Ho..ho...ho...Merry Red Dots

I love Christmas time almost as much as I love Halloween...almost...I think its all the lights. I really enjoyed being in this class and this project. So I'll leave my final red dot to mark the end of the school year. LED Christmas lights are the business. Happy Holidays!!!

10 Things I Hate About You?....err...Learned?

I really enjoyed this class. There are many moments that define a situation enough to make it memorable. But sometimes the most important things are what you learned. Those lessons stick with you. SO here are the 10 things I learned in class this year.

10. I learned that this class was very similar to my marketing and parental skills class. I took all three at the same time and found that each lesson helped me with another lesson I was learning in class.

9. I learned what Bricolage and counter-Bricolage are. Which is very interesting because I have become more amused with sculptures made from auto parts. Also I feel smart when I explain what those words mean.

8. I learned about Penang. It is a very interesting country and something I was not used to. What I have known of Malaysia is nothing compared to what I expected when I researched Penang.

7. I learned the difference between the lion dance and the dragon dance. To which I figured if it has a dragon head that was the name of the dance. The major difference is the number of performers. A lion dance only has two performers and a dragon dance has three or more.

6. I learned that Penang is more accurately a melting pot. Even more so then America. In Penang all religious holidays are celebrated equally. The country is rich in heritage and cultural identity.

5. I learned that I could live richly with my current paycheck and that movies for four people costs the same as if I just took myself to a movie with out popcorn.

4. I learned why the HRC's original blue symbol was used for the marriage equality. As well as, why it was made red and pink. The symbol is that of love and that with love we are all equal.

3. I learned that red dots aren't just dots, but that with a little imagination flowers, notifications, toys, and fire extinguishers can also be seen for more then they are.

2. I learned how to cook a traditional hawker food that is popular in Penang. I also found out what blood clams are in the process. My wife was not amused.

1. The final thing I learn was my teacher's name Professor Ravikumar. To which I spelled it correctly without looking it up and also reminds me of Harold and Kumar (all the movies...including Christmas).

I believe this was a informative class. In all fairness I realized how global design opens your mind not to local issues but that of the world. If I wanted to market something in Penang I would have to make multiple marketing campaigns of one product so that I could have as much influence as possible. I would be conscious and not use overtly sexual depictions of women or language. I have learned that it more to design then American influence and the sincerely goes for everything.

Fire out...red dot

Never thought about it but a dire extinguisher makes a good red dot...

Radiator Springs red dot

I really enjoyed going to Disneyland. Though no where near as expansive as Disney World they had a lovely rendition of Radiator Springs from the movie cars. I loved it! I swore I was in the movie. They had a beautiful wall made of oil bottles and I snapped some pictures.

Penang Art

Like most things in Penang it Art culture is rich. However, it's art traditions aren't very clear. The is actually view little in how Penang started with things like painting. Most of what art is seen in Penang has started recently. But this mostly deals with when Malaysia became an independent country. It is said that Penang started to paint around the 18th century when it was occupied by British settlers and Chinese immigrants. But art really didn't make head way in Penang until after WWII. Penang was founded in 1782 and was still heavily influenced by British colonization. Because of this few Penang artist flurished. The most significant contribution to traditional art in Penang was in 1920 and influenced by an artist name Yong Mun Sen. With his help Penang created Penang Chinese Art Club.

 Art began to expand until about 1940 during the Japanese invasion. The Japanese discouraged local art. Art was pretty dry  until about 1945 after the British won back Penang. Artist like Tay Hooi Keat become the dominate force in Penang. With his influence he created and was the chair of the Penang Art Teacher's Council.

 If there ever was a traditional art form within Malaysia it would be Batik. This was created by Chuah  Thean Teng. Art continues to grow in Penang.

 The most current art form that is sweeping the area is street art, which started in 2009. Penang is still trying to establish it's own art but it is well on it's way.

So Many Art Forms to Choose From

Due to the rich culture of Penang I decided to narrow my search to not only traditional dance and theatre, but also to the most promaint cultures of Penang. The first culture I looked at was the Chinese. The Chinese bring the traditional dance called the lion dance. This dance is sometimes mistakenly called the dragon dance because a dragon is used. However, there are far less dances in a lion dance (only 2) than there are for a dragon dance. This is dance is performed during the Chinese New Year and other religious festivals. This dance is handed down from generation to generation. Making the lion dance rich in generational heritage. 



The next traditional art form that I found was said to be brought by Muslim soilders to celebrate the Muslim Shiite festival. It is a form of theatre called Boria. Boris starts with a comedic sketch that is followed by song and dance. The type of Boria found in Penang is unqiue to its enriched culture and can not be found any place else. These festivals are well renewed and a lot of Malay traditional clothing is sold. There are also how-to and heritage seminars held during the Boria Festival.

Music in Penang is also as multicultural as it is traditional. The fact of the matter is when you go to Penang you will get a rich heritage from all the cultures that in habit the area. Penang is truly a melting pot. Attached is a youtube video of traditional Chinese music in Penang. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cakXIJARJxI

Putting a Red dot together

While getting ready to glue my puzzle together I noticed this little gem. Man do I love puzzles though.

Equality For All

My advocacy symbol is the pink/red equality symbol that was very popular across the web within the last serval years. This symbol though every simple was the symbol of marriage equality. It was created by the HRC (Human Rights Campaign). The HRC it every involved in the equal and fair treatment of the LGBT-Q community. So it was only right that they be the first to create a symbol that would go viral. The key visual elements of the Marriage Equality symbol is a red background with a pink equality symbol. It was created March 25, 2013

You may look at this simple symbol and wonder if you have seen it before. You would be correct because the HRC has been using a plain background with a equal symbol since 1995, when the organization dropped "Fund" from it's name and reorganized. The current logo of HRC is a solid blue square with a yellow equality symbol.

Social media help propel this symbol of marriage equality. It could be seen everywhere from Facebook to Twitter garnering support from top celebrities as they shared the image. Facebook even made it possible to make a type of mask over your profile picture so that you could still use your profile picture.

 


The symbol makes sense because it was created by the HRC who believes that all persons should be treated fairly and equally. The choice of using the color red was also because that is the color of love. So basically love should be equal for everyone, not just one group of people.

Once the original was out and kicking it didn't take long before spin offs and new creations where made and shared. This not only ended with celebrities but companies also showed up to show their support for gay marriage rights.

 

Strawberries...who knew...

I got this image from on of my poster's that I picked for my reaction paper. The strawberry (and I love strawberries) was circular. This I found interesting as strawberries are kind of triangular. I'll just leave this here for your view pleasure.

Reaction Paper

Today I had to choose two posters within a gallery at the University of Central Oklahoma. The gallery was filled with many images of politically charged content to human suffering. There was so much to look at and to take in. What images did I understand right from looking at them. What images did I have to research further to understand and to read the head line. I had finally chosen my two posters to comment on. Those two where, Patriot Inaction by Robbie Conal and Your Best Gift for Her by Jin Yee Ng. I choose these two paintings because I wanted something personal and political, as well as, from different sides of the world. I will explain my reactions to both images emotionally, the historical content, and the style/design elements.

The Patriot Inaction, is a political poster that depicts then President George W. Bush in a flooded New Orleans cemetery surrounded by skulls and bones. When I first glanced at the wall this poster was on, I was immediately drawn to this image. Unlike other images to me it carried a significant heartbreak. Part of my family is from Louisiana, to include my brother’s birth there. I remembered when it happened and I remembered that I volunteered for the mission to rescue people from their homes, that had been stranded. I had a feeling of sadness and anger upon viewing. Because I also remember the aftermath and how long it took for things to get back to normal as compared to other natural disasters. Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf cost as category 3 hurricane. There was a lot of finger pointing the days and years to follow. None of which actually helped the people in the Gulf Coast. The most notable of the disaster and also most publicized was New Orleans, Louisiana. There was a lot of news coverage about how long it took to help those in need, reunite families, rebuild the area, etc. Racism was seen as the blatant reason that no help was available. So musicians even accused the President as be the ultimate racist. It was painful to watch and to be apart of. The style of the work is a style that I am found of. I like the hard, cartooned edges. It reminds me of old political cartoons that I used to read accept this one is in color. The use of primary colors (red, yellow, and blue) drew my eyes to the center of the image where I could focus on the focal point. In the poster you can feel the pain and loss of the tragedy, even years after it happened. It is interesting though that the creator used the words Patriot Inaction…as a reference to the Patriot Act. As the Patriot Act refers to how our country deals with terrorism and that act had nothing to do with this situation. Upon view I knew, based on the imagery, what the poster was depicting. I didn’t have to guess what it was talking about. The chose to make the image of President Bush into a skeleton I believe brings the whole image together and destruction that was created by weak infrastructure and a failure on the government to provide effective aid. I enjoyed this poster most through the gallery because it gives me a feeling of a poster as opposed to an image or picture such as when I viewed Fukushima Mon Amour by Yossi Lemel. It was much more difficult to find my second image but I knew I wanted to go into another direction all together.

Finally, I settled on Your Best Gift for Her. This poster depicts a birthday cake with a cigarette with the title of the image as a tag line. The balance of the image draws you into the cake, as the colors give you the feeling that you are at a young girl’s birthday party. When I viewed this image I found it disturbing and wasn’t really sure what it was about. I thought to myself, “what mean person would put a cigarette into their child’s (any child’s) birthday cake?”. I was also shocked that this could even happen. To me smoking is a disgusting habit that I believe hurts children and adults alike. I’m an advocate of non smoking places, so I was really drawn to this imagery and heartbroken at the same time. It wasn’t until I read the description that I understood the true meaning. Tobacco addiction not only effects those who smoke, but also those around them. Children are effected the worst as there brains are still developing and second hand smoke is unfiltered. Smoking around children puts them at risk to start the habit themselves at a much younger age, have fewer coping skills, poor self esteem, etc. Parents are our role models and for better or worse we pick up their habits. The imagery in the poster is very powerful. While the poster is supposed to give a smoker hope, I found for me that it made me hate smoking even more. The use of red and pictures of Strawberry Shortcake on birthday hats helps bring the image together as a young girl’s birthday party. The idea behind the image is to get those who do smoke and have children to not just think about themselves but to think about their children. It’s a very powerful Image. The poster also makes you feel as if you are at the party and how innocence can be lost if the smoker doesn’t decide to quit. Though this poster shows, to me, a parent that is willing to change their habits for their child. That is both touching and endearing. The photographic use, as opposed to, a more cartoon like image makes this poster more realistic and relatable. It connects smoking and the hope of quitting for someone greater then yourself.

I enjoyed both of these posters while in the gallery, as well as some others. The images that the portrayed where captivating and extracted emotional responses from me while creating them differently. The stories whether political or domestic call you to change and commit action. Each poster has it’s own way to tell you a story, though not always immediately available. These posters both shed light on some negative aspects of life.

Difficulties in Penang

Penang has a very diverse culture and is very welcoming. Because of this it is very hard to imagine that there are problems in Penang. But it is because of their diversity the have problems with human rights. Like most developed countries they deal with racism. Most of this is surrounded by money. The Chinese population in Malay has a majority of the government so they have the money. Not only that they keep their money generational. This can be seen through the working class as not all Penang residents get paid same even if they do the same amount of work. Penang is also threatened by globalization and the younger generation threatens to undo cultural ideals. Some of the cities in Penang lack development and are also very congested this causes problems with every day travel and cleanliness of the cities. Some of the educational institutions are subpar and yield very few professionals who can compete in the developing market. Penang is currently trying to change their world view but corruption in the political system is hurting them.

Gallery red dot

 

So we went to the art gallery at school. This was my first visit and I really enjoyed it. I had to pick two pictures for a project I ended up actually like 4 pictures. But as it turns out I could still use the pictures that I didn't want for this. I added the second one because I really liked the second image as well.

Powers of Influence

When you visit Penang you can see all the influence that has come to pass by the varying cultures that it supports. Like America, Penang is a virtual melting pot of traditions and influential powers. Penang was first settled by the Chinese. But the late 1780 Englishmen so inhabited Penang in exchange for protection. It soon became the second British Empire. Though the British did not keep their part in protecting Penang from their enemies it was soon turned into a free port for trading by the British. Because of this many settlers from all over came to Penang. The selling of spices in Penang drew more and more Chinese to the area. However, during WWII Penang was under cruial Japanese rule. Because of this many records during this time were destroyed making a full history of Penang difficult. In the end Britian reclaimed Penang on 5 Sept 1945, to which they called British Malaya. Penang gained independence in 1957. Even before the British settled into Penang is was already culturally diverse, having Arab, Japanese, Filipino, Burmese, Parsee, Sumatran people just to name a few. There were also Jewish people in Penang though the number is very low now.

Religiously you can see the influence of both Islamic traditions and Buddhist traditions in traditions and clothing. Holidays from both Major religions are celebrated as well as others. Some of the public holidays that are celebrated in Penang include New Year’s Day, Thaipusam, Chinese New year, Labour Day, Aidifitri, Deepavali, Christmas, and Wesak Day. Western culture has also influenced music in Penang as it holds to major orchestras call Penang Philharmoic and Penang Symphony Orchestra.

 

Penang Clothing Line

Penang is a grow metropolis of many cultural traditions and backgrounds. There are many stills of clothing within Penang to include those of western influence. Depending on where you are and the age group you will see some skimpy clothing as well as traditional clothing. However, most women in Penang and in Malaysia wear head coverings called Massaash. This is due to the heavy Islamic presence in the country. Religious beliefs also play an important role in what people wear in Penang. But even with all the modern clothing introduction people in Penang still wear traditional clothing. Traditional clothing can be seen a number of ways to include festivals, weddings, or special events. Traditional clothing you not normally worn on a day to day basis due in part to how elaborate everything is. The types are clothing are sold in traditional stores but are of cheaper quality. Most groups also wear what are called kebaya (is a traditional blouse-dress combination), saree (female garment that consists of a drape of varying length that is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder, baring the midriff), but how it is worn depends on your nationality. Many people in Penang also wear what is called a sarong (is a length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist and can be worn by women and men). Sarong can be made from cotton, songket (hand-woven silk that is patterned with gold or silver thread) and brocade (decorative shuttle-woven fabrics made of colored silks with or without gold/silver threading). Because of the mixed culture lots of these traditional pieces are mixed and matched. Men can also wear these items about their dress are also challenged by the nationality. An example of this is Malay men wearing samping (is about half the size of a normal sarong ) over their trousers and Chinese women wearing samfoo (consists of ankle (or slightly above) length trousers worn with a blouse which are fastened by toggles. Also most of the women wear long dresses with a shawl to cover up.

 

Because there are so many cultures and tourist is will not be difficult to figure out what to wear in this country. Younger less traditional nationals and tourists are usually seen wearing jeans, shirts, and sneakers. Visitors are not expected to adhere to religious practices that are not their own. Example foreign women don’t have to cover their hair.

 

Everyday clothing can be broken down into the three main cultures of Penang which are Malay, Chinese, and Indian for everyday wear. Malay men wear baju melayu, a loose tunic over trousers, wrapped in a sarong. The men also may wear a songkok (cap) when dressed. The Chinese women wear the cheongsam or dress with a high collar and diagonal clasps to keep it closed. Well respected Chinese women wear the samfoo. Chinese men wear short sleeved shirts with trousers and sandals. Malay women wear baju kurung, a knee length, long-sleeved blouse over a long skirt. This is also adorned with a headscarf, though not always. Finally, Indian, both men and women, wear the sarees. For a more traditional wear a Lungi, this is a short length of fabric that is worn around the thighs like a sarong. Most of the clothing is made from silk, linen, or cotton, due to high temperatures in Penang.