Something OLD

Behind dusts and all other things in the house, I found a bit of splash of color. This is the old work of mine. Might have aged for more than 10 years now. I really think that I should start to paint again and find my signature. --- hopefully this splash won't be just a cocacola reaction for me---

Little Mischief's and Friends

Little Mischief feels like going to the woodland and playing with some autumn leaves. I remember my first autumn experience was really fun. I buried my self in the mount of dried leaves. I like maple tree the most. Maple has distinctive leave shape and color. It can go from yellow to bright red.

Little Mischief doesn't know how to swim. Nevertheless, she loves swimming with the fish, especially to meet her friend, mr. whale shark in the Philippines. 
Where as the elephant loves to do sun tanning. The elephant can lie down on top the mr. whale shark's body for the whole noon.

Street Art in Berlin

Does street art consider as a vandalism act? Or does it actually help to voice people's mind and beautify the city? Whatever it is, Berlin is Berlin because of these street arts. Once you are there, you will feel the hipness, the energy, and the fun of Berlin life. 

I can say almost everything in Berlin is very relaxing and casual. People bike everywhere (including me.. yes me), well .. not as much as in The Netherlands.. but it's equally good. The casual life in Berlin is shown through the hot spot for the youngsters. My friends and I visited this bar that looks like the ruin of post WWII. You can probably see holes from the bullet shot. The other thing that amazed me was the bars hopping activity. People just carry their drinks and start walking from one bar to another. 

Little Mischief Strikes.. again...

This time little mischief spends more time with her friends. A quality time in cooking, bathing (the thing that she hates), picnicking... And she also acknowledge that the elephant is her friend, not just a chubby accessory.

Little Miss Mischief

It's all started with a friend's request for her birthday gift. She asked for an artwork (any artwork). To think of that, I haven't really do painting for a lonnnnggg time.. well except a few last year :) .. aniway.., here's the deal. I don't have the confidence to do it. But.. , since it's for a good friend.. and good friend always accept your artwork no matter how ugly it is, I ended up creating this little miss mischief character.

Kabuki

On the 10th of June, I was watching the Kabuki perfomances at Sadler's Wells. This is my first time watch the Japanese opera. It was played by all male artist. The Kabuki perfomance is very different with the western opera. In European opera, the artist tend to enhance the singing and the music. Whereas in Kabuki, they don't sing or talk much, sometimes they shouting, but mostly they enhance the koto (Japanese instrument) play and the dance.
And off course like any other cultural play, Kabuki shows Japanese way of living very clearly. For example, women are not really get respect in Japan. They use to walk behind the man, walk with the small step and dance softly.
This perfomance was divided into two plays. One is called 'Fuji Musume' and the other called 'Kasane'

'Fuji Musume'; Background:
In the early 19th century kabuki witnessed a boom in 'transformation' (hengemono) dance pieces. In these dances, a single performer would dance a number of contrastinng roles in rapid succession, using quick- change techniques to transform their clothing, hairstyle and make-up for each role.

'Kasane'; Background:
Kasane is a richly poetic dance- drama set into beautiful music that weaves together sensual erotism and chilling horror in a baroque blend typical early 19th century kabuki. The story is based upon a popular folk tale from the late 17th century about Yuten Shonin, a Buddhist priest who exorcise a vengeful female ghost called Kasane.

The exhibition

Besides all the concept, analysis, strategy, and the bluff, this final work means massive break to me. Hahaha.. finally there... finally finish... and i can say good bye to 'lovely' Hadlow.......

And I really hope that all of us will still keep in touch. Gonna miss you guys....

CHINA at the Royal Academy of Arts

Royal Academy of Arts has the exhibition of "CHINA- The Three Emperors". I went there couple of weeks ago. Basically the exhibition tells about the three emperors that are the most renowed rulers of China's last dynasty, the Qing (1644-1911). They are known by the titles of their reigns, Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong, and were descended from the Manchu rulers who invaded China and overthrew the Ming dynasty (1386-1644).
The exhibition exhibits all the art in that era, from the daily equipments, paintings, calligraphy, etc... Ou well... about the exhibition.. it was really good. To see all the Chinese cultures... Don't really like the Chinese robes though... Loves the calligraphy... even though I don't understand... not even a single characted.. Yeah I know.. what a shame for Chinese like me.
And the painting.. I think it has a very different techniques with the western painting... Chinese paintings looks more technical.. Almost all the landscape paintings I saw that day were in axonometry. And very detail aswell... until you kinda lost the focus...

Liberete Me!

I found the title 'Liberete Me' is realy difficult for me. I keep thinking how to liberete myself at first. Then liberete the space.. which is Courtyard 14 in Hadlow campus. My chosen word for this project is 'Magnetism'. I guess from this word I can think of the character of magnet, and think literally of magnestism. Literally, 'magnetism' means 'drive people attention into it'. not far from the literal definition, 'magnet' has a character of forcing magnetic object to come into it, 'line of force' would be the correct word to express it.

'Magnet' reaction happen because there are nucleus (consist of proton and neutron) and electron. When you rub the magnetic material, the electron movement become random and inconsistent. This is when the magnetism reaction being created.

To start designing the project, I choose Christo's work to be the precedent study and the inspiration. Christo wraps object to drive people attention to that object. The unattractive object can become attractive when you do something to it. The idea of using fabric and bright colour to cover seems very successful.


About the courtyard, the fact that there are 4 windows looking into the courtyard is suitable and beneficial the design concept 'magnestism'. To visualize the concept of 'magnetism', and to liberete the site, there will be series of ribbons hanging from the top of the building. Series of ribbon represents lines of force, whereas the colourful idea represents random movement of the electron. To represent the still condition of nucleus, there will be order of Betula pendula trees in the courtyard.
The slunting ground represents force and attraction of the lines aka ribbons. In the middle of the ground there will be a channel dividing the ground. the channel will use reflective material for its base. The use of mirror on its base will make the vertical element become blur and dissapear. By making this, it will create the idea of random situation.

The model that shows randomness of energy. Lines of force that keep the ribbons flow in the right direction. The next picture is the presentation board that presents the whole idea of 'magnetism'.

Duality 'bubbly space' sketch again...

Plan showing layers of boundary.
The centre of the space will left empty (contemplation purpose),
then the layer will start from the canal representative,
bubbly orange space, canal, vegetation, and housing.
The first drawing showing the scale of the space
compare to the human size. The 3 qualities
'indecisive', 'menacing', 'intriguing' are showed
from the drawing below it. On the bottom,
the drawing shows the aerial view of the duality space.
Feel the space. Get in touch with the space.
Play with the bubbly thing.
The second drawing shows the centre of the duality space.
From there we can see all the boundaries surrounding the space.

Some photos from 'duality' presentation

This is the 'too much of everything' presentation boart. Now you do understand why I said my work is too confusing earlier on.
Seduction? ..positive..
Unconsciously? ..positive..
Orange? ..positive..
But at least I derived some message here. I know... way too much, Christine!!!

The sequential sketches of the conceptual idea

'Melted cherry on the stick' ...hooray...

'Duality' Model Photograph

I have design crit with Jamie and Andrew today. It was a very long day. There are more than 30 works pinned on the wall. They were all very beautiful, stunning, and my confidence drown. It's the crit for sketch design 3. And as I have mention before, it is a conceptual development from the first model we made last week. And we have to choose our site, which in my case I have to choose the site from Royal Tunbridge Wells. From all the interesting site in T.Wells, I have to choose 'the Grove', because it has the closest character that I want to achieve with my design.

'The Grove' is located in the centre of the private housing area. It has the quality of an enclosed space. The trees in 'the Grove' are mostly matured, with the shrubs bedding all surronds the park. In the middle of the park, it has a playground space for kids. These will be suitable with my theme which is playful space.... Remember, one of the key qualities in my concept is 'menacing'. So.. yeah.. I want to create a playground, to play hide and seek. And yeah.. I have to go back to the 'duality' theme, so I was thinking to create an active (playground area) and passive (thinking, wondering, contemplation space) activity to 'the Grove'.

Finally I decided to create a spongy space (made by orange rubber... yeahh I love orange) as a playground space. You can seat on it, you can touch it, hug it, play with it, anything... The repetition of the spongy space will indicate the word 'indecisive', because you can go anywhere, there are no direction to enter the space. 'Intriguing'... the orange colour!!!! It gives the seduction for people to go near by and get in touch with it. Well, I read from somewhere that orange gives the longest wave the eye can catch. In the centre of 'the Grove' I left it empty with hilly pebbles base. So that people can stand (sit, lay, sleep, whatever..) there to think and wondering (contemplation purpose, right!?). Ouya.. this concept is also about enclosed space, intriguing moment, and boundaries. The private housing will be the first boundary, Existing trees come second, and the spongy space come last. Layers of boundary create curiousity... curiousity can be indicate as intriguing.

Okay, about the crit. I was really nervous as always (I'm not good with words and public speaking). Even though I always keep telling myself to be brave... never works. As I said earlier, there are so many good works. Very good improvement from everybody. And about my work, as usual, it is too much of everything. I just don't know how to limit myself. I guess I keep falling to the 'seduction' method unconsciously. Not that I have try... this time I tried to use just one colour, which is orange. But it still turns up too much (I really have to work harder on this). The crit turns up to be okay. Get few suggestions and comments, which are true.