Journal of Visual Art and Design
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‘Classicon’: Innovative Design from Classical and Contemporary African Textile Print Design Concepts
No full textWax prints were the earliest textile prints exported to Ghana by the Europeans. These prints, commonly referred to as African prints, have distinguishing characteristics, with the earlier ones, known as classical prints, exhibiting symbolic patterns largely used by Ghanaians in the 19th and the 20th century. With the newer trends of fashion in the 21st century, the design preference in these special textiles changed from complex symbolic patterns to simple stylized patterns and textile producers adopted more creative ways in designing to satisfy the taste and demands of textile consumers. The purpose of the present practice-based research was to widen the scope of African print designs by creating new designs that incorporate classical and contemporary design concepts. Samples of African prints were observed and the findings led to the development of new designs christened ‘Classicon’. These prints, based on the transitional design approach (TDA), combine the elements, principles and philosophy of both the classical and contemporary designs to create a class of designs that bridge the gap between the two concepts. This study recommends Classicon prints to Afro-centric designers not only to preserve African ethnic patterns but also to update African classical prints to suit current fashion trends
Women’s Perspective on the Surakarta Kebaya based on Biographies of Gusti Noeroel and Utami Suryadarma
Get PDFThe kebaya is a national dress for Indonesian women. This paper analyzes the development of the Surakarta kebayas used by Gusti Noeroel, a princess who lived in Mangkunegara Palace, and Utami Suryadarma, the daughter of a high rank police officer from Surakarta. They were selected as the subject of this research because they used the kebaya consistently throughout their lives despite their interaction with modern culture. This study used a historical approach, especially on women’s position in Indonesian society and the development of Indonesian culture and kebaya design. The data were collected from various publications. Gusti Noeroel and Utami Suryadarma were educated noblewomen. They interacted with modern culture from various nations, while consistently using the kebaya as a characteristically Indonesian dress. The model they initially wore, the Surakarta kebaya, developed by changing the collar and the length and by applying a tighter fitting design. In addition, the material used changed according to the times. We can conclude that these princesses’ abilities to adjust the kebaya according to each era, made their kebaya designs always up to date
Individual Fired Brick Domestication in Nigeria
Get PDFIndividual fired brick domestication is not widely practiced; yet the fired brick has played and will continue to play an immense role in the global built environment. Its pivotal task of creating and sustaining architectural structures is ancient and has permeated through to contemporary times courtesy of clay's colossal vitality. Clay exploration and exploitation are perhaps most apparent in fired brick production, particularly in first-world countries with a diverse range of clayware such as bricks and tiles. This development has not been fully maximized in Nigeria as a result of the small number of refractory plants whose total production capacity is beneath the nation's building requirements. This scenario makes fired brick procurement costly and limits its accessibility; consequently, it promotes socio-built inequality among viable fired brick prospectors. In view of the aforementioned, this paper advocates individual fired brick domestication in Nigeria's rural and suburban settlements, providing concise practical details, from materials identification and mould fabrication to brick production. When fully harnessed, this is hoped to create jobs, alleviate the country's fired brick deficit, boost individual economic standing, communal economies and ultimately the national economy. Possibly it could serve as a template in similar settings around the world
