Evils in Pandora's Box
2023
A self-exploration independent project through self-expression fueled by anger and frustration, rooted in undesirable human attitudes and behaviours driven by negative or detrimental desires which caused a pathological phenomenon in the society.
Critical Context Part 1
Although I’m not a “drinking person”, I would like to know more about alcohol, especially in alcoholic beverages as I’m not often drink alcoholic beverages unless gathering with friends, dinner with family on special day or during festival such as celebrating Lunar Chinese New Year and Christmas. I think it might be a potential thing to explore on—especially for a person who does not often consume alcoholic beverages frequently. I initially made a mind-map to gain some insight into all the perspectives I could explore on the subject, then organised the topics as my table of content and then start the research process.
Critical Context Part 2
14. Type of Liqueurs
15. Safe and Heavy Drinking
16. Moderate and Binge Drinking
17. Side Effects of Alcohol
18. Drunk Stages
19. Disorder Related
20. 175 Alcohol Booze Facts
21. Artist and Alcohol
22. Beer Symbolism
23. Wine Symbolism
24. The Gods of Alcohol
25. Alcohol Consumption in Asia
26. Asia Brew Alcohol
Primary Research - Exploration and Introspection
Unpack the unpleasant feelings or memories dealing with the undesirable attutide or behaviour people, list them down and the specific experience with them. Record my own reflection towards these type of people and interview a few people about their insights which helps to form the basis of my project
Secondary Research - Anger, Frustration, Emotion & Creativity, Benefits
1. What is Alcohol
2. Alcohol in Chemistry
3. Classification of Alcohol
4. Type of Alcohol
5. Uses of Alcohol
6. Where alcohol can be found
7. Common sources of alcohol
8. The History of Alcohol
9. Distilled and Undistilled Drinks
10. Beer — Lager and Ales
11. Wine — Tannin, Acidity, Sweet and Dry
12. Types of Wine
13. Cocktail Bitters and Alcopops
14. Type of Liqueurs
15. Safe and Heavy Drinking
16. Moderate and Binge Drinking
17. Side Effects of Alcohol
18. Drunk Stages
19. Disorder Related
20. 175 Alcohol Booze Facts
21. Artist and Alcohol
22. Beer Symbolism
23. Wine Symbolism
24. The Gods of Alcohol
25. Alcohol Consumption in Asia
26. Asia Brew Alcohol
These are the list of the secondary research which helps me to understand the fundamentals of emotions and feelings, what actually is anger and frustration, how these emotions can help in creativity, are there any other artists or designers harness their anger or frustration in their works, how anger or frustration can actually help us in some situation.
Theme: Pandora Box (Definition, Connection)
In this experiment, I use the alcoholic beverages that I’ve purchased for the taste test, save some of it and use it as an art medium. Draw something using it and see the effect on paper and will it fade after a long time?
After having fun tasted it on art paper while having a few sips, the light coloured alcoholic beverages doesn’t leave a prominent stain on the paper even after a few layers. It will just leave a slightly yellowish stain on paper. However, for dark coloured alcoholic beverages such as Guinness and Royal Stout, it did leave a very prominent brown colour on the paper. Besides, the artwork has been placed 8 weeks for now and it doesn’t seem to be faded yet.
Concept: Video Games (Metaphors)
The book size was set as an B5 size (250 x 175mm). The binding style of the book is using DIY Kettle Stitch Binding. The reason for chosing this stitching method is to portray the experimental idea and present it as a documentation catalog. Other than that, it is a great opportunity for me to get it hands on for the binding process. The intention of the book is experimental, enjoying the process to compile any findings and experiments into a book and using it to create a discource—express all about alcohol and my idea of it.
Art Direction: Frustration + Satirical (Kid actions)
Based on the theme moodboard, the design concept of my book will apply duo-tone colour, vintage cross hatch imagery and contemporary brutalism approach. For visualising idea using colours and grid system, as my design concept is using duo-tone, the two colours portray the balance of self-consciousness and intoxication level. Each chapter will show the stages of drunkenness, starting from sobriety, euphoria, excitement to confusion. The indication of intoxication will slowly occur and increases as the pages go on. The balance of both colours will eventually be in a state of chaos to portray the loss of self-consciousness of being drunk.
Process of Execution
The first attempt (Left) of arranging the book content based on the research findings and matching with the stages of drunkenness; the last attempt (Right) of arranging the book content based the page distribution for binding and content rearrangement from the first attempt. Most of the subtopic from the first attempt combine together in this version.