Essay and Topic Research and Ideas

In the last seminar we had with Richard, along with the task we were also asked to choose and look into a topic of your choice (something related to the lecture programme which we would be using for the rest of our Context of Practice this year and final, we could also do something similar for our essay questions.

Initial Ideas:

Some of the first few topics which I wanted to look into were related to fashion, brands and streetwear.

But I was not so keen on doing something so similar to what I had done last year.

I found the lecture and seminars on consumerism quite interesting, which are still quite closely related to what I was proposing to do as it links in with brands, brand culture and thinking about it I could also use this topic for my essay and I had started to look at what I could produce as the physical element. I also think that the First things First manifesto grabbed my attention from the lecture programme so far, so I could also look into ethics.

The main idea throughout all of these examples are consumerism:

I like what they have done here with the title, as I have recently become more interested in Chinese design and calligraphy, and what it is about is the main reason I chose this example as a lot of things we consumer and buy into is made or manufactured in china.

This is publication based around the First things First manifesto. 

This was another publication on consumer culture which I looked at for an idea for what I could do with my physical element of cop.

I found these examples of design to do with consumerism quite interesting as I get the message they are trying to say, but at the same time they are contradicting themselves as it is at the end of the day selling another product, which I think is getting at how some people would debate the consumerism will never end, or is inevitable.

Tutorial

After my tutorial with Richard he gave me a few things to look into as he liked the overall idea for what I was proposing to do.

He suggested that I read the book 'No Logo' which would help me to come up with questions for my essay along with give me something a little more specific to look into.