W2 Lecture | Journals

This week, we learnt that journaling is a critical aspect of the creative process. It allows one to brainstorm about different problems or explore different areas of interest. It can also serve to document one's learning process and improvements over time.

One method of brainstorming that stood out to me is the use of word maps. By starting off with a main idea/concept, and slowly linking words that are related to each other, we may be able to create something that is entirely new.

Above is one example of the use of a word map to come up with a logo. 

During the lecture, Dr Flude mentioned that this process should not be edited at any stage to allow for the greatest number of possible connections to be made. I think that this is a very important thing to remember and one should try to be less critical of oneself during the beginning stages of design. 

This is linked to the idea of making mistakes, another subject Dr Flude touched on during the lecture. Before this lecture, I never knew the term 'mistake-ism' existed. 
'Mistake-ism' encapsulates the idea that mistakes and accidents should be applauded in the name of creative progress and process.
"Accidents are what make us human. Without them, we would lose our sense of freedom." 
- Odo Marquard

As someone who tends to be extremely critical of myself, I was interested in Tomoko Takahashi's work. 
"A mistake in your journal today, might be the answer to a solution tomorrow,"
- Tomoko Takahashi


Admittedly, I was quite taken aback when I saw her art installation, and was even more shocked to find out that she had won first prize in the annual EAST International show, clinching a total of 5000 pounds. This was, not surprisingly, met with outrage from the British press. 

Evidently, the British press and I could not see what the judges saw in Takahashi's artwork. Upon further scrutiny, I realised her selection and arrangement of "trash" were very deliberate. They all follow a theme, such as toys, and are meticulously orchestrated to depict a specific theme.

This shows that what people perceive as rubbish, may be given a whole new lease of life in another's eyes. What is seen as waste, can be turned into art; what we may see as useless or insignificant when brainstorming may serve to be very useful in the future. Hence, the notion of embracing accidents and mistakes. 

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