Have you ever found yourself smiling when presented with a cute character in a website or video game? Maybe you have noticed that a virtual character displays a personality of youth or excitement, or a friendly demeanour. Designers often purposefully enhance such characteristics to impart positive feelings and to help establish a micro-relationship between the user and the character. For instance, in Japanese culture, the “cute” aesthetic known as “kawaii” is used by many organizations for many purposes, including mascots for the police and warning signs for dangerous areas as well as for video game characters. (Cheok, 2008)
I feel that this research is needed because it is clearly a current trend. I believe that research has not yet fully bridged this gap of knowledge as to why the movement has become so popular and the affects of it on the wider society. I also think it’s important to know the consequences of introducing foreign aesthetics into a culture. The affects it may have might stem from the issue of globalization and the suggestion the world is becoming more like a global village, where thoughts and arts are expressed openly and unmediated mainly using technical elements such as the internet. I feel its important that we can understand the cultural significances to maintain our own cultural heritage, and develop an open understanding of international blended art styles and cultures. I feel it is necessary to look more closely at the affect we have on each other and our understanding of certain terms, such as “cute”. Has western aesthetics been influences by “kawaii” culture, is an issue I feel is a big concern to traditionalists which is why I would like to branch my project in this direction.
The process of cultural globalisation does not always imply cultural homogenisation. Rather, it can be seen as a process of cultural ‘glocalisation’ and hybridisation where cultures continuously interact with and interpret each other to engender a hybrid cultural form. (Monden, 2009)
I feel I have a strong external rational to continue with this research led project. I feel it is a needed study and will benefit the academic society. I will continue to research into this subject matter and expand my knowledge on the subject.
References
Cheok, A, 2008. Designing cute interactive media. innovation magazine, [Online]. 8, 2. Available at: http://www.innovationmagazine.com/volumes/v8n3/preserved-docs/08_09.pdf [Accessed 21 November 2011].
Monden, M, 2009. Transcultural Flow of Demure Aesthetics: Examining Cultural Globalisation through Gothic & Lolita Fashion. [Online]. 2, 21. Available at: http://www.jpf.org.au/newvoices/2/chapter2.pdf [Accessed 21 November 2011].
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Contextual Survey and Review
Cheok, A, 2008. Designing cute interactive media. innovation magazine, [Online]. 8, 2. Available at: http://www.innovationmagazine.com/volumes/v8n3/preserved-docs/08_09.pdf [Accessed 21 November 2011].
With this source it helps to form a basic understanding of what ‘cuteness’ might be and offers an insight into what the Japanese aesthetic of Kawaii. They also look into how the principles of cuteness and Kawaii can be applied in a practical sense, to help sell products. Within this source there is also information from primary research that they have undertaken, examining what is perceived as cute, such as ratio of head size to body, which colour hues are considered to be the cutest, and what type of shapes conform to the cute ideal. This has helped me to form a basic understanding on the concepts of cuteness and how it can be applied to real life situations. I feel however I need to research deeper to find a source that offers me more of an explanation of why cuteness is popular, and how I can apply this.
Kwon, M, 2009. Commodifying Identity: Takashi Murakami 1989-2008. Modern art Asia, [Online]. 1, 1-23. Available at: http://modernartasia.com/Takashi%20Murakami.pdf [Accessed 21 November 2011].
This source I did not use within my text, but feel it explores an element of Asian culture that I wished to learn more about in order to make my writing more informed. It examines the identity of an apparently well-known Asian artist Murakami and how his work relates to both eastern and western art principles. It looks at how artists can branch between the cultures and how mega brands, such as Hello Kitty are able to pass through cultural barriers and become internationally popular. I feel that this source is going in the right direction but it lacks information on the idea of the cute aesthetic in any detail.
Monden, M, 2009. Transcultural Flow of Demure Aesthetics: Examining Cultural Globalisation through Gothic & Lolita Fashion. [Online]. 2, 21. Available at: http://www.jpf.org.au/newvoices/2/chapter2.pdf [Accessed 21 November 2011].
This source looks at the issues such as globalisation and the affects on all cultures. It suggests a view point that I had not considered that each society is mutually implicative of each other. I feel that it is very important for me to continue reading sources like this that examine the cultural implications of my proposed project. As with this information it will help me to make a well informed project. I feel I need to be aware of transcultural works, but need to find a more specific example that is not looking at fashion aspects. I also had the theory of the male gaze and sexualisation forced upon me while reading this source, suggesting that cuteness and its origins are stemmed from sexuality, such as a child like existence, and with that being perverted.
Mapping
Mapping
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