smalltalk // 07 June 2008

07 June (SATURDAY)
Ole Cafe, Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL.
8:00-10:00pm


speaker // topic:
"Learning Mathematics
Can Be Creative & Fun"
by: Dr. Kien H. Lim, University of Texas at El Paso, USA

Is the math taught in schools killing the creativity in our children? What does the the field of mathematics education in the West (US & Europe) propose to resolve this issue? Are the strategies applicable here?

In the talk, Dr. Lim will share the challenges he is facing in helping his students (prospective teachers) in the US develop ways of thinking instead of memorizing facts, formulas, and algorithms.

He will discuss how math problems can be designed so that the math can be learned in a fun and meaningful way. You will experience it through an activity for yourself.

Who should attend:
Designers dealing with finance industry clients, e.g. you need to make sense of all the numbers in the corporate annual report. Anyone who's afraid to deal with numbers or just want to stop hating maths. Anyone who need to solve a math problem but have no idea what it all means. Parents with school-going children. & maths teachers?

Why kakireka? Part I

(published with permission)
Dear Kenneth,
Hi. I was really glad that I stumbled upon kakireka.com on the internet. I am certainly quite impressed by the initiatives taken to form talks/forums such as 7:21. It was with pleasure that I realized you are the co-founder and that you previously worked at O&M as I did a short stint there as an intern during my undergraduate study in 2004. I am a Malaysian currently doing my MPhil/PhD in Graphic Design in UK. Unfortunately, I am not sure of how much I can do to help as I am not in Malaysia, would certainly be an active participant if I were in Malaysia! Also, I am hoping that we could have a discourse and probably an interview later on as I am interested in your direct experience in this field, as well as your perspective on the perception and practice of graphic design in Malaysia, as part of my research. Thanks so much, in advance, I am looking forward to contacting you for any insight and advice you would be willing to share. Meanwhile, I would constantly keep up with the site. Thank you for your consideration. Regards, Debbie

(kakireka reply)
Hi Debbie,
well met indeed. sorry i dun remember if we crossed paths in O&M but i left end of 2004. which dept were you in? kakireka needs more people like you to provide some food for thought and academic insights into why what we do matters to who how when. As design practitioners, we often get caught up in our own client's self-serving world of sell sell sell and neglect the social aspects of the creative power we truly possess. One of the objectives of kakireka is to buildup a repository of public discourse and research into local design history, methods, culture, best practices, etc. We welcome any researcher to publish their papers/ prelim. findings on our site. Heck, we might even help facilitate your research by giving you access to our readers/members if you want their opinion or other support (case-by-case basis) online or offline during one of our live events.
It's a crying shame that till today, 50yrs of merdeka, there can't be found any substantial (published) research on malaysian DESIGN history (compared to arts & craft), as Irina, our exco member cum Masters student researcher from UiTM can attest to. With no discernible history to relate to or learn from, it is no wonder young designers generally lack a sense of pride in their chosen profession. Survival in the industry becomes a personal battle against other competitors /designers. Dog eat dog world. price cutting counter-measures. Or who has the better skill, the latest software weapons, etc. We are like designer mercenaries. Next, we enter & win creative industry awards to show off we're the best... NOT to learn from each other. There are so many stories of fresh graduates who get disillusioned and quit the profession within the first year of graduating. To break this pattern, we have to build a sense of community where we must help each other if we are to grow professionally. And to be open to new ideas, new collaborations and experimentations of new techniques, new fundamental practices that may make us grow to be a better person as well. So, welcome again to kakireka. We're, in turn, also interested in your progress and future research contributions on "the perception and practice of graphic design in malaysia". Do share with us your insights. May I know what's your thesis/research about? cheers, Kenneth

smalltalk // 30 May 2008

30 May (FRIDAY)
Ole Cafe, Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL.
8:00-10:00pm

speaker // topic:
"Asia, Heart & Bowl"
A talk about Experience, Creativity and the Heart over Mind.
by: Melisa Wong, Octagon Creative


Who should attend:
Graphic Designers, Theatrical Set Designers, Video/Multimedia Artists.

Are you Malaysia's hottest young design entrepreneur?

Are you running your own design business with panache and flair?
Do you feel passionate about making a difference in design?
Fancy hanging out with the likes of Tom Dixon & Sir Terrence Conran?

If that's you, you're our Malaysian Young Design Entrepreneur to send to the UK!

As the Malaysian finalist, you will take part in a 12-day all expenses paid tour of the UK’s design sector, along with the finalists from 9 other countries. The tour will comprise visits, meetings, seminars, events and shows, including 100% Design and London Design Festival where you get to schmooze with the big players and your peers. Plus the shot at winning prize money of £7500 and being chosen the International Young Design Entrepreneur 2008.

3 Easy Steps to becoming Malaysia’s representative to IYDE 2008
Step 1: Get noticed - submit your application by 30 JUNE 2008
Step 2: SHOW not just tell us and you’re on the short list
Step 3: Speak up and be heard - IMPRESS the judges at the interviews

Visit www.britishcouncil.org.my now for the application form!

Pecha Kucha Night Kuala Lumpur Vol.3

24 May 2008 (SAT)

The Annexe Gallery, Central Market Annexe
7.30pm – 10.00pm

What is Pecha Kucha you ask?
It’s a night of music (by Blastique), drinks and swift and slick presentations (20 slides, 20 secs/slide) by people of the creative persuasions.

And who’s on the line up?
Ridwan Kamil, architect and urban planner, Bandung Indonesia
Creative United Movement (C.U.M.). design collective and fun folks
Munkao, visual artist and bawdy humorist
Simon Keogh, architect and curator, transplanted from Ireland
PopMalaya, tee-shirt designers
Elaine Foster, poet and humble servant to the Freedom Film Festival
Zhin Teng, emerging architect

It’s going to be a night like none other so make sure you’re there!
Email British Council or call 03 2723 7931/7988 if you need to talk about Pecha Kucha. And check out Pecha Kucha Global – it’s happening almost everywhere!

Olympic Games Beijing 2008 Graphic Language

Click here for the 2nd of 3 parts of an interview with Min Wang, the Design Director for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Interesting read with cross cultural design strategies, forming a graphic language that speaks to the world and yet retains an unique chinese flavour.

Learn how the team fuses Eastern & Western ideas, values & aesthetics.

Examples include the unique inlaid circular ancient jade "bi" (transl. talisman tablet?) into the olympic games medal design.


And how the sports pictograms were inspired by oracle bone calligraphy and chinese seal characteristics.

Also check out the Beijing 2008 graphic elements and compare it with past years designs.

smalltalk // 09 May 2008

09 May (FRIDAY)
Ole Cafe, Changkat Bukit Bintang, KL.
8:00-10:00pm

speaker/topic:
"Online Games Design showcase"
by: EasyOnly!Games

Award-winning game designer Hazmer will showcase his latest original online games from his EasyOnly!Games studio.

Their latest release, "The Last Canopy", a manic top-down shooter got rave reviews and won First Place at the recent JayisGames.com's Casual Gameplay Flash Game Design Competition #5.

Come & get some insights on how to design a great flash game & release it online.

Admission is FREE. Limited seats. Come early.

OGC unveils new logo to red faces

(left) The OGC logo, seen as it was intended.




It cost £14,000 to create, but clearly no-one at the smart London design outfit that came up with the new logo for HM Treasury thought to turn it on its side. The logo, for the Office of Government Commerce, was intended to signify a bold commitment to the body’s aim of “improving value for money by driving up standards and capability in procurement”.

Instead, it has generated howls of mirth and what is likely to be a barrage of teasing emails from mandarins in other departments.

According to insiders, the graphic was already proudly etched on mousemats and pens before it was unveiled for employees, who spotted the clanger within seconds.
> read original article here
by: Aislinn Simpson, Telegraph.co.uk

Designers Graduation 2008 // The One Academy

The One Academy Designers Graduation Show (Batch 55).
Majors in: Advertising and Graphic Design, Multimedia Design, Interior Design, Digital Animation, Illustration.

theme:
"StoryBox"

05 - 15 May 2008
Exhibition at The One Gallery, 28 Jalan PJS 11/28A, Bandar Sunway, PJ.
Enquiries: Sam Goh m:012-220 0911 Dora Lau m:016-3778 390

+ + + + + +
Note: to all design students reading this, let kakireka help promote your own college graduation showcase when the time comes. Send us the necessary info in the format shown above with a key graphic/picture (150x150 pixels) and we will post a blog entry on your event. Free-of-charge service by kakireka as a show of support to all young designers.

The Freak Factor - What's My Problem?

Designers, have you ever felt or made to feel like you're a freak, a nerd, or a geek just be'cos you don't want to conform to the masses? That you don't fit in? Your friends/peers/boss/parents tells you that you have this and that weakness in your character that needs to be fixed or else you won't be liked/accepted?

Well, don't despair and don't simply give in to peer pressure & this overwhelming desire to change yourself - just to conform. You might do more harm than good to yourself if you do so. To find out why, go download this PDF file, read on and be inspired...

The Freak Factor: Discovering Uniqueness by Flaunting Weakness
by: David Rendall
...short excerpt from the document...

2. What’s My Problem?
I have a lot of weaknesses. According to my parents, teachers, managers, friends and wife, I am:

• hyperactive
• impatient
• impulsive
• easily distracted
• resistant to authority
• need to be the center of attention
• not open to the ideas of others
• too focused on the big picture
• unable to manage administrative details
• a poor listener
• a bad team player
• disorganized

Even with these weaknesses, I’ve been able to achieve a moderate level of success. So, how did I do it? How did I overcome my problems? How did I finally conquer my weaknesses?

I didn’t.
I didn’t overcome my problems or conquer my weakness. I didn’t get better. Instead, I discovered that my apparent flaws were clues to my true strengths. Because of this insight, I became a professor, speaker and consultant. Now, the hyperactive guy, who can’t sit down or stay quiet, gets paid to stand up and talk.

The guy who isn’t a team player works alone. The guy who doesn’t like authority runs his own business as a leadership and strategy consultant, which means that the guy who isn’t good with the details helps people to see the big picture when they are too busy with daily operations.

All of my supposed flaws are still there, they just don’t matter that much. In fact, I’ve succeeded because of my weaknesses, not in spite of them. These examples from my life illustrate the three primary lessons of this manifesto.

1. There is nothing wrong with you. Weaknesses are important clues to your strengths.

2. You find success when you find the right fit. You need to match your unique characteristics to situations that reward those qualities.

3. Your weaknesses make you different. They make you a freak and it’s good to be a freak.

"My experience as an individual, consultant, parent and leader indicates that efforts to fix weaknesses are ineffective. Furthermore, I believe that the goal of being well-rounded is both undesirable and impossible to attain. The purpose of this manifesto is to explain why I believe this and to offer a better alternative."
David Rendall

... end excerpt...

Download full PDF file from the ChangeThis Manifesto website...