PROJECT 2 - FORGOTTEN CULTURE (INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE DESIGN III)

TASK:
Lay down your understanding of what ‘culture’ defines you. From there, you need to select your desired aspect from the definition and allow your creativity and artistic notion to flare out from that particular cultural elements. Solidify it and make a physical tangible statement.

Students are required to propose and produce functional/interactive conceptual art ‘device’ that will be both an art piece that is conceptual + narratives that itself in an artistic manner. Your approach of the subject matter shall derive either from dying culture from the site visit in Penang or other states in Malaysia. Historical precedents are key to ensure the successful creation of the conceptual model. Additionally, students are required to infuse keywords as a physical process in their conceptual art model, into a tangible reality.

Submission Requirement [Individual Submission + Pin Up]:

1. Conceptual Model (A4 MDF Base – 10-12mm thick): Maximum height 300mm / 30cm Week 8, 17th October 2019 (Thursday)

2. Presentation Board: (A2 Portrait – Stick on Foam Board) + To be nailed on white panels Consists of: Week 8, 14th October 2019 (Monday)
2(a) Project Tittle
2(b) Narration (200 words maximum)
2(c) Design Development + Design Process: (Drawing sketches, historical approach, prototype model images and etc.)

SITE VISIT IN PENANG, MALAYSIA

(19th to 21st of September 2019)

We went to Penang, Malaysia for a site visit for our second project, which is the forgotten culture. We were required to find subject matters that are forgotten. On the first day, we went to Awesome Cafe at Sekeping Victoria, where the cafe has a unique and interesting interior. On the second day of the trip, the whole class joined a tour that was guided by a local. We went to St. George's Church, Buddhist Temple, Penang Little Indian, Hindu Temple, and Jetty area. After the tour, we were told by our lecturers that we are free to go find our subject matters. Therefore, I went to a rattan making and selling shophouse, Grandfather's Barang-Barang (vintage shops where they sell/buy/collect unused/vintage objects), and The Blue Mansion that was built by Cheong Fatt Tze. After all the visits I've done, I chose the 3 things below as my subject matters proposal:

3 SUBJECT MATTERS

1. TINSMITH/TINMAKING

In the past, the use of tin is something that's famous, where you can see it being used everywhere, such as lunch boxes, snacks packaging, and others. But at one point, the usage of tin or metal sheets were uncommon in Malaysia and that makes the tinsmiths in the country are struggling to keep their business keep ongoing.

Nowadays, most people prefer to use cheaper materials such as plastics instead of tin. Where actually the material tin has its own beauty as times past by. Tins could be reuse into a lot of different kinds of things.

Pic 1. Lunchbox made with tin sold on vintage shops. (photograph by Silviena)

Pic 2. Cafe owner of 'Narrow Marrow' reuses the tin snack container into something useful.

(photograph by Silviena)

Pic 3. Past snacks tin container/packaging in a vintage store called 'Grandfather's Barang-Barang'.
(photograph by Silviena)

Pic 4. Old tin lunch boxes. (photograph by Silviena)

Pic 5. Old tin lunch boxes. (photograph by Silviena)

Pic 6. Old tin containers. (photograph by Silviena)

Pic 6. Tin lampshade. (photograph by Silviena)

Pic 7. Tin lunchbox used in The Blue Mansion.

(photograph by Silviena)

Pic 8. Tin lunchbox used in The Blue Mansion.

(photograph by Silviena)

Pic 9. Snack packaging made out of the tin.

(photograph by Silviena.)

2. CONGKLAK

Congklak is a traditional game that I myself used to play with almost every day in the past. I used to play it with my siblings and friends. The traditional or original congklak was usually made of wood, but some are made of plastics. Playing with the 'wood' congklak and 'plastick' congklak would lead to different feelings. I liked playing with the 'wood' congklak better, cause sometimes I could still smell the wood while playing with it.

Nowadays, not a lot of people know how to play with congklak, and some don't even know what is congklak.

Pic 1. 'Wood' congklak sold in a vintage shop in the street of Penang.

(photograph by Silviena)

Pic 2. Wooden congklak left in the corner of a cafe for decoration.

(photograph by Silviena)

Pic 3. Wooden Congklak

(photograph by Silviena)

3. RATTAN/ROTAN

In the present, it's kind of rare to see things made from rattan were being used. For example, furniture made of rattan, baskets made of rattan, and many more. There are lots of different kinds of weaving of rattan, and each of them has its own beauty.

Pic 1. Rattan basket was left as a decoration in Awesome Cafe by Sekeping Victoria.

(photograph by Silviena)

Pic 2. Rattan basket at Awesome Cafe by Sekeping Victoria.

(photograph by Silviena)

Pic 3. Rattan Lampshade

(photograph by Silviena)

PURPOSES

The reasons why I chose the 3 things above:

1. To let either local people and foreigners know that these things/materials are useful, functional, and has their own beauty of art and culture.

2. We can create something new or interesting out of these things.

3. To show the beauty of the culture itself to more people because it's forgotten or almost faded.

CHOSEN SUBJECT MATTER

After the subject matters proposal to the lecturer on the second day of the trip in Penang, I've decided to choose tinsmith as my subject matter for this second project.