AY24.25 CTS B

During this week we explored further into the design and how they play into the social engagement of the world. We were tasked to explore on choosing 2 design filled adjectives that exemplify social engagement. I chose Singapore Peace Centre as my first.

The reason I chose Peace Centre to be an example is because of the fact that Peace Centre was once a mall turned into art, One of the elements of its visual identity is the graffiti living in its walls. Situated in the Little India neighborhood, Peace Centre is a business complex that frequently serves as a platform for street art, enhancing the urban culture and artistic expression of the city through its external walls and surrounding areas.

Being sustainable, Singaporeans created a peace of art by reusing the then abandoned building to a place full of art and media where young artists have the ability to let their creativity flow while also being sustainable by doing it in a place that is being reused.

The abandoned mall building emulates the young generation of creatives to have a sense of community growing and bonding through creative work while it being legal as in Singapore public graffiti is usually against the law unless it is done in authorised areas or with the proper permissions. Hence, the art scene in the city progressing through events as such as Singapore it will promote street art and the art scene as a whole. Creating more urban creativity in Singapore.

The graffiti seen at Peace Centre frequently offers insight into the active connection between contemporary art and Singapore's cityscape. These pieces of art serve as a platform for young and urban artists to express themselves, tell their stories, or analyze the current social environment.

Another example of social engagement through art is

Banksy, The mysterious street artist Banksy utilizes city spaces as his canvas to produce artworks that tackle subjects like warfare, lack of money, capitalism, and individuals' rights. His pieces frequently stimulate reflection and promote social progress, utilizing humor and satire to address societal problems. His urban art encourages public engagement and questions conventional ideas of art.

I chose him because of the fact that he integrates and conveys messages through his designs and causes conversations throughout the art scene causing the artists and designers to be heavily involved with his work through art.

Overall, through this research I've learnt that you can not only be creative through your artistry but you can also be sustainable while doing so as there are many varieties when it comes to promoting art and being mindful of societal global issues while doing so can be possible as it will overall help the art community with the exposure it can have while also being eco friendly.

A manifesto in art or design is a written declaration that sets out the beliefs, objectives, and aspirations of a creative individual, frequently showcasing their perspective and method in their creations.

It acts as a statement of beliefs or aspirations, providing a clear viewpoint on the desired influence on society, the art world, or the design industry. Manifestos are frequently characterised by their bold nature, as they question traditional beliefs and support progress or creativity.

We were divided into teams for a group project in class and tasked with developing our own designer manifesto. The main goal of our group's manifesto is to embrace ones originality in our design methods.

Take for example...

From endless research, I found out that Keith Haring was an innovative artist who combined street art, pop culture, and social activism to create a distinct visual style characterised by bold and vibrant symbols like dancing figures, radiant babies, and barking dogs. He incorporated simplicity into his design by using vivid colours and bold lines to ensure that his art was easy for all to appreciate.

I chose Keith because of how he embraced his individuality and how it is wide spread art movement in the world right now which made me understand that individuality as a designer/artist is the most important thing to capture the true essence of the viewer, as millions os emotions can be spoken through a piece of art as art is a form of expression and up for interpretation for the viewer.

The most significant part of CTSB for me is the part where we tasked to further explore and do self reflection on what make us us. The reason being is because of the fact that in this generation we tend to forget to take a step back to reflect on ourselves to see what makes us especially as a designer we tend to be inspired of our creators and designers that the essence of ourselves tend to be over shadowed and forgotten about because of how fixated we are about the other designs that are at the top.

The reason for this is because of the fact that I think as designers we should do some self reflection so that we know what we like, our art styles and what we're trying to convey through our designs/art.

Similarly, For my designs I tend to go with my gut and what makes me me. Hence to me creating a manifesto in your design or art is a very important step in creating a design as it is a way of communication through art and artistry as whole conveying and relaying messages back and fourth which is important as a designer as it creates importance of message in art.

Critical Self-Reflectivity How Do I Think About My Thinking Processes?

For me, Critical Self-Reflectivity is

Analyzing one's thoughts, acknowledging biases, and understanding emotional impacts on decision-making is crucial for self-reflectivity.

During this class we were tasked to discuss self-awareness, self regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.

Reflecting on it made me realise how open I am to new ideas yet standing on my own beliefs and truth I form beliefs, make decisions, and react to situations often due to my past experiences and intuition, Through challenging my beliefs and re evaluating results, I gain insights from my experiences and strive to better my reasoning for certain actions I make. Remaining open-minded to fresh ideas and revising my perspectives enables me to reach more knowledgeable and understandable choices, creating personal development and a increased understanding of the world.

During this reflection I have researched on why that is and I came across this ted talk about ways to be Emotionally intelligent without the overpowering of ones self emotions.

I learnt that Ramona the Ted Talk speaker came from a background of being raised to prioritize logic and reason even though she was lacking vital skills in comprehending and controlling her emotions. She also observed that numerous individuals face this same challenge. She discussed how emotions can be perplexing at times, and merely experiencing emotions does not indicate effective emotional management. Learning this from the Ted Talk has further made me understand the true importance of being open-minded hence the environment you have grown up in and that is what results in the growth of emotional intelligence hence the improvement of my thinking process.

This Is How You Connect Practice with Society

What is the actual way to participate in social activities?

Designers tend to overlook the potential to link our work with society in order to make a more significant difference. Hence,During this research I decided to delve deep into the unknown and find organisations that never fail to participate in social activities through their designed work.

Recognised for its commitment to the environment, Patagonia creates products with a focus on sustainability. Their program, "Worn Wear," promotes repairing and reusing products, while also dedicating a portion of their earnings to environmental initiatives. Patagonia consistently promotes awareness of climate change and responsible consumer behaviour.

A similar example is IKEA, it integrates sustainability and social responsibility into its product designs by utilising renewable materials and reducing waste in packaging. They are also recognised for backing refugee employment programs and working together with the IKEA Foundation on housing solutions for displaced individuals.

The similar these 2 companies have is that they are integrating not only their designed products into the market but also thinking about the societal problems the world is facing like Climate Change and they do their part as companies by taking those issues into consideration when creating their products.

For today's assignment we were tasked to research and talk about socially engaged artists and designers to discuss how designers can serve the communities they are in and how they can connect with society through their work.

I Chose Theaster Gates (Artist and Urban Planner)

The reason why I chose this Artist/Designer is because He created the Black Cinema House which is a project transformed a vacant building into a venue for screening and discussing films that highlight the African-American experience, fostering dialogue about race, history, and culture. Relevant to the leading topic of connecting practice with society which i learnt is a very important prospect when it comes to connecting society with ones artistry.

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Creative Practice and Critical Thinking

To me my understanding of critical thinking is the ability to analyze and evaluate information objectively to make well reasoned conclusions. It involves questioning assumptions, identifying biases, examining evidence, and considering various perspectives. It involves breaking down information, questioning credibility and drawing logical conclusions better reflecting on personal biases. This approach leads to clearer and more reliable insights in both decision making and problem solving.

During this class, I have learnt that there is a way and a possibility of critically thinking whilst creatively practicing through our work and words. Take for example in the class, we were tasked to write a short story in response to societal issues.

I found out that we can be both critical and creative simultaneously. During today's classroom activity, we were assigned to write a brief story and I chose to write about the concerning societal problem of Character Wei seeing the hidden struggles beneath the city’s wealth. High living costs, societal pressure to succeed, and a growing gap between rich and poor impact many, especially the elderly and low income families. Through volunteering, Wei realizes that the city’s rapid development has overlooked those in need, leading him to question if true progress means focusing not just on success but on inclusivity for all. Through all of this, I came to understand that we can enhance our ideas and communicate societal issues through storytelling.

What made me gain inspiration from my story is this article talking about the societal problem that Singapore faces which is the elderly and the rise in the ageing population. Creating the story has made me learn so much about how the rapid growth of the economy that some people are left behind hence Wei's story.

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References : In bustling Singapore - Xavier John

https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/asset-allocation-investment-gm1399211832-453138931

My experience of the WOII module has been a fruitful one as it has allowed me to further reflect on the things that I didn't understand has a deeper meaning from the start. This module has enabled me to have a greater understanding to many aspects that I didn't know I have lacked and letting me learn more about the things I can use further onward even after this Diploma.

I learnt that everything in the world has a deeper meaning to it and that every person has to advance their eq (emotional qualities) to really understand the world in depth and that there are many different aspects to everyone situation as not everyone sees the same way as other people and learning to understand the world around us will not only be beneficial to us but also the society as a whole as we are understanding the human condition to how the world works.

This module has also made me learn about the society and economy and how they work as I did not have a clue at first but with the help of this module I finally understand it to a deeper level as it has benefitted me with never ending knowledge.

The impacts I think the design communication and experiences have made are culture. The reason why I say this is because during the open studio viewings I have learnt that design students in Lasalle has executed breaking the cultural norms in Singapore as many different artworks I've seen have been very intricately revolutionised as opposed to the cultures of Singapore.

Like for example...

This artwork by Omar Athalie -

What I understand and take away from this artwork is that the artist wanted to break the societal norms in Singapore portraying the Famous Singapore Icon - The Merlion seen drinking and smoking in a winter christmas season this communicates to me how the student is breaking the social norms to how Singapore actually is.

Like for example how Singapore is a clean green litter free country yet opposed to the artwork showing the Merlion smoking with a Smirnoff alcohol bottle on the floor beside it showing how edgy this version of Singapore is like and how it is in a environment where there is snow, Somehow more westernised to how to usually is like as Singapore does not snow.

This is evidence that students of the arts in Singapore are breaking cultural and societal norms and honestly it's really nice to see as Singapore is slowly becoming more revolutionised as we are blurring the lines in art in this day and age of Singapore.

An area I would wish to make an impact as a Designer is that I would love to be an inspiration to people through my designs and work as I would like to have people who understands my feelings through my art and designs and to eventually gain recognition through my art style and that when a person looks at a certain artwork they know that I designed it as it would be elevating to know that people understand my feelings in my work and my art style as a whole.

I have learnt more about Cultural Materialism and that is, It is a study of how the possessions and lifestyles of individuals be it Material realities or Technological realities it all shapes their culture and that it involves a deeper understanding on how resources like money, and technology influences a society's values traditions and practices.

Cultural materialism suggests that we have to truly understand why people believe what they do and behave the way they do is reasonable to them, we need to dig deeper than just their ideas and beliefs. Instead of solely focusing on abstract concepts, cultural materialism urges us to pay attention to the everyday objects and the practical aspects of life such as infrastructure.

Cultural materialism encourages us to consider how economic factors, like having access to resources and impact cultural development. By understanding these material aspects of culture, we can slowly understand the complex connections between the practical realities of life and the beliefs, values, and behaviours that emerges within a society and why there are many different reasons for the outcome of it, as it is very important to understand in depth of how others are trained in the mind to understand their way of thinking hence Cultural materialism.

When it comes to my ideas and inspirations I find myself integrating some of the technological realities that cultural materialism possesses as a topic as I find myself using technology like my laptop and my phone to augment the reality around me and as a Designer I feel like I use that to my advantage to communicate my design idea across rawly so that the viewers one hundred percent understand what I am trying to communicate.

We acquired skills in effectively analysing design work. We discovered that five key components aid us in articulating our thoughts about designed objects. Subject Matter & Meanings, Aspects of Forms and Contexts of Pieces, Processes & Purpose, Choices & Uses of Mediums.

For example, this spoon.

Processes & Purpose: to eat

Subject Matter & Meanings: spoon

Choices & Uses of Mediums: stainless steel

Aspects of Forms: 16 cm

Contexts of Pieces: found in the kitchen, bought from muji

This is my favourite spoon, I use it to eat my breakfast lunch and dinner. The purpose of the watch is to eat, It holds value to me and my kitchen as my kitchen keeps it and I love to eat.

Knowing how to analyze design work holds power as it allows me to gain deeper knowledge on design decisions of renowned designers and illustrators. In my studio assignment I have touched on the topic of my Illustrator Des Kordilis and my Designer Ken Garland. Through thorough research and study of their portfolio, I grasped their unique style and seamlessly integrated it into my card design.

Week 5 we went to NMS National Museum Of Singapore, we were tasked to take several images of artifacts that caught our eyes. Implementing knowledge from the previous week I have learnt I used it.

I took pictures of these particular pieces because in my eyes they are beautiful and that it is designed really well even for the lack of materials back in the past which really got me thinking that artist are really true artists as despite the circumstances they never fail to produce a piece that inhabits which glamour and art.

This field trip has really helped me open my eyes to how blessed we are to live in the 21st century as the things in the past was very problematic and our ancestors went through alot of suffering just to let us people of singapore call singapore our home and that it was very difficult for things to be accessed in the past which is a blessing for us now as it is very easy for us to access things in this generation of life.

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For this week we learned about Semiotics, it is a concept where it is the study of signs and how they convey meaning. A sign, in semiotics, refers to anything that communicates meaning or feelings, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Semiosis encompasses any activity or process involving signs, which can be conveyed through thought or the senses. Contemporary semiotics is a scientific field that examines how meaning is created and different forms of knowledge.

these are some examples of the semiotics concept where there is a signified and the signifier which both of them has totally different meanings to them.

Signifier : Beware The Heat Little Bottle Big Flavor

Signified : Tobasco that is a fire extinguisher

The poster's message is that the Tobasco is so hot that it is shaped like a fire hydrant (Signified) to let people know how hot the Tobasco actually is like the poster says Beware The Heat Little Bottle Big Flavor (Signifier).

Learning about semiotics is beneficial for poster design, as it empowers us to visually understand compelling messages with minimal reliance on text. This lesson emphasises the application of semiotics to enhance communication effectiveness in our posters. I've learnt that Semiotics that knowing the difference between a signifier and a signified will help you understand posters of designs easier in the future.

The topic of Phenomenology captivates my interest. It has allowed me to dive deep into the understanding that perspectives may be different among individuals. This topic reveals that each person undergoes unique experiences, where what appears ordinary to one may be surreal to another, and what is aesthetically pleasing to one may not hold the same appeal for someone else. Contemplating this idea has sparked a realisation within me regarding the many factors influencing our perceptions.

For example there was time where i went to Malaysia and I saw a chicken crossing the road, the idea that came to me was that it was a regular happening but on my friends end he said that the chicken was crossing the road because it wanted to cross the road to see its family as the chicken may have just escaped the farm that was situated really near the area of the road and that really got me thinking about the Phenomenology concept that to me maybe it was nothing and that a chicken is a chicken but to my friend there was a deeper meaning to why the chicken crossed the road and that there must have been a reason to why it did so.

The exercise we did in class we did in class was really relevant to the topic as we were tasked to go around the campus and take pictures of different things and speak about our different views on it. It definitely proved its point as when I was presenting my photographs and my reasons for it people had different views on how I viewed it and it definitely spoke volumes as it taught me that not everyone views what I view the same which then only makes the Phenomenology concept real.

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Week 12 : Question 3

Connect CTS A to your learning and professional journey.

CTS A is relevant to my future learning and professional journey as I have learnt alot from CTS A. For example, Critical Thinking is important in my future because as designers we need to communicate and problem solve.

Because in the future I would be needing skills that help me be the best version of myself in my career and to my future peers that I will be around. Knowing the knowledge that I have from CTS, it will not only guide me through life but also it will help medicate my problems that I will face in my future career as it will be skills that will aid me through hard times.

Skills like having a growth mindset trying to be the best version of myself, being emotionally intelligent when it comes to hard times or future peers in my work place. Having collaborative skills when working around my peers so that each and everyones feelings are validated and heard and overall being a good team player in my future career.

Having skills that I have learnt from CTS A will help be not only be the best version of myself but also be a light to others as it will not only have a impact on me but also to others as they will be inspired to also be the best version of themselves. Being aware of the skills that I have will help me as I will have a natural go getter mindset when it comes to problem solving which is a factor we often face in our future jobs.

CTS A has aided me for my future career as it has taught me that life has many different prospects to different scenarios and occasions where we should be ready with the skills we need to face life and reality.

Week 11 : Question 2

Connect CTS A to all your other modules (and components)!

CTS A is connected to my other modules like studio. The reason being is because of the fact that I get to learn things such as creative thinking. I learn Creative Thinking in studio by using creating my cpj, I get to push myself more to create sketches, build concepts and figure out more about my creative side, Similarly in CTS A.

In class I get to do my class projects in a way where I have the opportunity to experience endless possibilities of art - create projects like banners that include mind maps and other creative mediums like doodles and sketches.

I enjoy creating them as it is connected to the studio module as they are very similar. In both CTS A and Studio I get to express my creative side of myself through using different mediums like my coloured pens and markers doing endless sketching and drawings to express my thinking and thought process.

During my time in Lasalle, I learned to be diligent with my work and self in my modules, Both Studio and CTS A for me is not easy for me but what I do know is that I never give up in doing the best for me and my work.

Diligence is something that ties both Studio and CTS A as it is modules that are not the easiest and what I have learned from both of them is that in both modules I have to give my 100 percent working hard, being Diligent in my craft and strive for the best doing endless learning and continuing to better myself as a student.

Another thing I have learnt is that in both of the modules it is a common thing for collaboration to occur.

For example, in studio we are 80% always tasked to work in a team and it has done nothing but helped me improve on my collaborative skills my peers and I working with eachother to make the best of the works we do in class. Similarly in CTS A, we are also always tasked to work in groups.

Week 10 : Question 1 Discuss the seven weekly topics as a whole

My understanding of the Critical Thinking Skills module is that CTS consists of the basic human knowledge and learning of skills that we can face in our daily lives. CTS helps teaches us how to analyse and evaluate the issues that we go through as human beings making us better understand the importance of skillfully better managing the issues through practicing the skills we learnt have been taught in class, in life.

My visual metaphor is this image. The reason why i chose this image is because of the fact that it is a pure example of why people should be learning to have a skilled mindset when it comes to facing life as it helps us have a better outlook on the problems that we face on the long run in life.

My personal favourite activity during CTS is the part where all of us in the class had to exchange notes to each other and say meaningful things to each other, the reason being is because i love being a nice person to other people as it brings me no harm and it only lifts other people up.

Like how my Classmate, Grace. Said I am very Dedicate, I am Determined, Self-Driven, Responsible in my learning, Have a positive mindset and I am able to identify my strengths very well. This struck me because i feel like as a classmate of hers it showed how my peers in the class care for me as their own.

The value of working in a group is solely strategy and why i say that is because of the fact that as a team everyone has to cooperate with each other so that the group will work out. What i wish i did better is conversing more with my fellow group mates as it would better help my peers understand me more when it comes to my thought process when i’m working in a group setting.

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Week 3 : Emotional Intelligence

For me I feel like the aspect I am the strongest at is empathy the reason being is because of the fact that in times where I am in situations where I am challenged to work with people who are tough.

I have the tendency of always being professional no matter the personality of the person I am working with, which has only led me to believe that i am good with working with others despite the troubles i may face with external individuals.

A aspect I should try to improve is the “self-awareness” only because of the fact that i tend to be harsh on myself when it comes to a working environment, because of the fact that i have reoccurring thoughts that i might not be contributing enough to the people i am working around with.

Like for example i would actually help around with my peers but i would always feel like i may not be helping enough with the work i am contributing with to the group project which leads me into believing and thinking that i may have not helped enough with my peers or i may have not put in enough effort in solving the problems in the group project when i sufficiently have done so.

This has only not led me to a insufferable state of mind with myself but also has led me to believe that i should start practicing "self-awareness" as it is a trait that I am personally lacking and not practicing when it comes to working in a group environment.

I practice relationship management when i do my class tasks for the day, Like for example in studio class the lecturer would make us go into groups and work on a topic to discuss about it.

Not only was it beneficial to me working with my peers because of how convenient it was for me being in a work setting but also collaborating with peers and having the chance to build up my relationship with them while doing my assignments.

Week 2: Collaborative Skills

My experience working in a group was really good because it was beneficial for me, it has made me feel like i was capable of being and working with other people c:

My strength as an individual student is that i am a active listener to my fellow classmates as i was not afraid of listening to many possibilities of the outcome of the class project and that just made me feel good about myself as i felt like working in a group has different obstacles to it and this was one but it surely wasn’t an issue to me.

Another strength about myself is that i was a person who was not afraid to ask questions and communicate how i felt about the direction of the art piece and my doubts about it.

This group project helped me learn more about myself because I realised how open minded I was about the never ending outcomes to an art piece especially when it came to a group setting which was great as we worked together as a team to make it come to life.

A weakness that I can improve is that i can be better at generating more ideas as i was kind of stuck when it came to helping my group mates come up with ideas.

If i had more time i would make the monument more 3 dimensional, since we were on a time crunch my group felt like it was best to make it short and simple by creating a monument solely based on a 2 dimensional artifact.

If i had a unlimited budget i would have made a 3 dimensional model that shows earth turning with a 3d modeled hand holding eachother showing a peaceful moment in human history, i wouldnt change the concept that we came up with as it was a brilliant idea my group and i came up with.

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Week 1: What is Critical Thinking?

My understanding of critical thinking before class was really vague, as I did not think that critical thinking was as important in my daily life. I think because in our generation we don't think as deeply into critical thinking, which are skills that actually makes our lives easier.

But after the class, I totally understand the importance of critical thinking skills on problem solving, analysing, creative thinking, interpretation, evaluation, and reasoning. That we solely need as human beings to have in our daily lives because of how it helps us be more aware of the problems we face in this world.

What I have learnt about mindfulness in the class previously is that mindfulness is something that has always been a concept that has always been talked about but sadly not everyone has especially if you are in an environment where there are alot of different people, personalities and characters.

So how i might intergrate this into my learning environment is that i would kindly be a light to everyone and display good morals and character as a person in the classroom so that my classmates may be inspired to be the best version of theirselves and slowly get better character wise.

It is a challenge not only one must face but a community will face.

An eventful moment i have experienced in class is when I was really quiet and unsure. As it was my first day in class but suddenly the teacher made me feel comfortable as he interacted with each individual in class and made everyone share a little more about themselves which made me really happy as I got the opportunity to learn more about my classmates even though i was shy at first which made me really thankful for the teacher bringing us together as a class.