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A contemporary designer's insight into traditional African art : exploring the role played by indigenous art and artefacts in contemporary South African design
Author(s)
Damba, Buchanan Zwelibanzi
Date Issued
2020
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
This study explores contemporary South African graphic designers’ awareness and use of
indigenous African cultural traditions and knowledge systems (especially South African) in
their design thinking and practice. The basic question addressed concerns the extent to
which design challenges are currently being solved by sourcing inspiration and solutions
from indigenous art and artefacts.
Stephen Biko’s Black Consciousness philosophy reveals the potential of post-colonial and
post-apartheid South Africa by identifying the preconditions for genuine equality. The study
takes its cue from this to propose a transformative outlook that is accommodative of all the
many and various cultural codes available in South Africa.
The research process of coding qualitative data led to the emergence of four categories:
colonialism and Western influence in South African design, embracing South African cultures
for identity growth, slow transformation, and the notion that South African design history is
unknown. Each of these was examined in terms of inspiration, practice, globalisation,
progress and Africa. Inspiration refers to the sources on which contemporary graphic
designers draw, practice deals with the incorporation in design applications of traditional
cultural and indigenous knowledge systems; globalisation covers the influence of technology
and world relations on South African graphic design, progress refers to the post-apartheid
transformation of the country, and finally, Africa covers the graphic designer’s knowledge
and definition of what African art and artefacts actually comprise.
Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory approach is adopted for this research since it
explores questions of both ‘what’ and ‘how’ in respect of a phenomenon or occurrence. The
method proceeds without preconceptions to formulate generalisations from the data
gathered. Qualitative data was assembled through interviews with a sample of graphic
designers. The research established that graphic designers in South Africa are currently
working towards a culture of inclusivity with positive acceptance of South African indigenous
cultural and knowledge systems. Given the persisting global dominance of a European
Modernist design aesthetic, this process of transformation is bedevilled by neo-colonial
resistance, ignorance, and lack of confidence. These obstacles are addressed through the paradigm of Biko’s Black Consciousness, which is
as pertinent today as it was in the 1970s. The vision informing the study as a whole is of a
graphic design industry that is fully inclusive of all the cultural codes and traditions woven
into South Africa’s once fractured history and society.
indigenous African cultural traditions and knowledge systems (especially South African) in
their design thinking and practice. The basic question addressed concerns the extent to
which design challenges are currently being solved by sourcing inspiration and solutions
from indigenous art and artefacts.
Stephen Biko’s Black Consciousness philosophy reveals the potential of post-colonial and
post-apartheid South Africa by identifying the preconditions for genuine equality. The study
takes its cue from this to propose a transformative outlook that is accommodative of all the
many and various cultural codes available in South Africa.
The research process of coding qualitative data led to the emergence of four categories:
colonialism and Western influence in South African design, embracing South African cultures
for identity growth, slow transformation, and the notion that South African design history is
unknown. Each of these was examined in terms of inspiration, practice, globalisation,
progress and Africa. Inspiration refers to the sources on which contemporary graphic
designers draw, practice deals with the incorporation in design applications of traditional
cultural and indigenous knowledge systems; globalisation covers the influence of technology
and world relations on South African graphic design, progress refers to the post-apartheid
transformation of the country, and finally, Africa covers the graphic designer’s knowledge
and definition of what African art and artefacts actually comprise.
Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory approach is adopted for this research since it
explores questions of both ‘what’ and ‘how’ in respect of a phenomenon or occurrence. The
method proceeds without preconceptions to formulate generalisations from the data
gathered. Qualitative data was assembled through interviews with a sample of graphic
designers. The research established that graphic designers in South Africa are currently
working towards a culture of inclusivity with positive acceptance of South African indigenous
cultural and knowledge systems. Given the persisting global dominance of a European
Modernist design aesthetic, this process of transformation is bedevilled by neo-colonial
resistance, ignorance, and lack of confidence. These obstacles are addressed through the paradigm of Biko’s Black Consciousness, which is
as pertinent today as it was in the 1970s. The vision informing the study as a whole is of a
graphic design industry that is fully inclusive of all the cultural codes and traditions woven
into South Africa’s once fractured history and society.
Additional information
Thesis (MTech (Graphic Design))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2020
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