Grace in Dundee

Nothing could be took away, only the memory. Eight months has past, so fast! What I have obtained in such a short time? Knowledge? Friendship? Love? Simple life? Peace of mind? Fun? Independent? Life Experience... Suddenly, I am stuck in the beginning.
Review these months, I know I got courage and confidence and I am sure this year has become my turning point.
I used to arrange everything before when I was in China. I should do something tomorrow and had to finish other things next week. I made effort to get lots certificates in order to get more opportunities. Life was full of busyness but I still felt vacuous. Although everything seemed to be organized change always followed. Lacking sense of safety pushed me to work more and should be better than others. However, where would be the end? What's the purpose?
When I came here. I found I changed lot and become positive. I still remember last September when I arrived here. Almost 40 hours on the road made me feel exhaust and everything was so unacquainted. I tried to communicate with people around but hard to express accurately. I expected for my new life but shocked by the uncertain circumstance. When I involved in class it seemed to be in a dream. I was mixed-up and under pressure absolutely. Life seemed to be out of control. But with the warm help from teachers and friends, I find I can solve problems calmly. The best thing is I made fantastic friends here.
As to the courses, they all methodical and systematic. I have learnt research methodology and design methods. Moreover, I learnt how to solve complicate problems. The way of thinking is significant. I should say courses are excellent. In shot, I love this year deeply. Only four months left, I will cherish the final time we get along with together.

Today, we completed DIR Group presentation of the Designing Innovative Research Module. It was successful and I had learnt lots from the whole process. It was also an excellent experience of cooperating with Ethnography students. I still remembered Tom's final comments:' Could you people please turn back to last September and remember the question I asked that time? What was the difference between design and design Ethnography? Now, do you get the answer?'
I could say, among us the answers varied but the point we obtained was the same. We now know how to make use of design methods and research methodology to achieve the purpose. How to prepare for commercial pitch with professional way of thinking? How to focus on the goals and further the process punctually? How to play an adaptable role when in a group work? In addition, we have learnt important skills of doing a leisure presentation. Confidence is crucial.
I still remembered last group work 'Bee boy'. The result was not satisfying. But compared 'Bee-boy' group work last time, I could convince we had a big improvement. Last time, we ignored some details and pointed research of project. Simply said, it was a little bit skin-deep.
Finally, I think positive way of working is important. Do not critical always, and the mean time, try to add some new ideas instead of obeying the rules simply.

This Tuesday I had a meeting with Annabella in DCA about our group working. We had an enjoyable talk and got lots improvements. Because of the requirement of out research, we gathered lots information about community connections.
One case named Superlambanas “Go Superlambananas is a culmination on the many productive and creative relationships between a lot of different people and organisations.”(Liverpool 360,2009)


Turn back to my own project- create a beautiful and functional therapeutic personal object with the usage of contemporary jewellery design. Although it is about creating object and begin with some small little piece of jewellery. I still would like to explore people’s relationship with the society even the whole world. Basically, healthy problems are personal cases. But, I think it is not simply private issue could be treated with the medicines. When people surfer physical problems their mood will be changed. Their bad mood such as impatience and depression influence other people around. It will change people’s relationship as well. From individual to family and like snow ball it would be a holistic social problem finally. What can I do as a jeweler with the usage of positive method to improve people’s relationship? Is that possible to change people’s attitude to disease? That may be interesting points for digging deeper.
In addition, a lush color maybe useful for stimulating viewer’s sense and influence their emotion. What about making some multicolored pieces?

I was excited with the project made by artist Jacqui Chan. The artist is adept at using Chinese elements in her work. Her work aroused my memory and I am quite like the form and color, adept to Chinese culture closely.
Moreover, I can’t stop loving the stories behind the work. Like she mentioned, ‘My interest in non-traditional materials and objects is for their layers of stories and associations. People are naturally drawn to things that relate to themselves in various ways.’ As mainstream attitude, free and open are chased by modern people. But, at the mean time, they still hope to keep traditions in a creative way.
His work gave me a good example for combining with contemporary and traditional together to make new object.

Link: http://www.fingers.co.nz/exhibitors/chan_ex09.htm

Have you heard performance craft?
This morning, an interesting journal caught my eye. The latest offering from Belgium’s Needcompany started life as an artwork by choreographer, Grace Ellen Barkey and artist, Lot Lemm. ' It's not often that the worlds of dance and craft collide. But this month the Barbican plays host to an extraordinary performance piece that puts pottery centre stage. ' (Craft, 2008) The forge of two opposite art forms could be treated as an innovation in porcelain area.
'My work is about the failure of love and loving,’ she says. ‘And the absurdness of longing for something perfect, when you know that you always fail. When you have a perfect moment, it will always collapse and be destroyed by another thought or event. That’s something I think can be very comical in humanity and it’s underlying in all my work.’ explains Barkey.
'Perfect moment' is an intriguing concept. Her critical work seemed to provoke people to explore the deep meaning behind surface. How to determine the perfect moment? How to cherish the moment?

I like her work which could bring me deep thought. What is the potential of craft? People always draw attention to the result(products). What about the production process? Which one would be more important? Process or Result?
In addition, performance crafts displayed another kind of beauty to me. It was not traditional exhibition in gallery or museum. It brought new forms and visual angle. It also let me remember some words I like so much:
"People often say that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder,' and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder. this empowers us to find beauty in places where others have not dared to look, including inside ourselves." (Salma Hayek)