On a Less Self Indulgent Note...

Wow... it's just like Rebecca Blood said about the whole communication between blogs thing and the power of the internet etc etc etc...

I'd elaborate but my head is enjoying the view from up here! haha :P

People Read This?!?!

Let me just begin by saying how flattered I am that people actually read my stuff!

Whether or not it is liked may be another thing coming, but all the same the idea that the my thoughts and writing might actually be seeping out of my head and into the minds of others is something which both excites me and makes me ever so nervous...

Could it be that my lonely little blog might be having an effect on other people?... Surely not!

And yet a comment from someone who can in someways be viewed as an online design celebrity tells me otherwise!

A review written on world renowned design blog Spectorbrain.com, in my last posting

Blog Reviews 2
SPECTORBRAIN.COM - Should food be in food advertising?

has been met with a positive response from the website's author! Needless to say I never expected nor intended to recieve any kind of response or contact from someone who's work obviously reflects a great deal of passion and expertise in the field of design.

(That is contact other than perhaps some kind of legal document informing me that I should take down this site before I'm arrested and sued...)

So thank you Jason Spector of Spectorbrain.com for your contribution to the design world and more specifically my own little (minute, micro, macro) portion of this... I must admit my head is currently somewhere up in the clouds with the knowledge the someone of your stature has taken notice of little insignificant me!

Your red faced blogger
Juzzo.

take a look at:
http://spectorbrain.com/2006/06/29/high-praises-for-spectorbrain/
(and the rest of his site if you haven't already!)

Blog Reviews 2

SPECTORBRAIN.COM - Should food be in food advertising?

Spectorbrain is yet another example of how a blog can effectively contribute to the world of design, through criticism. Set up and maintained by Jason Spector, the site uses a variety of techniques the least of which is not humour in its criticism of elements in the design world.

In Should food be in food advertising? Posted May 17th, 2006, Spector questions, advertisers’ and designers’ incorporation of food into food advertising. More specifically addressed, is the issue of food in food advertising on billboards and other forms of print media. In four short and succinct points, Spector is able to convince the reader that advertising food does not necessarily indicate that depictions of food need to be present. Not only this, he goes onto offer a possible solution for the dilemma he has highlighted.

Spector displays elements of King and Kitcheners Quasi Reflective stage in that he acknowledges that his point of view will have varying impacts on people depending on their context. Indeed he provides insurance for this in “Issue 1” by prefacing his comment with “Unless you know what you’re doing...”. This indicates that Spector acknowledges there are designers out there may have the expertise or skill to perform this task but as he continues to elaborate, it indicates that he believes there is still a vast number of designers who should should heed his advice.

One of, if not THE defining element of blogging is its ability to engage and encourage interaction. It breaks down barriers, be they geographic or demographic, even socio-political barriers such as racism and cultural divides are no match for the power of blogging and more specifically the power of the internet. One of the keys to this interaction is blogging’s allowance for public comments on posts. Through this medium, readers from all over the world can sing the praises of an article or themselves criticise the critic’s stand point. More exciting is the ability for users to suggest further reading or articles which the even critic themselves can use in future criticisms. Even if commenting is not enabled on a particular blogs, readers and fellow bloggers are able to comment and interact with the original blog via their own blogs. Indeed as Rebecca Blood says in her text Weblogs: a history and perspective, what she finds most intriguing about blogs is the way “Full-blown conversations were carried on between three or five blogs, each referencing the other in their agreement or rebuttal of the other's positions.”

Spector’s Should food be in food advertising? Made allowance for “comments” from the public and as a result clearly demonstrates how blogging can have a positive effect on design criticism. The post denotes that food should be omitted from food advertising as it offers far more detrimental effects than beneficial. After reading Spector’s posting phd posted the following comment:

“I tend to agree with you … but there’s just something about that McDonald’s Big Mac on a billboard that has always appealed to me!”

This comment stipulated that though Spector's post was correct, there are exceptions to his rule. Spector’s response was swift for roughly 90 minutes later the following comment was posted in reply.

“phd,

You make a great point. I think the one exception to my argument is the established brands. Regardless how the Big Mac looks in an ad, it brings back fond memories of gorging on a double-stacked burger and singing the old Big Mac theme song.

Thank you for the comment.”

This exchange between two people who seemingly bare no link other than Spectorbrain.com were able to interact in a manner which was able to alter Spector’s point of view. This demonstrates the amazing power of blogging in spreading influence and criticism to a seemingly endless audience.

The manner in which Spector writes, is highly personal and emotive especially in painting the background story of what influenced his tackling of this issue/s. The statement

“I discovered the true majesty of the American countryside, billboards.”

Depicts a grand scene before ending in a humorous link to the task at hand. This bides strongly with William Attoe’s opinion that “criticism is first and foremost about the critic, not about the object criticized”. The use of humour clearly suggests that Spector tries not to take himself or his criticisms too seriously. He sees value in entertaining the reader while at the same time conveying his position -a method which would impress Rick Poynor.

In his text The Time for Being Against, he attempts to present to the world the idea that design criticism needs to be nurtured as a viable and important form of criticism. To do so he suggests that design writing in general should not limit its audience but should try and be relevant to all. Incorporating a personal tone into his writing, allows Spector to communicate or converse with the reader on a more intimate level. This allows any reader regardless of their design background of lack thereof to relate or rebut what Spector is posing. As mentioned earlier, rebuttal is made possible and at times encouraged with the ability to comment on posts.

Not only does Spector’s article, Should food be in food advertising? pose a convincing argument in favour of the omission of food from advertising, but it also fulfils Poynor’s idea of effective design writing and provides an insight into who Spector is, as Attoe suggests criticism should do. Perhaps the Quasi Reflective nature of the text is a drawback when it comes to assessing the articles validity as a strong piece of criticism but I counter this ideal by asking whether the article achieved its point of convincing you to refrain from using food in advertising. If so, does this not constitute the article’s success? Regardless of your response to this, it is for these reasons that I found this blog post an enjoyable and thought provoking piece of design criticism.

Blog Reviews

Designboom - CUT 'N' PASTE




Designboom is an internationally recognized website that looks at exposing issues of design to both designers and the wider community. Though the site deals with all disciplines of design, it shows particular interest in the field of industrial design.

Equipped with anything and everything to do with designs, from interviews, histories of designs, pictures, instructions on methods of designing even its own gift shop. Seemingly with every base covered, Designboom.com also comes with its own blog or web-log.

This blog is upheld by a group of designers who are sanction by Designboom to post. Entitled: CUT ‘N’ PASTE the blog does exactly that, in that it is a collection of short blog posts which expose audiences to pieces of design from all over the world. These posts are means by which readers can be entertained and or informed at once with some blogs addressing important issues and others admittedly “throwaways.” According to to Amy Gahran, founder of http://www.contentious.com/, there are seven basic formats in which bloggers can blog. Cut ‘n’ Paste’s best falls under the brief remark category which stipulates short posts of “1-3 paragraphs long” about anything and everything. In this particular blog’s case, the remark is often referencing the picture/s it is coupled with.

Furthering the use of Gahran’s proposed formats as a means of analyzing Cut ‘n’ Paste, the posts on this particular website, while chronologically displayed are also sorted and able to be found under different “categories”. This puts Cut ‘n’ Paste in line with Gahran’s Series Posting style – a collection of blog postings that are linked together to “form a greater whole”.

With such short intermitted pieces of writing, it is hard for such a blog go beyond the early stages of King and Kitchener’s Reflective Judgment Model. At this stage, critics criticize without questioning the veracity of the sources or with a “level of assumed correctness.”
“Wheelchair Car” posted 27.06.2006 by andy b demonstrates this clearly by briefly explaining the operations of a newly design car for disabled drivers. From here the author jumps straight into the assumption that this is a “great advance for disable drivers” as it removes the need to hoist themselves into conventional cars. Without questioning the sources of his post, and establishing the perspective from which they are writing, andy b is limited in his ability to reach and go beyond the Quasi Reflective stage of Kitchener and King’s model.

While Cut ‘n’ Paste seems to fall short of being an effective piece of criticism by King and Kitchener’s standards, it fulfils William Attoe’s notion of “descriptive criticism” in that, “it aims not at judging nor at interpreting but at helping people to see what is there."

What is largely positive for Cut ‘n’ Paste is that it definitely fits the mould in Rick Poynor’s search for design writing and design criticism to be written not just for the academically elite but for anyone who cares to read it. As Poynor aptly puts, “critical journalism for a broad, smart, demanding readership that might include academics, but was open to anybody who shared the writers’ perspectives, passions and tastes.”

I would like to echo the thoughts of Attoe and Poynor in saying that design criticism should not be aimed and any group of elites or be for the purpose of insulting and intimidating for this will limit its effectiveness and popularity not only among designers but in the public arena. The way in which Cut ‘n’ Paste exposes the public to design and prompts personal judgment rather than providing it, not only avoids polarising the reader but also engages the reader, in the process of criticism regardless of who they are and whether they choose to publicise they’re judgments - A step which will ensure that criticism remains an important part of design in the years to come.

Design Review Reflection

What is the point of this part of the task? Are the tutors to lazy to mark so they thought it would be interesting to see how we marked ourselves? Perhaps Cameron is performing an experiment on us all.... I WILL NOT BE A LAB RAT! ..... right....

I will not lie for the sake of being modest in terms of what I have produced for Task 2. My two pieces of writing differ greatly in style and tone while still managing to engage the reader through a variety of methods.

The first of my reviews was what can be seen as the more formal of the two. This is a writing style that I have never been too comfortable with. It restricts my means of conveying my ideas and I feel lessens the effectiveness of my writing.
Having said this there may be some credence in acknowledging that a more formal tone may give a more authoritative feel to my perspective however I would refute this point by saying the reader may feel like they are being talked down upon and choose not to read it.

My theory to keep the responder's interest was to present opposing points of views without making too many judgments. I wanted the reader to be making their own judgments as they read, rather than be overpowered by my opinion which I reserved for the very end. I think this reflects William Attoe’s theory that criticism should do more to expose the reader to something new as opposed to doing “judging or interpreting” for them.

My second piece of writing is less formal and more playful though at the same time still conveying a similar message to my first. Even with this elimination of formality, I still feel like I challenged myself as the text required me to write creatively, in a way which I have not attempted since my days at High School.

I was thoroughly inspired by Simon Baker’s Flying, Stealing: Design’s Improper Criticism in writing this piece as it was somewhat of a call to arms for designers to really give “fictional” life to seemingly inanimate objects. With this in mind I think this text is far easier for the reader to become engrossed in and as such a more effective mode of criticism. Its more personal tone reflects what seems to be a deeper connection between me and the object and if I seem more interested in what I am writing, hopefully this will rub off on the responder. I think this would be a text that even as Poynor would put, “Designers who don’t read” would in someway or another enjoy and perhaps even relate to.

Both texts make use of what little information there is of Jakob Wagner and his designs and both involved me personally visiting a particular store on more than one occasion. Research into different ideas as to what constitutes good design are referenced and clearly used in both of my works.

I don’t feel it’s right of me to be reviewing myself let alone to give myself a grading, but based on the criteria provided, I would ask for a darn good explanation as to why I deserve a mark any lower than a D or dare I say higher than this.

REWRITTEN CRITICISM - refer to DESIGN CRITICISM for the original

The Adventures of Justin.

The Propeller Trivet

by Justin Lim

10182160

_______________________________

I stand outside the self proclaimed “best design store in Australia” not knowing exactly what to expect but not without expectation. Being located in one of North Sydney’s premiere suburbs does not leave much to the imagination in terms of who I may or may not meet there. A tall man in a suit brushes past me without so much as a glance and reaches into his pocket to alleviate it of his all-in-one MP3/PDA/Mobole phone.

I return my gaze to the store with undeterred conviction, ready to walk in but still nervous about whether my t-shirt and jeans combination will make me stand out among the tall and eloquent suits.

My first step in, and my eyes meet with an employee’s who strains a smile and somehow manages to ask me how I am without seeming to care at all.

I am comfortable now. This store is no more intimidating than the average retail store anywhere else. Sure they seem to stock what is the upper echelon of designed goods, the contemporary, the innovative, the unfamiliar. And sure many of their customers seem to have superiority complex as they browse, but when it comes down to it, Australia’s society seems to determine that if you own a store, your aim is to make money. I potentially hold money and this employee is going to suck-up to me in an effort to get it.

“Fine thanks” I reply and continue my journey down the path of design.

Strangely though it is not the store, nor the people who I find intimidating, but rather the goods the store sells, for I am a student of Industrial Design and seeing what the so called avant gard of the industry are producing is surely a task that any student would find both inspiring and intimidating. I can only describe the feeling as a general sense of awe that engulfs me as I touch and interact with the product lined shelves, inspired by what I could achieve, intimidated by what may be expected.

Upon my exit, head spinning with the likes of Newson, Allessi and Copenhagen, I come across something that I must confess to me seemed like a toy definitely not marketed toward children. Positioned liberally on what the retail-gurus would call the “impulse unit”, a long symmetrical object lies stationery. Could it be that the society has progressed to the point where shops can advertise and sell in plain sight, instruments of this phallic nature? Or is my mind as some would suggest, one-tracked and typical of the male species?

I stare a while longer, What are you? Are my initial assumptions correct? I reach down into the void and grasp the object tightly, pulling it closer for inspection. The surface is soft and rubbery like the soles of my shoe, textured differently though like goosebumps on a cold day. My relief is telling as my assumption is quashed, for an object of this texture would surely not be aimed at gratification of that sort.

So what are you, strange and peculiar object? What purpose do you serve? What can you do?
The object stares at me blankly, offering not response other than a thin groove which runs around its entire form. A metal pin positioned centrally along its body also returns my gaze. Could it be that these elements which constitute this object’s design are indicating that there are other forms that this product could take?

“Yes!” the metal pin continues its unwavering stare, “twist me!”

I hear the designer speaking with me through his design, the positioning of the pin, its deliberate exposure, the thin groove along the form, It is as if the instructions are embodied in the product!

I comply with the command and as I do so the object opens up and silently clicks into an “X” or cross formation. The object exhales and rests as it achieves the symmetry it craved once in motion.

But I am still puzzled. The mild satisfaction of realising how to operate the product is tainted by my inability to answer the question of its purpose. “What the hell are you?” I ask again frustrated as I begin to test the limits of the objects function. But alas no amount of rotation is satisfying my thirst for the designer’s knowledge. Surely after telling me to twist, the designer has left something else for me to realise this products intentions!

It sits there in the palms of my hands, silent as ever.

Perhaps it’s a weapon? A contemporary ninja star? A contemporary religious ornament? An anti-vampire device? A reusable marking for where the treasure may be buried?

Still nothing.

You disappoint me design. You held such promise. At least in you original state I had an idea of what you could have been!

My interest wains and as I go to replace the object to its rightful position my eyes are drawn to a card which I had previously not seen.

Propeller Trivet $29.95
Jakob Wagner
Menu

Ah… you’re are propeller trivet… WHAT THE HELL IS A PROPELLER TRIVET? My renewed interest quickly turns to rage as what I thought would hold the key, only raises more questions.

Ready to commit the criminal act of property destruction, my patience is up and this so called Propeller Trivet has seen the last of me! I firmly return the product to its place, ready to make good my afore mentioned intentions when my eyes are further led to a box of packaged “Propeller Trivets”. Atop which is a picture of the mystery object with a pot sitting atop the cross formation.

My eyes widen and the sweat I worked up dissipates as the cold truth of realisation raises my skin till it feels like the product which I had just enraged me.

Shame Mr Wagner! With all your knowledge, with all your expertise and professionalism could you not have spared a moment to think of poor me? And I mean literally poor me for there is no way that I would give my hard earned $29.95 for what serves the same function as my $2.95 set of three cork coasters at home!

And yet with this regained sense of composure I once again return attention to the Propeller Trivet. Perhaps it’s not your fault Mr Wagner. Perhaps it is the fault of incompetent staff at this store. They could have positioned the product closer to a picture of it in use! YES! You are forgiven Mr Wagner, but don’t you think you could have improved your product by speaking to me about the products purpose like you did about its operating procedure?

“Look around you Justin,” the Trivet speaks, “Am I the only thing in this store that you didn’t understand at first? Am I not the same as that god awful Juicy Salif? Or the Banana Peel Door stopper?”

Perhaps you’re right Trivet. Perhaps you are part of a wider genre, a genre that speaks a different language, a new language. One that products like you attempt to teach us however frustrated we get. Are you trying to tell me that you believe you could be the way of the future? We could do away with our cork and laminated foam coasters and all have Propeller Trivets?

“Perhaps not all…” it replies after a long silence, “look at my price Justin, do you think all people can afford me? Or for that matter deserve me? If you, a person with a design background took this long to interpret me, how can someone not used to my kind ever accept or be deserving of me in their household?”

I look at the product, now with a slight understanding of where it was coming from. Its price dictated who bought it. Its form did the same. This was reverse discrimination. There’s no restrictions placed on who can buy the Propeller Trivet other than if you can afford it. But if you buy it without understanding it what is the point?

The Propeller Trivet sits there in all its glory finally content that it has got through to me. But I am not yet appeased.

What do you offer me that my cork coaster at home does not already offer? Do you hold more? Do you protect more? Why am I paying so much more for your services other than to line the pockets of those who produced you?

My cork coaster at home comes from a long line of ancestors all derived from the loping of cork trees in exotic countries. Sure this is destructive to that particular ecosystem, and sure the people who harvest the cork may be undergoing harsh and deadly conditions for minimal pay but in today’s society it seems acceptable and justified by a lower cost of the end product. Perhaps you can better this Propeller Trivet and maybe that is why I may be willing to part with my money for you.

“As you hold me you can tell I am made from silicone. that means that my origins lie among the coastal regions of countries such as your own Australia. I am dredged and large amounts of sand are displaced to achieve my basic elements, so that ecosystem, much like your cork coaster’s ecosystem is adversely affected.
Where large numbers of your cork coasters are able to be punched out of sheets of cork, I am pressure moulded, as you can tell by the material I am made of, the conditions I must withstand and the form I have taken. I also have a pin sticking through the middle of me which some one had to put there in an assembly stage.
Why are you paying more for me? Because I am more expensive to make.
What are you getting from me in return? I will do the same job as you cork coaster, but I can withstand up to 500ºC and I am water and chemical proof so you can put me in you dishwasher. Therefore I will last longer than your el cheapo cork coaster at home!”

But the Propeller Trivet has more parts and the addition of moving parts. This means a greater chance of part failure and product failure in general!
Furthermore, its extra parts counter the theory of designing toward ideality! Where Genrich Altshuller, theoriser of TRIZ would have me design toward pure functionality, you suggest otherwise! TRIZ and Ideality in particular requires me to reduce parts, reduce weight, reduce labour! You do nothing but increase!

The Propeller Trivet sits silent in my hand.

No that is not enough Propeller Trivet you still have not offered me enough for my money. What else have you got? Do you store better than my easily stackable cork coasters?

“Ah hah! I can better that. My closed long slender form, which I saw you salivating over earlier, allows for a new style of storage. Remember that new language I speak? Well imagine me talking to you like your forks, knives and spoons talk to you. I can be stored along side these essential eating utensils and over time you will come to except ME as an essential eating utensil! You will grab your cutlery and I will be part of this elite group!”

I find this very interesting, and I begin to be further attracted to the intrigue of the Propeller Trivet.

This does not go unnoticed and it pipes up again, “Have you ever cooked on a fire? Or seen a movie where they’re cooking on a fire? Is this not what cooking and food is about? That after millennia of technological and human advancement you still cook in essentially the same way.
Now look at the picture on my display box of the pot sitting upon me. Does this stir you?
Mr Wagner has created me so that when you eat, you see a link between society today, and society in the past! Not just because Jan Michl has told you I am only a redesign of the existing coaster but because I reference your earliest ancestors. Because your kind has always needed to eat!”

I am taken aback. This product is talking to me from a very post modern frame of mind and it is beginning to change my point of view.

Meanwhile the store is beginning to clearout. I check my watch to find that closing time is upon us and my conversation with the Propeller Trivet will soon be at an end…

Unless I buy it.

The Propeller Trivet notices this as well and makes its closing statement. “Justin, we’ve been communicating all this time and I’ve shown you all my cards.
I’ve taught you a new language that you knew nothing of earlier. A language which only people like you can understand. A language that puts you in a small and unique group of people. This could have massive social implications for you!
You know what little I offer environmentally is rooted in my longevity. A fact that you have found fault in theorising my part numbers constitute increased risk of failure as well as pulling me further away from so called Ideality.
But you have also found out my core value lies in my aesthetics. I am far more attractive than your cork coaster could ever be and I go from being a tool you use to a symbol of your humanity. A symbol of the past in a form of the future.
Justin when it comes down to it, there is nothing more I can say or do than to ask you whether you like me?”

Indeed the Propeller Trivet provides a compelling argument tinged with faults but shining in many other aspects. As often is the case where one is faced with seemingly equal arguments from each side it may come down to an external influence.

“Not on my salary…” I say under my breath as I make my way out through the now half closed roller door.

______________________________________________

References

• Information on TRIZ and Ideality gained from 3rd Year Industrial Design Product Technology notes. Should you wish to explore first try: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRIZ
• MICHL, J. On Seeing Design as Redesign personal copy from first year design course reader. Should you wish to read try: http://www.designaddict.com/essais/michl.html
• Try http://www.oresund-design.org/ and http://jakobwagner.dk/ for information on Jakob Wagner
• Try http://www.menu.as/ for information on the Propeller Trivet and other products

Thanks to:

• Top3 Design for not kicking me out... straight away.

Raeda Saadeh - UNTITLED

Pics of the artwork... Thanks mariane...

Open door of wardrobe

Inside the wardrobe

Raeda Saadeh in Performance piece - Basket Head (2003)

NOW READ!

SYDNEY BIENNALE 2006

Time is geting away so I guess it be best if i start posting my stuff up... seeing as which I have joined the Aussie boycott of the World Cup.... kinda... well I don't watch as much.... which is something!

This first one is supposed to be evaluation-free so I've just tried to present the facts for you to make your own judgements!

PERCEPTION – JUDGEMENT-LESS
Untitled, a reflective installation work by Raeda Saadeh attempts to expose the responder to ideals of femininity as well as notions of cultural confusion and Diaspora.

Raeda Saadeh was born in Um El-Fahem (Palestine) in 1977 and works with a variety of mediums. According to
http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php URL_ID=26858&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html,
Saadeh deals with Muslim attitudes toward women as well as issues of religion and culture. Her work was recognised in 2000 as the winner of "The Young Artist of the Year Award," granted by the A.M. Qattan Foundation in Ramallah.

This particular work, Untitled (2006) makes use of a large space cordoned off by three walls essentially creating a room or world which detaches the responder from the surrounding environment. These walls are painted in a pale pink colour which immediately indicates a link to femininity regardless of the responder’s cultural origin. As the responder enters the room, they are greeted on the opposing wall by a row of white wardrobes. This curious sight beacons closer viewing and in satisfying curiosity it is further heightened by the emergence of muffled sound coming from behind the wardrobe doors. When close enough, the handles on the wardrobe doors urge for interaction and when opened the user is made privy to a darkened room with a shelf on the far wall. The shelf is lined with mirrors and blanketing this, an upside down video projection is looped. The sound is also made clearer with the opened doors and it becomes evident to the responder that both the video and sound are linked. The upturned looped video is of a market place, in particular an Arab market place, made clear by glimpses of people in traditional Arabic dress as well as muffled background conversations in Arabic. A combination of the room’s darkness as well as the mirrors and projection prompt further scrutiny and interaction but the responder is held back by the structure of the wardrobe.

The work can be seen to be symbolic of the artist’s persona with which responder is allowed to interact and explore but only to the extent that the artist allows.

The environment the wardrobe and pink walls create is seemingly representative of mainstream Western culture and can be seen to represent the artist’s exterior or superficial layers. As the responder is literally allowed within this exterior they are exposed to the artist’s depiction of Muslim culture. The darkened room suggests the artist is reserved in revealing herself while at the same time suggesting that she personally has not come to terms with this side of her identity. The upturned projection offers the notion of disorientation and confusion concerning the culture being viewed. Furthering this idea is the use of the wardrobe or closet. Phrases such as “skeletons I the closet” often refer to personal taboo subjects such as the artist’s cultural confusion.

Mirrors stacked on the opposing shelf symbolise self reflection, as the artist questions her cultural identity. The projection overlaying these mirrors imply that as the artist reflects, she sees the Muslim culture within but is also confronted with the pink and wardrobes of the Western world.

Hmmm so what do you think?... (that's if you haven't just skim read and skipped to the next bit of red writing!) Ok so this next review is supposed to be evaluative so I'm supposed to actually have an opinion of sorts!

yay...

EVALUATION – JUDGEMENT-AL
The Sydney Biennale is definitely not an art exhibition of a small scale. Nor is it an exhibition for those people who do not have an open mind to what constitutes art. Taking place at over 16 locations around Sydney, works are in mediums not often conventionally referred to as art. Performances, video, abstract photography, installations are just to name a few.
Artworks in the 2006 Sydney Biennale revolve strongly around culture, cultural perceptions and cultural exposure. This is largely due to the artistic director Charles Merewether’s thematic choice:

“Zones of Contact”

According to an article by Michael Fitzgerald in Time Magazine, this theme,

“seeks to introduce audiences to world cultures not often presented in a contemporary-art context.”

For me, one of the works which better represents “Zones of Contact” is currently exhibited at Pier 2/3, Walsh Bay. Untitled by Raeda Saadeh makes strong references to gender, cultural identity, cultural confusion and cultural detachment or Diaspora. What little information available on Raeda Saadeh and her works reference mostly her performance art which suggests that this is the medium she utilises the most.

Http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php URL_ID=26858&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html,

gives a brief history of Saadeh’s life and artistic career. Saadeh was born in Palestine 1977. She uses performance, installation, video and sound art to reflect issues of displacement, identity and gender. Her art seems to be a mode through which she can personally come to terms with her femininity and the seemingly unfriendly combination of this and the Muslim culture. She was awarded the “Young Artist of the Year” award in 2000 by the Oattan Foundation and since has continued to work in the field of contemporary art.

Strolling through the aged, rustic, dark, wooden exhibition hall, I was taken aback by what I initially thought was a pink monstrosity rising from the ground. Not to say that it was an unattractive piece but that it in no way fit in with the rest of the works displayed at this location. Where other works in the exhibition had some kind of aesthetic link to the environment, such as the aged feel of Tom Nicholson’s photography, or even the brown of the cardboard used in the construction of the Osram dwelling, Saadeh’s Untitled made no attempt to blend in and as such immediately detached itself from the environment. The art work comprised three pink walls in a “U” shape which effectively created a pink room which beacons potential viewers to enter. What must be noted is this notion of detachment is furthered from a means of separating the work from the environment to the detachment of the audience from Pier 2/3.

The use of pink on the walls immediately references ideals of femininity and as I entered the world of Saadeh this ideal was further emphasised by the wardrobe which greeted me on the opposing wall. Though I do not share the opinion, wardrobes are often seen as the domain of the female sex due to their supposed increased interest in fashion and vanity.

As I walked toward the wardrobes, muffled sounds became evident from behind the doors and my curiosity intensified. It is here where I encountered a slight dilemma in that at the majority of artworks and exhibitions, touching works is strictly forbidden. Here however, a combination of the muffled sounds from within and the handles on the wardrobe doors were semantically urging me to pull which i refrained from doing in fear of being reprimanded! I did however get as close as possible and between the cracks in the doors managed to glimpse what was happening in side. The wardrobes, hid more than the usual winter coats and shoes, but rather seemed to lead into a room of equal size to the pink one I was standing in. On the farthest wall a shelf was adorned with a number of hand sized mirrors over which a projection was being played but from this point of view it was impossible to make out of what.

“You can open them you know” one of the curators advised.

“Oh...” I said, slightly embarrassed.

At last, my urges were satisfied as I grasped the handle I began to anticipate what kind of skeletons Saadeh had hidden in her closet. Inside was the shelved mirrors and projection that I had seen through the cracks but with the full picture now revealed I realised all was not what it seemed. The fore of the wardrobe was as expected, shelves on which your linens would usually be stacked however the wall which usually lines the back of a shelved wardrobe was missing and in its place a room stood. Darkened with little natural or ambient light getting through, the room’s most prominent source of light was the video projection which overlayed the far shelf of mirrors. What had earlier seemed like a jumble of incoherent images began to take shape as a handy cam video which was being projected upside down. Once my mind came to grips with this the scene began to take shape as a marketplace and the sounds which were obviously coupled to the projection were now identifiable as background conversations in a foreign language – Arabic. The deliberate method of projecting upside down initially confused and disorientated me, which reflects the artist’s personal confusion about her indigenous culture.

The shelved mirrors over which the video was being projected clearly symbolised “self-reflection” through a visual pun or metaphor. It was here that I began to get the feeling that the pink room I was standing in was not just Saadeh’s artwork but a representation of Saadeh herself. By opening the cupboard doors, Saadeh was allowing me to an extent to see inside of her and grasp the confusion she felt about her Muslim heritage. The darkened, mostly empty room symbolised large unexplained void or voids within the artist which she is personally unsure about. Overall this interior was initially very abstract and hard to interprete but as one element became clearer a chain effect was set in motion which eventually led to a clearer understanding of the interior as a whole.

Closing the wardrobe doors and taking a step back, brought me back into the realm of the pink room and it was only here that I realised the Western connotations of the room. With the clean, white, simple design of the wardrobe adorning the pink wall, the work has clear links to contemporary Western furniture and interior design. (Not to mention the cardinal sin of anti-globalisationists and anti-mass-copied-furniture-productionalists in using IKEA wardrobes!!!)This reflects Saadeh’s Exposure to Western culture however at this point I was unsure as to whether this was merely through media saturation or whether she had immigrated to a Western culture.

In further researching her work I turned to her citation in the 2006 Biennale of Sydney Free Handbook which indicated that she now resides and works from Jerusalem. This to some extent brought more focus to her work as the tension and conflict between her country of birth and her country of residency is globally known.

She is torn apart over:

· Western influences of Jerusalem – Exterior Stimuli
· Muslim culture of her heritage and birth place – Within/Interior Stimuli

I found this art work thoroughly enjoyable and engaging in many ways. The first of which is the obvious interaction the artwork encourages. Though I do believe the work could have in some way more clearly indicated that touching was permitted (to save my embarrassment) I have always enjoyed artworks which involve me in some way other than staring from behind a glass cage or roped off area.

The second means through which it engaged me was on a deeper level for I found it easy to relate to the issues of cultural detachment, though probably not to the extent or intensity of the detachment felt by a Palestinian living in Jerusalem. Coming from a Chinese Singaporean background, I make no effort to hide the fact that I am an Australian and proud of it, as I have been brought up here the majority of my life. Nor am I able to or want to hide my Asian Heirtage. However resultant of my family’s Diaspora, within myself there are always intermitted battles between who I am culturally; whether I am an Australian Chinese or a Chinese Australian? Whether I’m Australian first or Asian first? My personal issues of cultural identity for me seem to parallel those of Saadeh’s personal convoluted culture of Western Influenced Muslim Heritage and as such I thoroughly enjoyed her contemporary representation of it.

Thats was soooo worth reading wasn't it?! (yeah thats right you red-writing-reading, black-writing-skipping lowlifes.... READ IT!)

Comments on Design Criticism.

After recieving and reviewing the comments from Mad and Janina I was quite happy and ready to continue with the next part of the task.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, the first writing was definitely not comfortable for me. I've never enjoyed having to abide by conventions of any form let alone in my writing and when I tried to force myself to be formal, I think it came out a bit convoluted and messed up! Mad pointed out that she missed the the less formal me and I would have to agree that I miss that person as well!

In trying to be formal I think I stumbled onto some land mines such as Janina's listing of some of my shortcomings. I tried to be less wishy washy and more direct in terms of making claims and statements and this may have backfired with what might be percieved to be poor evidence and warrants.

Having said this, feedback was constructive and over all positive so thanks!!!

I'll get onto writing the rewriting now. I have a feeling this one will be a bit more creative and personal...

Thanks again guys!

Today Again

Man can we declare war on every ref that Australia has had in the World Cup?!

I'm so pissed off I don't know if i can do any work haha!

I tried to keep the criticism from yesterday as formal as possible and reserve judging and being overly personal... we were told to write different to how we would normally write so and for me this means not being as pig headed and stubbourn! I also tried to keep it rather structured because as you can tell from my previous posts I generally write in large pools of verbal diahorea!
Not that i think anyone but those that have to are going to read my criticism...

please?

btw I'm serious... we'll be meeting at the airport tomorrow... bring cash for weapons in Germany... we an talk about strategy there!

till then its Biennale and Blog time.. woo hoo :

DESIGN CRITICISM

From Familiar to Unfamiliar – The Propeller Trivet

To make the familiar unfamiliar is a peculiar phrase to say aloud as it seemingly emits a paradoxical tone due to its repetitious nature. Yet when examined closely, making the familiar unfamiliar and vice versa, holds amazing resonance with the field of design.
As students of design, we are taught very early of Jan Michl’s theory of “redesign” or the clichéd expression, “reinventing of the wheel”. This theory stems from the idea that much of what we need has already been invented and as a result, design survives not by inventing but rather reinventing existing ideas. Ideally, “improvement” should result of this redesign and can come in any number of ways – reduction of manual labour, stronger aesthetics, ergonomically designed etc. However whether the design constitutes successful improvement is a subjective matter.
Jakob Wagner’s Propeller Trivet is an example of transforming the conventional into the contemporary or making the unfamiliar familiar via the principle of redesign. The product takes the commonly known placemat or coaster and alters its familiar flat form as well as its ritual of use. As mentioned earlier, whether this product can be seen as an improvement is entirely dependent on the responder’s tastes and principles.
When asked of his design philosophy on http://www.oresund-design.org/, Wagner is quoted as saying,

“Balance is the key word when I think in terms of design. By creating close balances between opposing values, our senses are challenged – creating a play that turns into a game.”

This is clearly reflected by his Trivet design in that it promotes increased interactivity or “play” between the user and product. The physical form of the product invites the user’s exploration via the visual cue of the central pivot and textured surfaces that encourage tactile interaction. The “Balance” Wagner seeks can be seen in the product’s functional aspects. While encouraging the curiosity and interaction of the user, the product also has sound credentials as a stationery ornament when in use. Its contemporary form is balanced by an aesthetic with visual links back to cooking on primitive wood fuelled fire. Furthermore the Trivet is somewhat multifunctional in that its folded state allows storage much like traditional pieces of cutlery. Once again, this references the transition between the familiar and the unfamiliar as the Propeller Trivet is integrated with the cutlery as opposed to being a supplementary product.

Ironically the “balance” Wagner speaks of seems to permeate into the realm of analysing the positives and negatives of the Propeller Trivet. What seems evident is that with many of the product’s positive aspects one of a contrasting nature can identified. According to the theory of Teoriya Resheniya Izobretatelskikh Zadatch (TRIZ), that is the Theory of solving inventive problems, this is known as an Inherent Contradiction. Developed by Genrich Altshuller in 1946, TRIZ is a methodology through which many designers generate innovative solutions to problems. The methodology centres around a framework of 40 principles which Altshuller researched. Designers who encounter problems with inherent contradictions can turn to this framework or matrix for answers. Essentially, TRIZ looks at designing toward “Ideality” or functionality - that the design should act on pure function. Thus designs should embody the following characteristics among others:

· occupy no space
· have no weight
· require no labour
· have no material
· require no maintenance
· incur no cost
· deliver benefit without harm

Though fundamentally impossible, this according to Altshuller should be the goal of all designers. As such the solution the designer achieves is “as close as possible” to Ideality and is known as the Ideal Final Result (IFR).

There are many Inherent Contradictions in present in Wagner’s Propeller Trivet. For example the vagueness in form is positive as it instils curiosity in the user and resultantly encourages exploration of function. This however is negated by the possible discounting of the product by a potential user in that it does not communicate clearly what it is.
The first point argues the digital form (need to solve the form) the product has taken, sparks interest with a potential user via curiosity. This curiosity can then be satisfied once the user has interacted with the design or solved the mystery as to how it works.
The second point poses the idea that a user will be deterred from the product because of an inability to solve what it is without taking time out to explore. This stipulates that a design which linearly indicates the product’s function via familiar sensory cues or an analogue approach would have achieved a far more successful design.

If Wagner designs with Ideality in mind, it is clearly not evident in the design of the Propeller Trivet. The commonly used coaster is usually a flat cork or laminated foam structure. This provides both ease of storage, in that it stacks well atop one another and can easily be slotted into a drawer. It also fulfils its purpose of protecting the table from the often hard and hot exterior of a pot or pan. Cork in particular has good properties for the task at hand as it absorbs moisture to a degree which also protects the surface it sits on. Furthermore the design of the conventional coaster allows for cheap and efficient manufacturing. Coasters are usually a single shape, either round or square, this means that manufacturing in large numbers is eased as it can rely on a dye or stencil system which is relatively cheap when compared to other methods of production. The single, simple shape further cheapens the method of manufacturing as it allows for maximum material usage from a sheet of cork or foam via tessellation (one of the first of the 40 principles).

With such a simple and successful design, one can automatically pose the argument - does the coaster really need redesigning? Wagner’s version of the coaster, the Propeller Trivet certainly succeeds in being an intriguing piece of design both visually and functionally. However it does not address many of the issues of ideality. Clearly, Wagner has attempted to address the issue of occupying no space, and though successful in this, does not really offer any real improvement on the storage capabilities of the traditional coaster.
Where the traditional coaster allows for a single machine to punch large numbers out of a sheet of cork or foam, the Propeller Trivet changes and increases the materials used in manufacturing. It makes use of silicone as well as steel at the central pivot. Changing the materials, changes the method of manufacture and also in this case increases cost. The silicone part is most likely pressure moulded with the central pivot emplaced in the tool prior to the moulding. Aside from the higher cost of silicone as a material, the manufacturing process now incurs higher labour cost as it relies on human labour to place pivots in the tool before every mould cycle. This negates issues of Ideality such as “requiring no labour” and “incurring no cost”.

The success of a design in today’s economic climate relies largely on its sales and profitability; higher cost in manufacturing eventually leads to high retail prices which limits the products marketability and hence its “success”.

With increasing public awareness of the environment, higher costs can often be justified through being environmentally friendly. For example the next generation hybrid cars, are higher in price however emit less green house gases and as such are viable product designs. Whether Wagner’s design falls into this category is once again a matter of personal opinion. If compared to the existing cork coasters, both exploit natural resources in a similar nature. Cork is attained from the logging of a particular tree which has negative impacts on the ecosystem of that area. Similarly silicone is derived from harvesting large amounts of sand from coastal ecosystem with similar detrimental affects.
Silicone does however boast a higher tolerance to heat, being able to withstand temperatures of up to 500°C. The material is also waterproof and more durable which allows it to be dishwasher safe. With this in mind one can argue that Wagner’s Propeller Trivet is justified in price and design as it offers a longer lasting product compared to what is currently available on the market. However in opposing this standpoint, the Propeller Trivet’s increased part numbers and inclusion of a moving mechanism provide for a higher degree of failure and as such can be viewed as LESS durable.

Moving away from this rationalist view of Ideality, the Propeller Trivet definitely provides more to the consumer in terms of aesthetics. As pointed out earlier, when in use, the Trivet creates the attractive visual effect of cooking on a fire and perhaps therein lies the justification of the design. In a Post modern society where what is old is new and indeed what is designed is actually redesigned, Wagner has attempted to create a product that clearly reflects societies and activities of the past while maintaining a focus on designing an aesthetic more relevant to the present and the future. Whether this aesthetic impact justifies the large difference in price is a matter which may be decided purely on whether the consumer's financial standings.

Personally, this design is definitely a case of “it grows on you”. My initial feelings toward it were impartial bordering on dislike. It offers no clear improvement on existing products on the market other than a new method of storage (which some may not even consider as an improvement). It also bares no visual indication as to what its purpose is which disinterests potential consumers. Couple this with a price which at times exceeded 10 times the price of existing products as well as no clear attempt to address environmental issues and Wagner’s Propeller Trivet begins to look like a waste of time and space.
However if one looks at the product not from the perspective of a potential customer, but from the view of whether it offers anything to the field of design, then Wagner begins the slow journey back across the line of negativity. The design is definitely innovative in the way it deals with the issue of protecting surfaces as well as ease of storage. The product also has strong aesthetic qualities which reflect the long history of cooking. Furthermore the form this product embodies what is a common and familiar form to the user and challenges their perceptions of the existing design. Could this the convention design of this product really be superseded by Wagner's design? If anything, the Propeller Trivet is definitely different. It would prove valuable as a piece which symbolises cultural or economic status especially in a world where vanity is high on a list of priorities!

References

http://www.oresund-design.org/

Jan Michl's On Seeing Design as Redesign copy attained from first year course reader and http://www.designaddict.com/essais/michl.html

Information on TRIZ and IFR attainded from 3rd year lecture notes Industrial Design - Product Technology

THE "so you think you know me" EDITORIAL

Ole Ole Ole Ole.... Aussie Aussie...

I don't know what to make of the "tastes task"... was its purpose to show that you can type cast people just by asking core questions? And as such we can tailor designs to be perfect for masses as opposed to the individual?

Or was it meant to point out the opposite? That everyone is different and that we should keep this in mind when we're designing?

I don't know... But in looking at the answers I received for my unanswered questions, I would definitely cast my vote for the latter.

Then again, I didn't need to complete/participate in this task to realise that I am a complicated character. Nor did I need to participate to realise that everyone is different and EVERYONE's identity is somewhat convoluted no matter how simple and straight forward they claim to be.

So really, what has this task achieved? Is it merely quantifying what I have been told since pre-school? A means by which we can definitively say that I am not easy to be read and I am different to MB or KB or GW?

Or am I reading too deeply into this and simply mistaken what is merely a dumbed down "anti-social" (in that I'm couped up in my room instead of out talking to these people) way for me to meet and get to know the other people in this course...?

Man I can ramble...

OK so the comments I've got!
-

gw said... Hey JL, Im gonna pick the easiest one and try to answer Q.13 as I think u might. Starting with the obvious, you're an outdoorsy type so its likely you'd meet friends at sport. You're also a Rock music fan so possibly a pub/club type, but you also like art galleries, libraries and talking politics so im gonna guess the cafe sort too...?

Hi gw!
If you were an avid player of First Person Shooter (FPS) games or even an interenet chatter, you would knoe that your initials are actually net shorthand for GOOD WORK...

So good work with your guess...(boo! hiss! Go the crowd) You're right without being totally right! My answer to that question would probably have been ALL OF THE ABOVE... but my preference would probably be "at home". I am pretty versatile in my interests and passions... But I am fundamentally lazy... so if i can get away with just chilling at peoples places I'm fine with that!

Essentially if I have a friend that can stand me long enough to want to "meet me" then I'm happy to do whatever!

Thanks GW
___________

janina said... Hey Justin,How funny was your comment on my page – a very refreshing wake up! You were pretty on the money with your answers, though I must add that I’m a bit of a greeny so I think the government should be putting more funding into the environment!In response to your question about where you might like to travel, I’m gonna guess Singapore of course (because its your home country) but also maybe America. Not quiet sure what the reasoning is here, but perhaps its your love of rock and American entertainment. Your active lifestyle makes me think you’re the type of guy that would be keen for the bright lights and late nights of a big urban city (at least for a holiday)…maybe? Catch ya in classJanina

Hi Janina!
Thanks for writing in, your on going support of this seemingly insignificant website (though still in the "public arena!!") is both heart warming and inspiring.

It's good to 'hear' that my hours of intensively stalking you have paid off and that my comments on you BLOG were "on the money"!

Your assumption that I would like to visit America is somewhat correct in that I would like to visit "BUSH"- LAND along with every other country in the world! So should this have been an exam you would have just scored your self some points baby! I guess I'd like to travel because I'm always wondering whether people in other countries live like me... whether there's a bloke like me in Russia or America or Nigeria... Whether people can flourish in countries other than Australia.... (which I know is narrow minded cos people are suffering and living in poverty in Australia but bare with me...)

So i guess there in lies part of my character... I'm self centred enough to think about travelling the world for the purpose of discovering whether anyone else is like me?
I make myself sick...

Thanks Janina!
_____________

Robby said... Hi JL,The OC is awesome man...!!! But, back to the question... I guess the aswer for number 11 would be Sport. As you said that you love all kind of sport.

Hi Robby!
Props for loving the OC and double props for keeping your comment short cos I as you may or may not have noticed, fail to do this...

My political standing is vague even to myself... Not because I like sitting on the preverbial fence but because I don't even know where these parties stand anymore... John Howard and his Liberals claim to be conservatives and as such by nature should aim at being exactly that - conservative, yet the changes to the consitution and the way Australia operates as a nation since they came into power is by no means conservative and when looked at as a whole is almost radical... has Howard run so far right.... that he's now on the left?

OK OK so no worries, we'll vote him out at the next election... BUT IN FAVOUR OF WHO? Labour is a frikin mess! Beazley - Creen - Latham - Beazley... a record like this over the past 4 years does little to instill confidence in me let along the nation!

HAHA ANYWAY! - I do agree that sport is intergral to being Australian, if not through participation and observation than through the mere saturation of our media with it. YOU CAN'T ESCAPE... So it is intrinsic in Australian Identity - like it or not. The world knows us to be sports freaks and should funding be cut... our nations impact on the world would be diminished. Having said this, I am not blinded by my love of sport to the degree that I think it should be the be all and end all of government funding. Obviously there are greater issues at hand - poverty, racism, natural disasters just to name a few of the recent, that need to be tended to, to a far greater degree than sport. Thus my view is that funding to sport should be sustained as opposed to cut or overly increased!

Thanks Robby!

___________________

DesCritTessaKB said...
13.Where do you tend to meet your friends: at each other’s homes, shopping centres, pubs or clubs, cafes and restaurants, parks or exercising?My guess is that you would prob. meet your friends at all of these places except the shopping centre (unless you girl friend made you, and if this is the case, i feel your pain) cause you like sports and are at uni which means that alcohol and clubs are definitely in the picture, especially cause you play the guitar.cheers Krys.

G'day DesCritTessaKB

I've kind of already answered this question in answering GW but I feel I must confess to you and others that one of my biggest passions is Shopping...

And its not your typical male I love shopping ---- at Bunnings....

this is a love I have for the Big Malls of the world... mostly fashion based if anything but I could live in a Shopping centre if given the opportunity!

Other than that... Good picks on alcohol and clubs being a big part of uni!

_______________________

As you can see, everyone's kinda there but not really at all is that just me being me? Am I the only complicated soul on earth?!

Woe is my lonely existence... Woe...

Today after "Today"

I think what I'll take away from today is exactly how much IPODS SUCK!

I can't even begin to elaborate on how many faults I found to day and how much "pain" it causes! And to think it gives us next to nothing in return!

and to top it all off... They're not even useful for criticising cos the big CAM has said NO! boooo

After the commenting raid of last night, I've decided to cool it just a little... Expecting many comments from many people!!! probably death threats and what not!

I think I should start these art reviews ... but at the same time my procrastinating is preventing this!

Furthermore there is so much reading!!!

grrr...

Today

Bleurgh,
what an intense day...

Cameron's in your face philosophy and politics
Then Lunch - great food!
Then walking to Pier - I don't know what number...
Then walking back to the Quay
Then Catching a Bus the Central (which rhymes with Menstrual)

What little we touched on Kantian Aesthetics made me realise that his course's purpose is not to give answers to 100 students, but to pose more questions for us to ask... to ask ourselves, to ask others, to ask design...

We cannot catergorically say what makes things beautiful... and yet the fact that we find these things beautiful stipulates there is 'reason'... Is this not similar to the notion of a God or a supreme being or entity, in that we are unable to prove many things and as such put this down to faith and the belief that there is a 'reason' for these things' existence?

In the same light, is it similar to when the unexplicable comes down to the human race's inability to comprehend as opposed to perhaps lack of knowledge at this stage in time?

Do people really see so called 'Beauty' in tragedy and mayhem? Is 'Beauty' so hypnotic and alluring that it transcends the negativity of object and or event?

Let me end on a similar note to which I began:

argh...

An Unlucky Number of Questions to Answer

1. Favourite Television Show in the last 2 years. How many hours television do you watch a week?
California.... California.... Here we coooooooomeeeee THE OC
And I probably watch about 2 hours of television a day, so that makes it about 14 hours a week... (It would depend a lot on what sport is on that week though)

2. What sort of camera do you have? What do you take pictures of: events, friends and
relatives, things I find interesting, beautiful things?
I have two cameras, one is a CASIO EXILIM 5 megapixel little pocket thingy and I have a CANON 750i which is a digital video camera... Most of my photos are of friends and me (some would say not in that order)... But I do enjoy and am somewhat obsessed with visually recording places I visit and events I attend see from sometimes unconventional angles and perspectives.

3. What sort of car would you like to drive? How often would you get under the bonnet of that car?
I would say I'd love to have a HOLDEN MONARO CV8 - black with red trimmed interior, white powder coated wheels which bare the red brake calipers... Probably wouldn't get in there all that often, only when I show off the big V8 to my jealous mates.

4. Do you play a musical instrument? Which?
I love my Guitar and also play the Piano and Violin though not as intensly...

5. List your most favourite and least favourite type of music?
Love Rock - try to avoid hardcore Country Music...

6. Which of the following would you visit or attend at least twice a year: art galleries, museums, public lectures, public libraries, political meetings, demonstrations or rallies?
Art Galleries and Public Libraries are the go.

7. List 4 films you have seen in the last year, from favourite to least favourite, and indicate how you saw them (cinema, video/dvd rental, video/dvd owned, pay TV, free-to-air TV)?
TEAM AMERICA - Cinema then the DVD I bought
BATMAN (the original with Adam West) - DVD I bought
WALK THE LINE - Cinema
MEANGIRLS - Girlfriend made me watch it on her computer

8. What is your favourite sport or game to play? What is your favourite sport or game to watch?
This is tough... I love all sport! If I had to pick my favourite sport to play, it would probably be soccer/football... and to watch it would probably be Rugby League.

9. Where would like to travel to (apart from to friends or relatives)?

10.What is your primary source of news? To what extent to do you take an interest in the news
My primary souce of news is probably the radio. I'd like to think I have a keen interest in news and am often the victim of abuse from friends who say I talk too much news and politics with them... I must admit however that in the case of newspapers, my interest in the news comes only after I'm finished with the sports section!

11.Should the government be spending more or less funding on: tax relief, sport, the arts, the environment.

12.Which country are you from? Could you live in a country other than where you were raised for the rest of your life?
I was born in Singapore but raised in Australia! Love it here but I have entertained the thought of living in my country of birth.

13.Where do you tend to meet your friends: at each other’s homes, shopping centres, pubs or clubs, cafes and restaurants, parks or exercising?

Design Stuff

did anyone one see what Cameron was wearing?

omg... so hot