Subject – PDP

It certainly has been a crazy year. It was challenging, and 100 times harder than second year. I enjoyed second year so much because there were more projects to be explored. I was quite relax entering the first term of my final year. The subject matter I chose was something that I care and passionate about – Alzheimer’s disease/dementia issue. I find myself interested in social and cultural issues that inspire me in giving response that balances content and creativity. At first I was not sure about choosing dementia/Alzheimer’s as my subject matter because I have a personal experience where my late father passed away because of it and it is a sensitive subject. But after few tutorials, I decided that because it has a personal connection therefore it will give more weight to the content.

I started the year through in-depth research i.e. going to dementia related seminar, consultations with a Neuroscientist from Bristol University and also by becoming a Dementia Friends, as well as experimenting with thread and textile to explore the  brain parts that could be damaged by Alzheimer’s disease. During the process I realised that thread means so much more than just something that connects objects but also a tool to mend and reconnect. The main process I applied within the whole project is by using soluble fabric that dissolve when washed in water. This process represents the loss of memory, personality, independence and life taken by the disease but also represents a moment of holding the time and memories that slowly disappearing.

I played around with several ideas for the outcome for my project and I feel that I need to express the loss endured everyday by patients of dementia through a multi-sensory installation that explore a bodily- experience (visions and sound). I also think that I need to communicate information about what is Alzheimer’s disease in a form of a book that feature colourful images so that it would attract public to read and understand. I aim to change the old-perception that Alzheimer’s is an age-related illness.

I also find the professional practice workshops (self-promotion) for preparing ourselves to face the real world once we finish the degree is very valuable to me. I need to build my confidence up and make more works so that I can build my professional portfolio. Including myself in group exhibition also helps me in building network and seeing what is the art world reality is. It is also a way of promoting my work and practice as an illustrator with principles. I understand that as an illustrator I want to put myself as a facilitator to communicate social & cultural issue that need to change, challenge the authority that put public’s needs behind them by being part of the change.

I’m definitely going to miss my final year. It has thought me so much about myself and things that I really care about. Things that I need to improve and even tho I has been a long journey, I have certainly grow a lot as an illustrator. I’m looking forward to my gap year and enjoy myself before planning for the future with master degree study.