Day 3:
Avalokitesvara figure from Korean Buddhism:
Korean Avalokitesvara figure is similar to Chinese; however, some of the figures are male with moustache, but the clothes are female’s. Also, Avalokitesvara’s appearance looks aristocratically. It mixed mythical elements with Buddhism. Below is the Three Goryeo paintings of Water-Moon Avalokiteśvara and a montage of Avalokitesvara’s figure I made.
Inclass note:
Topic: buddhism
Answers: Because the topic is too large, I want to scope it down. So far, I am thinking about a specific Buddhist figure, an ideology, a quote or a suggestion from buddhism. However, i feel the topic is too serious, so the form of guide might be boring and not attractive if i don’t use a proper one.
Monika: yes, you can narrow it down to one figure/narrative. Ask critical questions about why that figure? Why that story? Why that aesthetic? What demographic does it represent? Who does it now represent? Maybe look at comparisons cross-culture, through eras and ask more questions.
Progress:
Topic: buddhism, more specific, Avalokitesvara figure
System map: I will use concept map to organize the information of Avalokitesvara. I will research on its origin, history and the figures in different countries.
Stakeholders: Buddhist, Buddha related commodity, merchant.
Critical Analysis: I might consider the reason and the influence of Avalokitesvara’s localization.
Form/Affordances: The form might be a game, or it might be a map which show the path of Avalokitesvara figure’s spread.
Metaphor: I am still considering the metaphor, I might be use a map as the instruction to show Avalokitesvara’s localization.
Tone: Serious.
Intended experience/outcome: My intention probably is letting audience distinguish different form of Avalokitesvara and knowing the affect of its figure and even buddhism’s localization.
Day 2:
Avalokitesvara figure from Chinese Buddhism:
When the Buddhism was imported to Han Chinese culture, there are some changes for the figures of Avalokitesvara. We can see the figure’s transition from west to east across China. In the westernmost city of China, Dunhuang caves painting show the characteristics of Avalokitesvara as similar as Indian style. However, it already merged Han Chinese aesthetics. Foe example, the face and body changed to east Asian looking. Also, the gender of Avalokitesvara is always female in Han Chinese culture. When we look at the east part of China, the clothes, hair style and race all changed to Chinese. Besides, most of the Avalokitesvara’s figure in east side of China don’t have thousands of arm and eye. They looked more like regular people.
Explanation: For my daily practice, I will do some image research on one specific buddha figure which is Avalokitesvara. From wikipedia, Avalokitesvara is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He has 108 avatars. He is variably depicted, described and portrayed in various cultures as either male or female.
The reason I choose this buddha is in China, each year has an animal assigned to it. There are totally 12 animals(Chinese zodiac) and each year is in a repeating twelve-year cycle. Different Chinese zodiac also has one buddha assigned to it. The animal assigned to me is mouse, and the buddha associated with it is Avalokitesvara. Therefore, I want to do more research on this figure.
The origin of buddhism is from ancient India, but the religion was spread across all around the world. Different cultures borrow the ideology and art of buddhism and combine them with their own cultures. Therefore, the figure of buddha is various. For the daily practice, I will show some images of Avalokitesvara from different countries or regions.
Day 1:
Avalokitesvara figure from Tibet, China:
In Tibet, Avalokitesvara usually has for arms and the gender is male. He sits on a lotus. He represent the “大悲”(great sorrow) which means he has the heart of helping people leave suffering. Usually the painting art named “唐卡”(thangka) is drew on cotton and silk appliqué in Tibet.
Even though I have down a lot of research in my undergraduate school, the first guide project remind me how to do a critical research and how to effectively find the key information I need. Second, the interview I did was really helpful. I learned how to design the interview question in order to gain useful information for my guide. Third, I learned to draw a concept map while analyzing a topic. After making a concept map, I can be more clear about what system and stakeholders could be for my topic. Fourth, I have learned how to use a visual metaphor to demonstrate a thesis or concept.
I have receive a feedback from Monika. From the feedback, I noticed that my guide is missing some sort of text description. It may confused audience and hardly expressed my intention. Also, the visual transformation in female’s part is not obvious and clear. As a result, the distinguish between male and female’s condition is not highlighted. Audience may feel lost if I don’t claim my intention. I really agree with Monika’s statement; and during the process of creating the guide, I actually considered whether the form of gradually lighting female’s quilts was a good way to present female’s ability and aesthetics. If I use some shape changing and more colour transformation, my intention might be more distinct for presentation.
Just as I have said in last question, I will change the shape and hue of cloths and quilts. I used p5.js for the guide, however, I will use Unity which is more powerful.
For me, considering a meaningful metaphor is really inspiring to me. I am excited to think about creative form of guide. Words are too plain to express an idea, so if I use images to indirectly present a concept, I believe it will have a more impressive consequence. Considering the different possibilities of metaphor can make me think deeper about my topic.
I believe I have a very clear critical lens because my intention of the guide is to present gender inequality in Chinese handcraft field. I spent a lot of time to do the research about the social issue about my topic. Also, during the process of creation, I had consider the stakeholders who were also my target audience of my topic. I used a serious tone when I presented my guide. What my guide lacked was a clear intention as the visual transformation is ambiguous and indistinct.
For me, research and experimentation can not leave with each other. The foundation of experimentation is research. Also, the output of research is through experimentation. In my condition, experimentation is easier as I am a practical person. I was in computer science program, therefore, I have the practice of trying when I don’t know how a thing work. However, research is really necessary. It can give us a more comprehensive understanding of a topic. It allow us to think about the root and fundamental logic. Even though it is confused and aimless to read a bunch of texts and explore an unfamiliar area at the beginning, we will have great pleasure after knowing and understanding an unknown fields of knowledge.
Guide Link: https://editor.p5js.org/YunshanJiang/full/s5KWGZK0Rc
Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwDVVqSpDUg
Critical point: Women are treated unequally in some Chinese handcraft fields, but they have the same talent with male. For example, in in some places, master only taught young male the skill of making clothes. Female at home expresses their emotion by stitching leftover cloths(quilting).
My Intention: I tried to use the guide to express gender equality especially in Chinese handcraft fields. We have to pay more attention on women’s right of accepting knowledge in society.
System: The system is Chinese handcraft fields.
Stakeholders: The stakeholders are women, men, customer, craftsman, craftswoman.
Guide explanation:
I made a simple game as the guide by p5.js. The game has two parts. On the left is the field representing female. On the right is the field representing male. Players can see different fabrics around the border of each field. On the left part, the fabrics are old and dirty, which represents female has very limited resources for doing quilting. On the right part, the fabrics are colourful and high quality, which represents male has very rich resources. The mouse on the left part is a pink needle which represent female, and the mouse on the right part is a blue needle which represent male. The rule of the game is to drag the fabrics’ part to the centre in order to make a complete quilt. On the left part, the low-quality cloths make very dark and irregular quilts at the beginning, however, in the end, the consequence of women’s work is as beautiful as men’s work, which present women can also make a pretty quilt even if they are treated unequally.
Interview:
From my interview, I talked with an expert tailor who works in a custom suit shop. He told me that in his hometown, majority of people who made clothes were man. When I asked him about what women did and why he did not taught the skill to a young woman, he said most of women went to factory and it was not convenient to have a woman student. From my knowledge background, in China, many handcraft skills were only inherited by men. Therefore, I want to use the guide to make people get notice about the social phenomenon in China.
Research:
Based on my research, I found out that, quilting are an important duty for women especially in many countries’ poor families. Women don’t do farm work like men in outside; therefore, they do not have too many social activity. Quilting for these women is a good way to connect each family member, and it is a way to converse with other people. The pattern, design and aesthetics of quilting is the expression of sentiment for these women. It is a key method for transmitting information.
Reference:
Beeman, L. L. (2003). Connecting Centuries, Countries, and Cultures: Quilting and Patchwork in South Asia. Piecework, 11(6), 61–65.
Colleen R. Hall-Patton. (2008). Quilts and everyday life. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0163-2396(08)31008-4
Wilson, M. (2022). Who We Are: Patchwork Quilting in Southern Appalachia. Confluence: The Journal of Graduate Liberal Studies, 28(1), 55–72.
Jailer-Chamberlain, M. (2004). Man Made: Piecing out a New Tradition in Quilting. Antiques & Collecting Magazine, 109(8), 44–50.
Guide draft:
I planed to make a game that player controls a character who need to gather leftover cloths and stitch them together. It would be a 2d top down game. Along with player collects more materials, the game image’s filter will turn from dark to bright, which indicates a mindset’s transformation. Also, the game’s flow shows the process of a patchwork’s sewing.
Some game concepts image below:
1: at the beginning, there are not too many materials been collected
2: some materials have been collected
3: all materials are collected
Analysis of guide
I would use a computer game as my “quilting” guide.
Why this form? What are its features (stylistic, experiential)
First of all, I am adept at making computer game. It is a combination of multiple media which has audibility, visuality and interactivity. By playing a game, we can have a deeper immersive experience. I believe it is a good method to transmit different ideas and it also a good way to narrate stories.
How is this form typically used, and what do you plan to subvert/imitate/utilize?
Player are able to control a female character in this game. They need to collect leftover materials and quilt a pattern in the end. And the key theme I want to present in this game relates to the power of female and the courage of breaking gender discrimination in Chinese handcraft heritage’s convention.
What would change if you tried a different form? What critical lens does the form you’re applying emphasize?
If I tried a different form, people may have less immersive experience as in a game, people can dive into a world that they will address themselves to the protagonist position. This will be easier for people to generate sympathy. The critical lens that the form I am applying emphasize on the gender discrimination in the Chinese heritage of craftsmanship.
Is there a metaphor well-suited to your form (i.e. cooking with code)?Or, are there other metaphors you might employ?
Visual metaphor is well-suited to my form. For example, I can use black colours, a lock and prison to represent the restraint of tradition on women. Red, bright colours, key and sunshine can represent the freedom for women to learn traditional crafts.
I resonate with Lakoff & Johnson’s linguistic metaphorical systems. In Chinese background, we use metaphor everywhere and it is an important part in Chinese language. We have the same metaphor which is “唇枪舌战” about conversation as battle. To translate, “唇” is lip; “枪” is spear; “舌” is tongue and “战” is battle. It assimilates lip and tongue as weapons, which more vividly display an intense debate. Besides, orientational metaphors are also been used frequently in Chinese language. For example, the most common slogan in Chinese school, “好好学习天天向上”, means study hard and make progress every day. The words “向上” represents going up, which means positive is up, negative is down.
The metaphorical system I commonly use is the “copy” and “paste” operations on computer. For the logic behind this, the word copy means making a same object. On computer, I think the “copy” command’s function is pretty straight forward. It duplicates selected items. For the paste word, it means stick something to something. On computer, the function of “paste” operation is putting copied items on a selected area. We can easily understand the function of “copy” and “paste” by just looking at the two operation names. I intentionally use the two words in real life context when I see two people have similar appearance or action.
When discussing my “quilting” topic, I would say connection may be the metaphor. For my understanding, connection means the relationship and link between two objects, peoples, communities, etc. The joint between two objects moved from physical one to transparent one(the connection of tradition and modern, handicraft and mechanization，etc). For the other kinds of metaphors I would use bridge and gap as the metaphors which also demonstrate the connection and disconnection between different groups people, communities and social environment.
Interview flow:
For this interview, I found the tailor who made a suit for me in Shanghai. He is an old master who works in a suit custom shop. The reason that I found him is although making suit or clothes is different from quilting, the connection is still strong and tight. He gave me many clues about quilting or quilting related background majorly in Chinese family and society.
Before I started talking the interview’s question, I claimed the meeting last not longer than 30 minutes, then I introduced my background and what was the interview’s intention. it was a research trying to find the relationship and impact between quilting or quilting related skills with family, friend and community. Below is the summary of the Q&A from the old master.
Q:
A:
My sewing skill is inherited from my father. I have almost 47 years experience of sewing. I started to work for my father since I was 17 years old.
Q:
2. Why do you do this job? Is that you like?
A:
I do this job because of my father and the environment’s influence. I like this job, which is the reason that I can make clothes 47 years.
Q:
3. What is the impact of the skill to you? Does it help you have more solid connection between you and your surrounding relationship?
A:
I have learned to be patient, and it does change my characteristics. (Then I asked: did you help your neighbourhood making clothes? And did this help you have a good reputation in the community?) I did help my neighbourhood making clothes and they were thankful for what I did.
Q:
4. Was it poor in your community? If it was, did you or people you know do quilting or patchwork?
A:
Yes, my family and the village I lived was poor compared to surrounding cities. In my family, my father usually quilted for us. We collected leftover materials and my father patched them on our old clothes. My mother do farm work instead.
Q:
5. If your family do quilting, who always be the quilters? And is that role important and admired by others?
A:
My father, brother and I all do quilting and sewing. My father make the whole clothes especially Chinese tunic suit during that age.
Q:
6. Is that many male do the job related to sewing, quilting in your hometown? And why?
A:In the area I lived(Taixin, Jiangsu province), it is mainly male who did sewing. If a family member have the skills, he/she will bring other family member to do the job. A family could be a unit of small clothes factory. (Then I asked: how about female in a family? Don’t they do quilting or sewing?) Most female can do basic needle work but most of them would go to assembly line factory. For me, I don’t teach female the skill because of inconvenience.
At the same time, another young female tailor in the store answered: I graduated from a clothes college in Shanghai, most of my schoolmates are female.
Q:
7. Are there any differences between old time and nowadays’ sewing?
A:
Costumer’s standard is much more higher than before.
Q:
8. Will you wish to have more creative in the clothes? Or you still want more classical clothes?
A: It depends on the trend of market. We make costumer liked suit rather than what we liked suit. A good suit depends on its detail and fabric rather than its design.
Q:
9. How do you feel when finish a suit?
A: When i see my customer is satisfied I will be happy. I really enjoy making suit for people.
Q:
10. what you bring for others and other brings to you?
A: Of course, satisfaction and sense of achievement.
Personal summary:
After the interview, I gained a lot of information. I am shocked that in Taixin Jiangsu, China, it is mainly male do the quilting and sewing work, which breaks people’s steyerotype. I believed that in different areas of china, many traditional skills were inherited only by male due to the history reason. However, the answer from the young female tailor in the suit custom shop gave me a hint that the tradition and old social practice is almost gone nowadays in China. Many young women engaged into clothing industry.
Note: The shop is named Wbespoke in Huangpu district, Shanghai, China.
Interview video Link(Chinese Language): https://youtu.be/AkkNZwjc8tM