Personal Tutorial 01
28 Oct 2016
with Paul Bailey
On 28 Oct, Paul and I had a first personal tutorial. Maybe not the first, but officially the first. Before start of the tutorial, I was bit scared. Because before the tutorial, I had a short conversation with Paul, and I think I wasn’t be ready to talk with him. So I feel like I am a dumb.
This time, I prepared for what I want to talk about. First I wanted to talk about research subject. Individual project wasn’t begin yet, but I was worried about how I can be more specific in selecting my research project, and also is my interest can be a possible research subject.
Overall, I talked about three things.
Does the subject has to be related to social, cultural, or political issues?
Can very visual ideas be my research project?
Is it possible for non-EU students to get a job here?
1. Does the subject has to be related to social, cultural, or political issues?
For the response of Paul about this question was quite interesting. All the actions we do are related socially or culturally or even politically. What you think and what you produce is made in social context. My subject might not has to be issues of politics, but it is very dangerous to say my work and interests are apart from social context. Even it could be related to politics.
When Paul told me this, it raised many thoughts. When I think about what did I do before, my work was even produced by the social context. It is hard to define right now how these are related. but every single thoughts that I make is came from social, and cultural context. Even the fact that I am not interested in politic problems can be related to social context. I may keep this idea for later and think more about this.
2. Can very visual ideas be my research project?
This question is what annoying me the most. Not just for the MA GMD research project, but for my personal goal. I am a person who is more interested in how the contents is visualizing, rather than making contents; story. I love Karel Martens, and Raw Color. It seems like they have their own interest in colors and materials, and present it visually.
What I find it difficult is the starting point and the rationale of doing that. How they get to start these kind of works? and why? Paul advised me that I can start from that point. Why I do this things? Why I like them? I feel like what I have to do is just “do it.” And maybe these questions can be my starting point. That is to say, I am curious about how they get to start the work, so I should look up for other designers, why they get to begin these works. And then next question, next question, and so on. Also he said this is the goal of this course; finding specific area, where you are interested in. Make you specialize in the very particular area.
Roma Publications, and Hella Jongerius were what he told me that I might find interesting. It was also very very helpful!!
3. Is it possible for non-EU students to get a job here?
This is also what I really want to achieve from here in London. I know that for non-EU students getting a job in London (by getting sponsor by a company) is so much difficult. Also this area was not he is engaged in. For the visa, I have to ask for international office, because every time the rule is changing. But what he suggested me was ArtsTemps. I can register from the website, and I can find temporary works. This was also very much helpful since I really want to do something practical and commercial works. So I should try for the breaks!
Also we talked about other things like Student Service, Academic Support, and blog. He suggested me to make a blog and record everything. Before the personal tutorial, he showed us Rebecca Worth's blog in the Design Discourse 01, and I realized that I already put her website in my bookmark! Also her blog was very impressive. How she record her insights was amazing. So I already made a blog and started to write. I am going to write everything there.
I found it very much helpful from the 20minutes personal tutorial. I get confident about research subject, also I get confidence about the course. What is important is the more I do, the more I get! Also I feel more comfortable to talk with course leader, Paul. Before it was quite scared about talking with him but now if I have any questions, I feel like I can talk with him more comfortably. Thank you!