Common Module - AY24.25 CTS B

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Week 12 - Design in connection with your own aspirations and themes of CTS B

As outlined in Week 10 of CTS B, my artistic vision for the next five years is to create a business or movement based on the original character(s) that I will design. Specifically, I aim to develop (a) character(s) that encourage Singapore to become a more empathetic society, in hopes to address the increasing lack of empathy that have observed among Singaporeans. Hence, one work that connects with this vision and resonates with me is the mascot of the Singapore Kindness Movement - Singa the Kindness Lion.

The Singapore Kindness Movement was officially launched in 1997 as a non-government, non-profit organization. It is both a registered charity and an institute of public character, dedicated to public programs that encourage kindness and graciousness within Singaporean society. Singa the Kindness Lion was created as a national symbol of kindness, with the primary goal of promoting positive values and fostering a more caring society. Given Singapore’s being a multicultural society, Singa’s role in promoting harmony is especially important, encouraging people to come together across cultural differences.

Singa’s role as the mascot of the Singapore Kindness Movement connects directly to the third topic we discussed in CTS B - socially engaged art or practice. Socially engaged art is using art as a medium to address important societal topics. Singa is a prime example of this practice by representing and promoting kindness, making it accessible and relatable to people of all ages, especially the young.

In addition, Singa has been widely used in schools and public campaigns as an educational tool to teach values in a fun and engaging way. Through activities, storytelling, and media appearances, Singa helps young audiences realise the importance of kindness in a way that feels personal and relevant to their lives, encouraging positive behaviour from an early age.

Singa’s role as an educational tool reminds me of the importance of the first topic we explored in CTS B, where I wrote a story related to mental health. I chose storytelling over a traditional article format because I believe a narrative approach is more emotionally engaging, making complex information more accessible and relatable. This method of storytelling fosters a deeper connection with the audience, inviting them to reflect on mental health issues in a personal and impactful way.

Singa the Kindness Lion, with its blend of social engagement and educational impact, exemplifies how a character can go beyond entertainment to become a symbol of positive change. This example inspires me to create characters that embody empathy and kindness, serving as stepping stones for a more understanding and connected society.

(428 words)

References:

Singapore Kindness Movement - Be Greater. (n.d.). https://www.kindness.sg/get-educated

Kindsville by Singapore Kindness Movement. (2024, October 25). Programmes: Singapore Kindness Movement. Kindsville. https://kindsville.kindness.sg/programmes/

Wikipedia contributors. (2024, August 14). Singapore Kindness Movement. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Kindness_Movement#:~:text=The%20Singapore%20Kindness%20Movement%20is,was%20officially%20launched%20in%201997.

LLMs

In my submission, I acknowledge the use of

ChatGPT https://chatgpt.com

To refine my sentences 

“Hence, Singa the Kindness Lion was created as a national symbol of kindness and graciousness, with the primary goal of promoting positive values and encouraging a much more caring society - especially since Singapore is a multicultural country, it is important to promote harmony.”

Singa the Kindness Lion was created to serve as a national symbol of kindness, with the primary goal of promoting positive values and fostering a more caring society. Given Singapore’s multicultural landscape, Singa’s role in promoting harmony is especially important, encouraging people to come together across cultural differences

“Singa being the mascot of Singapore Kindness Movement, reminds me of the third topic in CTS B where I discuss about socially engaged art or practice - which means an art form that focuses on meaningful social issues and social discourses as its main medium.”

Singa’s role as the mascot of the Singapore Kindness Movement connects directly to the third topic we discussed in CTS B - socially engaged art or practice. Socially engaged art is using art as a medium to address important societal topics.

[sierrabaktiyar]

Week 11 - CTS B Manifesto

Our group manifesto is centred around the concept of a book. Though the idea may seem simple, we choose it with the intention of how significant the Bible is to Christians. Just as the Bible is essential for them, critical thinking is essential to us. Moreover, a book symbolises learning and similarly and critical thinking is something we must continuously develop as we are ever-evolving.

My contributions to the manifesto are “Stay engaged - with your community and yourself” and “Analyse, Absorb and Apply”. I believe that these pointers best represent what Critical Thinking Skills B (CTS B) is about. By staying engaged with a myriad of different communities and constantly self-reflecting, one can connect to various new ideas and perspectives that will foster personal growth. How it will play a part, brings us to the next point. This engagement involves analysing our and others' environment, behaviour, and challenges. By absorbing these insights, we gain a better understanding of ourselves and others which enables us to enhance our critical thinking skills and apply it effectively in various situations. 

If given the opportunity to personally alternate my group’s manifesto, I would want the manifesto to be based around the game Chess as I personally feel that Chess and critical thinking are closely related to one another. For example, in Chess, players must have strategic foresight. They must be able to plan long-term plans and also make quick decisions and tactics in order to have a successful game. Similarly, strategic foresight is a vital aspect of critical thinking as it encourages one to think ahead, set proper goals and create plans to take actions on. Other than that, in order to be successful in Chess, the player must have to be consistent in practice. Chess teaches one to analyse a situation by focusing on the vital factors and by eliminating distractions. From that, they would be able to create solutions and put a plan into action. Similarly, critical thinking skills help one to be better problem solvers in their everyday life. Therefore, Chess and critical thinking are closely related as Chess players are required to think strategically, anticipate outcomes and make decisions based on logical reasoning and analysis, which are all important elements of critical thinking. 

Chess, as a critical thinking manifesto, can be represented by each Chess piece symbolising an aspect of CTS B. Since each piece carries a vary amount of point values, the aspects of CTS B that are particularly significant to me will naturally be represented by the strong, high-valued pieces like the Queen or King. For example, as an aspiring designer, Creative Practice and Critical Thinking are significantly important to me as I believe that by mastering both, one can create solutions and narratives that are not only effective and logical but also imaginative - qualities I consider important in design.

(458 words)

References:

Putnam, K. (n.d.). 8 Critical thinking skills kids learn at chess camp. https://www.whitbyschool.org/passionforlearning/8-critical-thinking-skills-kids-learn-at-chess-camp#:~:text=Through%20chess%2C%20we%20learn%20how,put%20a%20plan%20into%20action.&text=Learning%20how%20to%20use%20creative,solvers%20in%20their%20everyday%20life.

6 Life Lessons from the Game of Chess. (n.d.). Chess Wizzards. https://chesswizards.com/buzz/6-life-lessons-from-the-game-of-chess/

Hughes, N. (2023, December 4). The Psychology of Chess: How the game enhances critical thinking. Medium. https://thenathanhughes.medium.com/the-psychology-of-chess-how-the-game-enhances-critical-thinking-15daf924f461#:~:text=The%20link%20between%20chess%20and,the%20consequences%20of%20each%20decision

[sierrabaktiyar]

Week 3 - This is how you connect practice with society

Can I be a social agent if I am a graphic designer? Before that, we need to grasp upon social agents and graphic designers. Social agents are people that amplify your message and content by collaborating and communicating with people. Similarly, graphic designers create visual concepts that communicate people’s information. Therefore, graphic designers are just as similar to social agents, where both need to communicate information and the needs of people. The only difference is in how they execute it- graphic designers express it through a creative touch whereas a social agent will express it through action. Hence, a graphic designer can be a social agent and vice versa. 

When one is a graphic designer with similar intentions as a social agent, they’re practising what they call “social-engaged practice”. Socially-engaged practice, sometimes referred to as social practice or socially engaged art, encompasses a wide range of artistic forms that involves people and communities in discussions, partnerships or social interactions. To put it short and simple, it is an art form that focuses on meaningful social issues and social discourses as its main medium. 

An example of this practice is Edi Whitehead’s work, titled “Rewriting the Dictionary: Portraits of an Essex Girl”, which showcases the stories of women and non-binary people from Essex. Her project is based on her negative experience growing up in Essex. Back in Essex, she felt that she could not confidently be a feminine queer due to the strong stereotype of women that people uphold. Hence, she did this project as a voice, telling the women and non-binary people in Essex that their feelings are valid and stay grounded to those that belittle them.

(278 words)

References:

What is Socially Engaged Practice? | A guide to art terminology. (n.d.). https://avantarte.com/glossary/socially-engaged-practice

Converse Digital. (2023, November 14). What is a social agent? Converse Digital | Business Development Coaching & Training Agency. https://conversedigital.com/what-is-a-social-agent

BrainStation. (2023, December 22). What does a graphic designer do? BrainStation®. https://brainstation.io/career-guides/what-does-a-graphic-designer-do

London, B. (2021, March 26). Interview: Edi Whitehead on “Portraits of an Essex Girl.” BDA London. https://www.bdalondon.com/post/interview-edi-whitehead-on-portraits-of-an-essex-girl

[sierrabaktiyar]

Week 2 - This is how you connect theory with practice

In an individual there are two types of identities - social identity and personal identity. A person’s social identity is based on characteristics of what society regards them. These characteristics serve as indicators of what that person is based on in society. Hence this means that these social characteristics will put that person in the same group of people with similar attributes, such as religion,ethnicity, socioeconomic status and many more. 

Whereas, a person’s personal identity is based on characteristics of what makes them individually unique, such as being charming, materialistic or into underground music, fashion. Hence, this means that a person’s personal characteristics are what set us apart as distinct individuals. Therefore, in a nutshell, social identity is the narrative of what society says about you whereas personal identity is the narrative of what you say about yourself.

In fact a person’s personal identity plays a big influence on their artistic identity. David Carson is an exemplary example. He is one of the most recognisable figures in contemporary graphic design due to him often approaching design with the intention of breaking traditional design rules. His work is characterised by its grunge aesthetics which is based on his philosophy of “never mistake legibility for communication,” prioritising the emotional and visual impact of design over conventional readability. From this example, it suggests that Carson’s personal identity of believing “never mistake legibility for communication,” influences his artistic identity which is his grunge aesthetic. 

Therefore, this brings us to one of this week's class activities which is sketching out a self-portrait depicting your identity as a designer. As a designer, I realise that my artistic identity revolves a lot around colours, maximalism and at times abstraction. Hence, in my self portrait, in order to depict it, I used a myriad of unusual colours in unexpected areas and accessories my hair with things that inspire or things that I like to collect. 

(317 words)

References:

Servants University. (2017, August 30). The difference between Social Identity and Self Identity | Servants University | Training Servants for Christ. Servants University | Training Servants for Christ |. https://www.servantsuniversity.com/the-difference-between-social-identity-and-self-identity/

Lesson 1: Social identity | UW-Madison Libraries. (n.d.). https://learn.library.wisc.edu/reflecting-on-social-justice-foundational-concepts/lesson-1/

In collaboration with – the Macallan – CNN. (n.d.). https://sponsorcontent.cnn.com/edition/2021/the-macallan/david-carson/#:~:text=Previous%20Next-,David%20Carson,it%20communicates%20the%20right%20thing

[sierrabaktiyar]

Week 1 - Creative practice and critical thinking

When it comes to creative practice and critical thinking, many would often say that they are very distinct. For instance, creative practice generates novel ideas and solutions based on imagination with subjective evaluation. Whereas, critical thinking generates logical ideas and solutions based on analysed information with objective evaluation. However, what many do not know is that they are also two sides of the same coin. With critical thinking, it helps to refine creative novel ideas by ensuring that it stays grounded and not impractical, through evaluating it rigorously. Therefore, they are a dynamic that helps one to be more robust in approaching problem-solving through exploration, evaluation and refinement.

For example, I decided to use creative writing to address social issues, particularly mental health. By choosing to tell a story instead of writing an article, I tapped into the power of creative practice to engage readers emotionally and make the information more accessible and relatable. At the same time, my critical thinking guided the story's content, ensuring that it conveyed meaningful insights and practical suggestions on improving one’s mental health. This approach not only makes the information more digestible but also helps to foster a deeper connection with the audience, encouraging them to reflect on the issues in a more personal and impactful way.

In essence, creative practice and critical thinking are not just complementary- they are essential partners in any process that seeks to innovate, inform, or inspire. By harnessing both, you can create solutions and narratives that are not only imaginative but also thoughtful, relevant, and effective. 

(257 words)

References:

Walls, A. (2024, July 23). Creative Thinking vs. Critical Thinking: Unleashing the Power of Both. James Taylor. https://www.jamestaylor.me/creative-thinking-vs-critical-thinking-unleashing-the-power-of-both/

Admin. (2021, December 18). Critical and Creative Thinking | Newsletter – October 2021 - Foundation for Excellence. Foundation For Excellence. https://ffe.org/critical-and-creative-thinking-newsletter-october-2021/#:~:text=Critical%20thinking%20is%20the%20ability,critical%20thinking%20and%20creative%20thinking.

Rao, S. (2023, December 15). Creative vs. Critical Thinking: The Importance Of Switching Between The Two. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/creative-vs-critical-thinking-importance-switching-between-rao-pkijf