A centralized website for Primary Art Teachers in Malaysian international schools to easily access resources to teach traditional and authentic Malaysian art to students.
Problem Statement:
If only there was a better way to rekindle the interest of Traditional art & crafts among the Malaysian youth, then Malaysia’s culture and heritage can be preserved and appreciated, which would lead to the prevention of traditional art forms dying. A large part of the issue is the lack of traditional art education in International Schools. With the significant number of creative educators in International schools, there is a clear opportunity to bring exposure to traditional art & crafts.
scroll to see the process for the solution statement
Primary Research
purpose/aim:
Learn about perceptions of traditional Malaysian art amongst the youth, their interest or lack thereof, and assessing their willingness to learn more.
sample:
Different ages + gender | Lived in Malaysia for different number of years | Different education systems (international, local)
results:
summary:
Though 71% of the respondents have lived in Malaysia their whole life, and the other 29% have lived there for at least 4 years, only 52% have purchased any form of Malaysian art in the last couple of years.
Most respondents were familiar with batik, however less than half were familiar with the rest of the traditional art forms. Majority of the respondents say they were only slightly exposed to Malaysian arts, and majority say they are only a little interested in them.
Most respondents say that any experience making something with traditional art forms was fun, however they only ever did it when they were children. Respondents who went to local schools tend to have more exposure to traditional art, whereas international schools did not as much.
Some respondents also stated that they weren’t super familiar with traditional Malaysian arts because they believed they were 1) dying 2) not spoken about enough 3) not appreciated. 100% prefer to learn new things in person/physically rather than virtually. It seems like in conclusion, most respondents are rather interested in the traditional arts, however haven’t been exposed to them as much at a young age, furthermore, not enough appreciation is shown towards the arts.
Secondary Research
https://nooklyn.com/stories/resurrection-of-the-dying-arts-hand-lettering-and-lettering-crafts
→ Hand lettering: by 1930s & 1940s, typewriters were common, reducing need for traditional script
→ Became popular again over the last couple of years
→ People taking classes on lettering and learning a combination of print and cursive
→ “art form like this, that was born out of necessity, now offers the freedom of ultimate expression in the world of letters”
→ Hand lettering: by 1930s & 1940s, typewriters were common, reducing need for traditional script
→ Became popular again over the last couple of years
→ People taking classes on lettering and learning a combination of print and cursive
→ “art form like this, that was born out of necessity, now offers the freedom of ultimate expression in the world of letters”
https://www.idiva.com/fashion/how-to/reviving-a-legacy-traditional-indian-arts/21951
→Artists, especially from the young generation, are finding far more lucrative employment options.
→Artists are not getting their due and are being forced to live and paint in penury.
→Kai Krafts has been successful in resuscitating the kasuti tradition.
→ "There is a great demand for our traditional hand-embroidered kasuti designs, particularly on saris and garments. We have been glad to individualise and personalise designs as well."
Revival by design: 22.2accessories was conceptualised to reinvent the age-old craft and textile traditions of India by using them with a fresh and innovative approach
→Artists, especially from the young generation, are finding far more lucrative employment options.
→Artists are not getting their due and are being forced to live and paint in penury.
→Kai Krafts has been successful in resuscitating the kasuti tradition.
→ "There is a great demand for our traditional hand-embroidered kasuti designs, particularly on saris and garments. We have been glad to individualise and personalise designs as well."
Revival by design: 22.2accessories was conceptualised to reinvent the age-old craft and textile traditions of India by using them with a fresh and innovative approach
https://www.tatlerasia.com/homes/decor/neo-nostalgia-4-local-artisan-brands-who-are-reimagining-the-past-for-our-present
→local artisan brands are mining our rich local heritage for inspiration and creating a fresh perspective of familiar archetypes
→ Tiffin Company: Functional and eco-friendly, and inspired by rich, colourful Peranakan heritage
Referencing traditional motifs while adding a modern twist to the design in line with today’s lifestyle.
→local artisan brands are mining our rich local heritage for inspiration and creating a fresh perspective of familiar archetypes
→ Tiffin Company: Functional and eco-friendly, and inspired by rich, colourful Peranakan heritage
Referencing traditional motifs while adding a modern twist to the design in line with today’s lifestyle.
It is extremely difficult to find resources online for children's arts & crafts (templates, guides)
The Solution
A huge problem that Malaysian culture faces is the lack of interest and awareness of traditional art forms amongst the youth. The Malaysian education system fails to spark curiosity about our traditional crafts. Through designing a central online platform with a set of resources for art programs in early stages of schooling, art teachers can have a more seamless way of showing and teaching their students about traditional Malaysian arts & crafts, ultimately, helping to rekindle the love and appreciation for our local arts.
Persona, Current & Future State Journey Maps, User Testing
Final Prototype
Attributions
Image by visnezh on Freepik
Image by visnezh on Freepik