Think Independently and Question the Norms

The speaker emphasizes the importance of independent thinking and questioning existing systems. She criticizes the biases in education, especially regarding gender and culture, and uses her project to challenge these issues. In our own projects, we should be bold in questioning conventional ideas and not just follow what's already been said. This allows us to create something truly unique.

   The speaker’s project is deeply rooted in her personal life and background. For example, she filmed her project in Poland, using her grandmother’s house, which adds personal and emotional depth to her work.When creating, think about how your own experiences or stories can be integrated. This makes your work feel more authentic and relatable.

Experiment with Different Forms

   The speaker explored various mediums like illustration, film, and satirical lectures. This mix of art and science, humor and seriousness, made her project more dynamic.

   In our creative process, we should try different ways of expressing our ideas. Don’t stick to just one form; explore multiple options to see what works best.

   The speaker gained inspiration by talking to others about their educational experiences and putting herself in different learning environments. This helped her approach the project from new perspectives. During our creative process, engaging with different people and environments can spark fresh ideas. It helps us break out of our usual thinking patterns and brings in new perspectives.

Well, the folks of IKEA, that’s when/where they decide to casually place their modern, pretty, welcoming, friendly, place pleasant word here restaurant. Just before you have to (irrevocably) take the stairs down to the house ware / lighting / bedding / rug sections. And I can assure you it is no coincidence that the restaurant also has the first window you have seen in a couple hours, a large beautiful window, usually looking unto the parking lot trees.”

––––––––A comment from Marilyn Z's personal blog（a chef)

In the 16th century the mosquito was transported on slave ships from Africa to Brazil and has since spread across the Americas. In this embroidered work, mosquitoes take on a human scale, thriving in the human-made plantation landscape. In Brazil today, rapid deforestation has led to the return of yellow fever. Here, Caccuri invites us to reconsider our relationship with the mosquito, as an insect also affected by histories of colonialism.

A1: I made this oversized ID due to my delayed visa. I arrived at school about a week ago, but I still haven’t received my official student ID card, which has caused many restrictions in my daily life. For example, to enter campus buildings, I have to follow other students who have IDs, and I can't use services like the printer. It feels like I've lost a lot of freedom to move independently.

Since I don’t have my own student ID yet, I created this large ID by referencing others’ IDs and using my imagination. It includes my school’s name, my major, and a barcode. I chose this specific photo because, apart from the student ID card, the only other document verifying my student status is my visa, which states that it’s a student visa. So, I used my visa photo for this ID.

I wanted to carry this ID card, especially without any technical chips embedded, to see if it could give me the same rights and sense of identity as my fellow students.

A2: When I walked around the campus with this oversized ID card, many students and teachers reacted with excitement. A lot of people laughed, complimented me, and some even asked to take photos with me. However, as I moved further away from the school, the situation changed completely. The reactions from passersby became quite indifferent; there was none of the strong connection I felt on campus, and some people even ignored it altogether.

This made me think about whether all identities have locality. Within a specific group, an exaggerated, fictional identity can create a strong sense of recognition among its members and attract extra attention. This happens because everyone in that setting understands the meaning behind that identity. However, once you leave that group, it loses this shared understanding. So, as I walked further away from the school with the student ID, its appeal to the general public decreased significantly.

The lighthouse was the first thing that caught my attention when we got off the coach. I grew up in a modern city in southern China, so I had never seen a real lighthouse still in use like that. Although it has indeed become a popular symbol in modern design, for me, beyond its physical appearance, the symbolism of the lighthouse is also deeply captivating.

Speaking of the symbolism of the lighthouse, it always connects me to an adorable and famous novel, To the Lighthouse. In this story, the metaphor of the lighthouse runs throughout the entire text.It embodies the characters’ inner dreams and desires, most vividly seen in young James Ramsay’s longing to visit the lighthouse. This yearning is both tangible and abstract, capturing the essence of human aspiration for something that often seems just out of reach.

processes to bring images

from different parts of your

research together:

Sequence

Overlay / Layer

Affix / Attach

Use a minimum of 3 images

that represent different

points of your research.

images will form a visual

statement that connects

the different points. In

basic terms, write down a

statement that these

compositions are making.

Consider: What is

highlighted/revealed? Is it

explicit or implicit?

to the visual statement (as

text or sound).

Consider: has the addition

of the text made your

statement clearer or not?

Has it changed the

statement you are making?

During the Agricultural Revolution, humans learned to cultivate crops, transitioning from a nomadic lifestyle to settled communities. Yet the very wheat we domesticated, through its inherent characteristics, confined us to the farmland, preventing us from roaming as freely as we once did. On this level, isn't what we have conquered also conquering us? As we slaughter countless animals for food with cold indifference, isn't this same indifference also harming our own kind? I believe this text adds an element of interest and thought-provoking quality to the collage, giving the combination of images a clearer direction and, to some extent, limiting the expansive associations that abstraction might otherwise evoke.

In this era, when mass production influences us to live increasingly similar lives, I feel that we have become too afraid of making mistakes and overly eager to keep everything running smoothly. As a result, everything in our lives strives to be as close to perfection as possible. For individuals, however, losing the randomness of mistakes not only becomes a major source of stress but also erodes the personal authenticity and uniqueness of one’s lifestyle.

First, I would like to compare underground idols to mainstream idol culture. From the performers’ perspective, professional idol groups are typically supported by well-established management agencies that handle the packaging and operations of individual performers. However, these agencies also take a significant share of the profits generated by performances, leaving only a small portion for the idols themselves. As a result, aspiring idols face significant challenges, making it extremely difficult for them to start their careers.

From the audience’s perspective, the traditional idol industry chain has made it increasingly difficult for fans to follow the stars they love. Fans often struggle to secure seats for live performances due to the high demand far exceeding the limited supply. Furthermore, the costs associated with supporting idols have risen to levels that many ordinary people find unaffordable. While artists backed by powerful management agencies may enjoy immense popularity and visibility, the psychological distance between these idols and their fans continues to widen.

In terms of the positioning and characteristics of their performances, they do not strive for the all-encompassing appeal of mainstream stars. Instead, their focus is on creating an engaging atmosphere and delivering approachable singing and dancing performances. In this regard, they resemble small bands performing in pubs in the UK. However, stylistically, they are more aligned with the Asian idol model—centered around singing and dancing, with songs provided by their agency, and heavily emphasizing the marketing of their image.

In recent years, Japan's idol culture has flourished, giving rise to a unique phenomenon known as "Oshi-Katsu"(Japanese: 推し活, Romanized: Oshi-katsu). "Oshi-Katsu" combines "Oshi" (推し), meaning "support" or "favorite person," with "Katsu" (活), meaning "activity." It refers to a series of actions fans take to actively support their favorite idols, characters, or celebrities. (WEXPATS)

The forms of "Oshi-Katsu" are diverse, ranging from purchasing merchandise related to idols, attending concerts or meet-and-greet events, sharing and promoting idol works on social media, and even celebrating idols' birthdays. This cultural phenomenon is no longer limited to young people; it has spread across all age groups in Japanese society.

Young fans are often driven by a strong emotional attachment to idols, participating in "Oshi-Katsu" (推し活) as a means of establishing identity and a sense of belonging. This emotional drive leads them to allocate significant portions of their limited income to purchase merchandise, tickets, or participate in idol-related activities.

In this economy, both idols and fans are victims; no one truly wins in this battle of consumption. For idols, the pressures of a career in an increasingly competitive and low-barrier star-making industry are unprecedentedly intense. To gain more attention, many resort to extreme measures, such as drastic weight loss, cosmetic enhancements, or other harmful practices to conform to societal ideals of male and female imagery. In this process, individuals become commodified, approaching the state of mass-produced goods. This commodification is undeniably an affront to human dignity and an erasure of individuality.

As an artist, I hope to raise questions and reflect on this phenomenon, which is global in nature but manifests differently in various cultural contexts. Furthermore, I believe that reflections on pervasive societal issues should not remain overly personal or niche. The true vitality of public art may lie in how such communication can spark broader and deeper thinking among its audience.

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The Last Supper series is not just a visual feast but also a profound exploration of faith and values in modern society. In a world where consumerism pervades every corner, Warhol uniquely demonstrates that religion and consumerism are not opposites but exist in a complex symbiotic relationship. This is the essence of Warhol’s art: it challenges traditional perspectives while encouraging us to reconsider the core of modern life.

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I have many tools that I’m comfortable with; sometimes I use markers, other times I use crayons. It all depends on the artistic need of the story.

I usually use analog techniques for several reasons: one very simple reason is that spending a lot of time in front of a screen gives me a headache. But also, I like the mistakes that come with drawing by hand, the excitement of being able to draw on paper and see what happens. I have nothing against digital techniques, and I think they are fantastic, but the possibility of being able to change, shrink, cut, enlarge until everything is perfect overwhelms me a lot. I prefer to go directly to paper and see what happens.

In modern society, the individual is often viewed as the basic unit of society. However, the collective environment and large-scale social events shape and define individual identities. Gursky's emphasis on the venue’s architectural design, with its symmetrical and orderly patterns, suggests that in a highly structured society, individuals tend to be homogenized. The building's columnar structure symbolizes the highly organized and institutional aspects of society, implying that it can be difficult for individuals to remain distinct in such an environment.

At the same time, Gursky’s work reveals the tension between the individual and the collective. While collective aspects are crucial to modern society, the needs and expressions of individuals still drive its development. Even though May Day V emphasizes the grand scale and order of the building, we can imagine that within this space, individuals still experience and express their existence in unique ways.

The core of this is that Gursky isn't simply critiquing collectivism or individualism, but rather prompting us to reflect on how these two concepts interact and influence each other in modern society. As the world becomes more globalized and information-driven, the role of the individual in the collective is constantly changing. Through his focus on space and form, Gursky isn’t just presenting an urban landscape; he’s exploring the deep relationship between the individual and the collective, showing how individuals navigate and shape society within structured environments.

The Broad, 2016. Amazon by Andreas Gursky. C-print mounted on Plexiglas, 207.01 x 407.035 x 6.191 cm. Available at: https://www.thebroad.org/art/andreas-gursky/amazon?utm_source [Accessed 20 January 2025].

Through this work, Gursky allows us to see the scale and details of consumer spaces, encouraging reflection on these typically exclusive and luxurious environments. The piece is part of his ongoing exploration of commercial and consumer culture, and alongside works like Amazon (2016), it addresses themes of modern consumerism and global capitalism. Through these works, Gursky offers deep insights into contemporary society.

Gucci's advertising design and photography often utilize specific color tones and compositions to enhance brand recognition. The brand is known for its bold use of vibrant colors, rich textures, and artistic layering, which create a visually striking and luxurious aesthetic. Gucci frequently employs deep greens, reds, and golds, invoking a sense of opulence and classic Italian style. Their compositions often feature strong contrasts, unique angles, and surreal elements, further emphasizing individuality and exclusivity.

1. Mass-produced industrial goods are defining a homogenized and standardized ideal lifestyle for the masses in modern society.

2. People's lives are constrained by the rigid frameworks dictated by the discourse of consumerism.

3. Consumerism, in conjunction with modern society, is subtly assigning price tags to aspects of life that should not be commodified.

Additionally, these standardized squares, which represent order, also evoke a sense of "framework, rules, and constraints."

1. I aim to use the grid and column layout elements of graphic design to explore the composition of illustrations.

2. I hope to express a sense of continuity and narrative through a series of twelve interconnected illustrations.

3. This calendar will serve as a medium to explore the relationship between people and commodities, examining the balance between consumer fantasies and real life.

Given the nature of calendars, users will interact with it on a daily basis. Through this process of use, I hope to find an effective way to provoke the audience to reflect on the interplay between fantasy and reality and to inspire the pursuit of living in the present.

In this design, aside from the inherent grid structure of the calendar, I also segmented the overall calendar based on the number of the month. For example, in May, I divided the rectangular layout into five irregular sections and combined the illustrations with these dividing lines. On some pages, I incorporated themes from my previous work on vintage-style advertisements merged with human figures.

1. Firstly, without my explanation, they found it difficult to understand the meaning behind my segmentation of the calendar, and it wasn’t clear how this idea was connected to consumerism.

2. The visual elements were too cluttered, which made it hard for the calendar to fulfill its functional purpose.

3. The grid structure of the calendar was not effectively used to create the visual impression of mass-produced goods.