4 posts tagged “design”
For one moment, I think I’m spoiled. I get to munch on my favourite homemade cookies now and then; I get the most out of my time visiting old friends and new ones; and it’s also during this festive season that I receive well wishes from great people of whom I hardly know. I’m talking about the Chinese New Year and this year is the auspicious Year of the Boar. As I’m celebrating the occasion, I’m enjoying every bit of it until Chap Goh Meh, which marks the end of the Chinese New Year on the 15th day of the lunar calendar.
For the first time, I went visiting to the house of the Dooodolls creators in Bangsar last Friday afternoon. Getting there was difficult (glad I had my boyfriend with me) but being there was simply wonderful. And, I had to say that their pet dogs are so friendly! One of them surprised us with a bougainvillea petal in its mouth like an invitation for us to play. Initially, I conducted an interview with Dooodolls Design about their plush toys named Dooodolls. Another team member, Eric Looi, had to miss this interview for a week’s reunion with his family back in the northern state.
Besides the lovely company Darren, Kai Xin, and Han Vi had given us that day, the ambience of the abode totally turned us in. If it weren’t for their enthusiastic nature, our conversations wouldn’t have been smooth sailing. Dooodolls are venturing into Europe and the United States following their success at a toy fair held in Germany two years ago. If you spare at least ten minutes listening to Kai Xin, you’ll realise how adorable and meaningful Dooodolls are and you may even end up buying one for yourselves.
Personally, I think she would agree with me if I said her boyfriend Han Vi has a gentlemanly demeanour that other guys ought to have too. But, I was feeling a little guilty, actually, for occupying Darren’s lunchtime. As of typing, I have a busy schedule to keep up especially editing and re-writing Dooodolls' article for a Singaporean publication to be released sometime in June 2007 (hopefully!).
At the meantime, I think I’d stop having mayo…I’m getting fat.
Not today?!
Sweet Nasa informed me with a SMS ‘bout the whole thing. Our interview feature, which is supposed to be published in R.AGE today, has been delayed to Monday (6 Feb). If you happen to be looking high and low for our article, please look into the pullout again on Monday.
Really sorry for the misinformation!
On an early morning, I woke up at 8am as usual, thrilled by the news that I’d be interviewed over lunch today! My boyfriend called me up yesterday to tell me that a journalist from The Star Publications had fixed an interview with him to talk about our brand label, products, and future plans. Our products were photographed by Darren Tan and soon, our faces will appear in The Star’s R.AGE pullout as well as on it website on Friday this week (2 Feb ‘07) for the paper's weekly street fashion spread. Beneath the excitement was a nervous me because, after all, this was going to be my first ever interview with a print publication after an interview by Channel [V]’s Joey G and X-Fresh FM for being a finalist in a talent competition two years ago.
On a personal note, I’m so glad that with our continuous effort that we put in our work, we’re finally seeing something growing out of it. I’m starting to believe the things that are revolving around me. Apart from liking the attention given by the media, I’d surely love to meet someone with a passion for writing. I haven’t been meeting the same kind until R.AGE's journalist, Nasa Maria Entaban interviewed us at our home. Seeing her enthusiasm was like giving me a jab of antibiotic that indirectly boosts my confidence in public speaking. Well, I’m “the spokesperson for JayLim Design” as quoted by our nice and friendly Nasa.
We’re full of rage!
While there are 90,000 unemployed graduates in need of a stable career, some may not think so. They find ways to avoid responsibility, if ever possible. Vandalism is one of those ways, which is especially prevalent in our Malaysian society. It is an action of a hooligan who deliberately damages public property; usually without a reasonable cause.
Graffiti is an act of vandalism, but looking at it from an aesthetic point of view, it is also a form of expression. There is a difference between a graffiti artist and a vandal: the former tries to convey a latent message to a specific target audience, whereas the destruction created by the latter is solely out of anger and frustration.
Art itself is abstract. Yet, the point is simple. A graffitist’s creative work will likely be in demand when it’s being recognised by people on the streets. However, a vandal caught by the authorities for spray-painting on public walls will most likely be fined or even jailed. Graffiti vandalism, in other words, is an act of stupidity and immaturity. It wouldn’t be easy on us in any way, so why not be a tad more civilised?
If graffiti-art can make one famous, then the best medium to attack is not the public’s property, but the art centres and design magazines instead. There are some locations like the historical venues, museums, and tourist spots that should be left untouched. Unfortunately, youngsters’ apathy towards reading makes them oblivious to better alternatives.
No matter how one defines graffiti as an art, it is unauthorised. In the eyes of the authority, graffiti vandalism is a crime because it steals the right of the property owners to have their place clean and well-managed. As for entrepreneurs, their businesses may be affected by such unlawful act besides having to deal with the additional costs of re-painting the walls.
Obviously, graffiti vandalism is disadvantageous to property owners and dangerous to its practitioners but, why do they still do it? A few do it for the thrill and some do it because it is socially beneficial. BUGA UP (Billboard Utilising Graffitists against Unhealthy Promotions) and its political-motivated graffitists, for instance, see themselves as advocators of healthy living and fulfilling an important social function. I see the whole thing as vaguely misunderstood like a bowl of rojak.
Graffiti can only be considered as a work of art when it is performed legally. Somehow, our government has overlooked the importance of free space for this specific group. For now, the only places they consider to be a free space are found at the backstreets, subways, pillars, abandoned buildings, and the most common of all, the school’s parapets.
To date, there is little encouragement from the government towards an expressive culture. At Bugis Junction and Orchard Road in Singapore, graffiti comes alive as it is appreciated by the public as art. Sadly, our county’s art enthusiasts are stereotyped as indifferent, rebellious, and selfish. In fact, if graffiti is listed in the academic syllabus, it might have shed some light on the issue across time.
Graffiti may stem from school truancy and the influence of peer pressure. As expressed by a famous graffiti writer from Malaysia, it represents street culture which doesn’t necessarily involve teenagers and gangsters. It also connects big corporations like Maxis, Nike, McDonald’s and the likes to the country’s youth.
It is impossible for us to live entirely without art because our survival depends heavily on culture, and every culture is art. The lack of free space only gives the serious graffitists a really bad name. The widespread of graffiti has formed a cultural group that reflects the state of our society is in. Either a social problem needs to be addressed or the vandalism act needs a redress.
Institutions engaged in design education and research can do their bit by getting involved in the social problems graffiti has caused. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) could deter vandalising acts but it doesn’t help to educate the offenders. A solution would be to create a space at the premise and establish a non-profit association of graffitists. Otherwise, the more conventional approach would be through public campaigns and workshops at institutions of all levels. These moves have a higher chance of creating awareness rather than enforcing punishments.
Vandalism cannot be stopped but the situation can be improved. Hence, education is still the number one priority for the authorities in correcting the minds of the young. With the effort and support we put into combating the apathy of reading among our children of the nation, we are a step forward at coping with the issue.
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*”Let’s Graffiti for the Sake of Art” (title changed for the purpose of this blog) was submitted for entry to theCicak.com’s “Write It!” Competition in December 2006.
