramics art, interior design, computer graphic, and the fashion industry. I generate my questions like:
1. What art can be?
2. How can art create for commercial purposes?
In my personal view, art and commercial can be seen as separate things, but also can be seen as one thing with the plus sign. I make this video as my personal compilation and I use my voice to explain why I pick those works.
For the improvement, I treated this project as a personal compilation, but I may incorporate more of my design style.
Project 3: Design in Question
Duration: 3 weeks
Directionless and possibilities are our keywords. Being a graphic design student does have a lot of opportunities to establish our own careers. We can not deny that studying graphic design is more likely to get a job compared to other fine art majors. But at the same time, there is not a specific definition of what a graphic designer does.
We have many job titles that include graphic design and there is no clear career path for graphic design students after they graduate. Also, We always want to explore more, but at the same time, the focus is blurry. I feel directionless studying graphic design. I made some initial posters based on my personal feelings.
Based on that idea, I want to create something fun and relaxable. I try to jump out of the inside view and to be an outside person to see the problem. I depict myself as a tourist wandering in the graphic design world.
Since all four of us are in three different locations, China, Korea, U.S.. When we do this project, one person did the base layer and send it to another person, I add it and pass to another. We reorganize our elements, it leads the audience to enter our inner world through the screen.
This video is the visual integration of our mind and oscillates between now and the future.
After the final critics, this project provides a strong base for my future thesis development. I should consider more about interaction or activity that engaging people to participate.
Project 4: Deconstruction and Reconstruction
duration: 2 weeks
Recollecting the past 3 and a half years at BU, I am interested in experimentation with different tactility and materials. Deconstruction and reconstruction are the first two words that come to my mind. I like to see how deconstruction could bring into relevant areas such as fashion design, photography, psychology, language, etc. I am focused on exploring tangible objects, such as fabric, paper, liquid, and woods.
Inspiration
From a visual aspect, deconstruction is often associated with real-life objects. It also can be technology related. I am going to explore reality versus illusion in the photography world in a deconstructed way.
From the language aspect, the literary definition of deconstruction is to examine something (such as words, text, literature), which could bring different aspects of meaning. I am fluent in Chinese and English. I find it interesting when an English word transfers to a Chinese word with a different aspect of interpretation. This idea could also be extended to cultural appropriation.
Previous Work
I am interested in incorporating traditional material into different utilizations and even showing it in digital spaces. One direction that I am considering delving into is the reality of the photography world. Another direction I am thinking of is doing something related to my culture and my language, Chinese.
Mindmap
In a nutshell, I would like to utilize deconstruction and reconstruction as my thread to explore different topics. I place emphasis on engaging in the process and let the processor work product become my driving force. I am going to incorporate traditional material and my cultural identity into different utilizations and showing in digital spaces. I would also include real-life installation and BU Chinese students who stay in China will be my audience. I do not want remote learning to become my restraint or limitation.
Suggestions from Thesis
Based on my final review, my thesis statement explores a different area with keyword recontextualization. I am in a unique position, which is in between Design and Fine Art. How do I become the middle bridge in between these two fields? Since I am very into process making. I should ask myself how do I articulate the process. Graphic design is a way to look at the world through language, typography, motion graphic…There are many categories nested in graphic design. Finding a way to make my statement and tell the narrative. Think about the interaction that I can make with the audience. How to bring the audience to understand or grab something from my work.
