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ENQUIRE PROJECT DETAILS BY GENERAL PUBLIC |
| Project Details |
| Funding Scheme : | Early Career Scheme | ||||||||||||||||
| Project Number : | 28606418 | ||||||||||||||||
| Project Title(English) : | The work of art in the age of post-digital production: A study of the maker culture in Hong Kong | ||||||||||||||||
| Project Title(Chinese) : | 後數碼時期後數碼時期的藝術品: 香港工匠文化的研究 的藝術品: 香港工匠文化的研究 | ||||||||||||||||
| Principal Investigator(English) : | Dr Song, Min Jeong | ||||||||||||||||
| Principal Investigator(Chinese) : | |||||||||||||||||
| Department : | Department of Cultural and Creative Arts | ||||||||||||||||
| Institution : | The Education University of Hong Kong | ||||||||||||||||
| E-mail Address : | mjsong@eduhk.hk | ||||||||||||||||
| Tel : | 2948 7082 | ||||||||||||||||
| Co - Investigator(s) : |
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| Panel : | Humanities, Social Sciences | ||||||||||||||||
| Subject Area : | Humanities and Arts | ||||||||||||||||
| Exercise Year : | 2018 / 19 | ||||||||||||||||
| Fund Approved : | 327,584 | ||||||||||||||||
| Project Status : | Completed | ||||||||||||||||
| Completion Date : | 30-6-2021 | ||||||||||||||||
| Project Objectives : |
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| Abstract as per original application (English/Chinese): |
The notion of craft has for a long time been closely tied to making objects using materials produced through handmade processes. It has often been seen as activities performed by two different groups of makers: professional artisans; and do-it-yourself (DIY) amateur hobbyists. However, the emergence of new digital fabrication technologies in recent years has brought a significant shift in the maker group and culture. With the new digital means of making objects, theoretically, anyone can customize and produce one’s own goods. The concept has been embodied through the maker movement which refers to a cultural trend that places a high value on making physical things using digital technologies and craft skills.
The idea of digital craft has been present for the past two decades. Individual practitioners started producing work with hybrid craft techniques, and proved the potential benefits of digital craft in expanding creativity and appealing to a wider audience. However, examinations of how the new technologies will affect the craft community and modes of production and distribution in the craft industry have been scarce. In response, this research aims to investigate how digital fabrication technologies influence craft practices as part of the maker movement. It also aims to identify challenges and opportunities for professional and amateur makers involved in conventional craft practices. Explorative qualitative studies will be carried out through digital fabrication workshops with twenty local makers. Through participant observation, pre-workshop and post-workshop interviews, and artifact (workshop outcome) analysis, the purpose of the study is to explore how different groups of makers’ practice and value perceptions are changed by the introduction of new digital tools. Additionally, the study will address issues that need to be resolved in both practical and socio-cultural contexts. It is expected that the findings from the study will have implications for the following aspects: It will provide an understanding of the significance of maker culture as socio-cultural practices and as a means to foster creativity and related industries.
長久以來，手工藝的概念和以手作材料製作物品密不可分。一般認為，手工藝實作者包含兩個群體：職業工匠和業餘DIY愛好者。然而，近年興起的數位製造技術為製造文化與實踐帶來了深刻的變革。有了嶄新的數位製造技術，在第三次工業革命的時代，理論上任何人都可以量身製作自己的產品。然而，儘管眾多媒體報導和研究皆提及新數位工具能帶來潛在機會，仍然只有少數製造者有機會學習和體驗數位製造技術。這是因為相關知識和技巧的傳播研究仍處於早期階段。尤其是具有手工藝背景的製造者通常不太有數位製造的經驗，也較少接觸近年的轉變。有鑑於當前環境，本研究試圖探討數位製作技術如何影響製作文化和實踐。另外，本研究也試圖釐清此項變革對於從事傳統手工藝實作的專業及業餘製造者而言，帶來怎樣的挑戰與機會。本研究將採質性個案研究，為二十位本地製造者舉辦數位製作工作坊。透過參與式觀察、工作坊舉行前後之訪談與工藝品（工作坊成果）分析，本研究將探討不同製造者群體在實踐與價值感知上，如何受到新進科技的影響。此外，本研究也將處理在實作情境和社會文化情境下需要解決的問題。本研究成果預期將帶來以下層向之意涵。本研究將從社會文化實踐和培育創意與相關產業的角度，闡明製作者文化的重要性。另外，由於數位素養在後數位時代不可或缺，因此本研究將分析新型數位工具所帶來的挑戰與機會，成果將有助於研發提升數位素養的教學材料。 |
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| Realisation of objectives: | The PI has achieved most project objectives stated in the initial proposal. The first objective was to investigate contemporary craft practices focusing on the changes derived from the democratization of digital fabrication technologies and re-juxtapose them in new groups of makers and creative industries. The PI invited 18 craft practitioners based in Hong Kong, both professionals, and amateurs, who have no or little experience in digital fabrication technologies, and conducted a month-long workshop to identify their perception of the potential benefits and shortcomings of the DFT. The workshop consisted of 12 hrs of lecture and hands-on practice over four weeks. The interviews(pre- and post- workshop) with the workshop participants revealed that craft practitioners in Hong Kong had had little exposure to opportunities to learn DFT. However, the majority had a positive outlook on the DFT's impact on crafts. Through literature review and case studies of contemporary craft resources and exhibition records, it was found that contemporary craft practices have substantially evolved into hybrid ones. The changes were detected in several aspects. The term 'craftsperson' is no longer solely used to define craftspeople's occupation; instead, craftspeople tend to identify themselves as a designer-maker, designer, maker, or artists capable of crossing boundaries between different fields. The ways contemporary craft practitioners run businesses have extended into hybrid modes(online and offline), various scales, materials(mixed media), and manufacturing methods(handmaking & digital making). The second objective was to identify the benefits and challenges in integrating traditional and digital craft practice and describe the potential development of craft within the creative industry in Hong Kong. It was found that the craftspeople felt that DFT would be beneficial to all, especially in enhancing productivity and creativity. By shortening the time for prototyping or directly reproducing parts, labor costs can be reduced while the production quantity can be increased. The participants also mentioned the potential improvement in artistic exploration and affordable customization options. After the workshop, the participants identified the potential advantage for the craft practitioners to adopt the technologies since general makers who do not have a good understanding of materials and making processes cannot be fully benefited from manufacturing with DFT. However, in order to apply to their practice, the research participants noted that an intensive tailored training program with experienced teachers in digital crafts would be necessary for formal and informal institutes. The third objective was to explore new social, cultural, economic, and aesthetic values generated by the maker movement and how they relate to both individualistic craft practice and the community. With just a few cases of practitioners who run businesses with products made with DFT, generalizations could not be made. Also, a long-term impact could not be measured in this cross-sectional study with data derived from the one-month-long workshop. However, overall the perception of the craft practitioners on DFT's impact on economic aspects was found to be positive. In addition to the potential artistic and economic developments brought by the integration of DFT into craft practices, the research participants emphasized and anticipated the enriched value of craft labor and crafted objects amid the rise of the maker population. The craftspeople expected that the public's making experiences with and without digital technologies would enhance the value of craft in society. The PI sought to invite craftspeople to participate in the exhibition to disseminate the findings and produce local cases of craft practitioners using DFT. However, due to a small pool of potential participants in Hong Kong, local and international artists and designers were invited to showcase their work involving the creative use of digital fabrication technologies. The outputs from the exhibition, including an exhibition booklet, artist videos, artist talks, and a guided tour, were used as educational resources. To host the art exhibition, the PI received additional funding from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council since the allocated education plan budget could not cover the expenses for the exhibition implementation. The PI used the HKADC grant to cover a part of the research support staff salary and general expenses. There were two significant challenges in carrying out this research project. Due to a lack of existing documents about craftspeople and industry demographic data, and craft-focused governmental bodies, reliance on the networks based in academic institutions was inevitable. In 2019-20, due to protests in Hong Kong, it was challenging to recruit workshop participants and ask them to commute and attend the workshop for a month. The sample size and workshop duration were reduced. The PI acknowledged the RGC in the research outputs(conference paper, exhibition materials), but one acknowledgment is missing in the published research paper due to the journal publisher's mistake. | ||||||||||||||||
| Summary of objectives addressed: |
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| Research Outcome | |||||||||||||||||
| Major findings and research outcome: | The research outcomes of the project include: (1) one research paper entitled 'Craftspeople's new identity: The impact of digital fabrication technologies on craft practices' published in International Journal of Technology and Design Education (see section C-8); (2) one paper presentation entitled 'A case study of craftspeople's experiences with learning digital fabrication technologies' in the conference EdMedia + Innovate Learning (See section C-9); (3) curation of an art exhibition entitled 'Post-Digital Materiality' at 1a space in Hong Kong (See section C-11 &12). The project's findings revealed that craft practitioners in Hong Kong had had little exposure to digital craft practices enabled by digital fabrication technologies(DFT). It is mainly because of few training opportunities in tertiary institutions where most young practitioners in Hong Kong are trained. Through the short-term educational workshop with 18 craft practitioners in Hong Kong, it was found that both professional and amateur craftspeople have a positive outlook on the status and sustainability of craft in the creative industries. After the workshop, the participants identified the potential advantage for the craft practitioners to adopt DFT as the craft knowledge and skills that can be creatively combined with DFT. In order to maximize the potential benefit for craftspeople using DFT, a tailored DFT training education for craft practitioners will be required as well as sufficient exposure to case studies in the application of DFT in craft, art and design fields. To further promote the DFT integration into artistic practices, the PI curated an exhibition entitled ' Post-Digital Materiality.' It showcased local and international artists' works questioning the materiality of physical and digital objects and exploring the conceptual and physical dimensions of DFT. The show attracted diverse audiences in Hong Kong and overseas (through online events). The audio-visual data and documents produced during the exhibition were used as educational resources in the PI's classes. | ||||||||||||||||
| Potential for further development of the research and the proposed course of action: |
Since this qualitative case study was cross-sectional, a long-term impact was not measurable. Learning digital fabrication technologies and applying them to craft practices require intensive training and a long period. Hence, a longitudinal study can be designed with a bigger sample size to quantitatively measure the long-term impact of digital fabrication technologies on craft practices in socio-cultural and economic aspects. Since there is no existing nationwide data on craftspeople, including contemporary practitioners (e.g., designer-makers) in Hong Kong, a demographic survey will be necessary. Additionally, a study developing a new craft curriculum for secondary and tertiary institutions that could integrate traditional hand-making and digital-making processes would be needed to sustain and develop craft practices in Hong Kong. | ||||||||||||||||
| Layman's Summary of Completion Report: | This research was one of the first studies investigating the current status of contemporary craft in Hong Kong with a focus on digital craft. Through qualitative data collection and analysis of the educational workshop with 18 craftspeople in Hong Kong, it was found that the participants are aware of the availability of digital fabrication technologies (DFT) beyond its industrial uses and the need to adopt the technologies. The craftspeople envision that DFT would benefit them by enhancing productivity and creativity. They also perceive that their craft knowledge and skills would be an advantage to thrive in the creative industries. However, most craft practitioners lack opportunities to learn hands-on and apply it to their practices. They found that DFT is not advanced enough to replace manual skills and tacit knowledge, and it would require intensive training for craftspeople to apply to their practice. The project's findings revealed that the development of a new DFT training curriculum tailored for craft practices would be necessary to maximize the DFT's positive impact on craft practices. | ||||||||||||||||
| Research Output | |||||||||||||||||
| Peer-reviewed journal publication(s) arising directly from this research project : (* denotes the corresponding author) |
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| Recognized international conference(s) in which paper(s) related to this research project was/were delivered : |
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| Other impact (e.g. award of patents or prizes, collaboration with other research institutions, technology transfer, etc.): |
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| Realisation of the education plan: | |||||||||||||||||
| SCREEN ID: SCRRM00542 |