Bachelor of Communication Design Design MADA Now 2022

Monica Ouk

Hello! My name is Monica and I’m a multi-disciplinary designer working within the intersection of media, design, technology and critical theory. As a creative residing and working within Bunurong Country, my practice enables me to approach design through a conceptual, critical and decolonial lens to address the current and emerging socio-political and cultural landscape. Throughout my design degree, my projects explore the complexities of the Asian diaspora, cultural appropriation, techno-mysticism and digital culture. From speculative web design, video art, experimental sound production to print-based mediums such as posters and branding - I’m passionate about it all!

Outstanding Project

Make Your Oriental Brand - Pop-Up Space

Make Your Oriental Brand is a project that critiques how large corporations create and adopt an aesthetic which is racist to Asian communities. It takes an audience-centred approach to understanding/learning about cultural appropriation through an interactive pop-up space. By participating in cultural appropriation through meta-commentary, audiences are educated on the nuances of it. Therefore, audiences are put on the spot to create their own oriental brand, utilising racist signifiers that are provided to them. Obviously, all the copy and design is openly and distinctly racist to reinforce the satirical nature of it.

Make Your Oriental Brand - Introduction Board

The start of the Make Your Oriental Brand Workshop begins with a brief introduction of the project and the required steps the participants must complete to successfully create their oriental brand identity. Taking inspiration from the Adobe Start-Me-Up project, this project establishes a pastiche of the rising trend of cultural appropriation exhibited in both the corporate and design industry. Thus by reckoning with the act of cultural appropriation, the participant becomes aware of the unravelling nature of orientalism - they come to realise that to critique it, you must engage with it.

Make Your Oriental Brand - Pamphlet

When the participants first enter the pop-up space, they are encouraged to take a pamphlet and create their oriental brand. Essentially, the pamphlet acts as a guide for the participant and enables them to document their choices in name, logo, colour palette and mascot. The pamphlet is designed to be holistic and simple in order to help accentuate the DIY nature of the project. Then again, the copy, design and typeface were all deliberately chosen to reinforce the satirical essence of the identity such as the juxtaposition of oriental typefaces with neutral ones to illuminate the self-referential personality of the MYOB workshop.

Make Your Oriental Brand - Cards

Several cards were created for the Make Your Oriental Brand Pop-Up workshop for the Logo activity. Participants are encouraged to choose an icon or/and a typeface for their logo. Each individual card reiterates the synchronous sarcastic tone prevalent in the workshop, whilst deconstructing the stereotypes and racist motifs situated within Western culture. It also highlights the diverse culture of Asian communities by delineating satirical commentary to critique the participants inherent prejudices. The cards themselves are able to be interacted with by the participant, to aid them with making design choices for their hypothetical brand.

Make Your Oriental Brand - Social Media

A social media campaign was also created for the Make Your Oriental Brand workshop, as participants are able to post their experience and hypothetical brand on social media for us to share. The campaign also serves to concretise the striking yet simplistic aesthetic of the pop-up space through a digital format that is equally as interactive.

Make Your Oriental Brand - Components

The project includes various components situated in the 4 activities. Within each activity, there are distinctive colours and a typeface that is implemented to establish a cohesive and holistic brand identity. The typeface utilised is Aesthet Nova and it is complemented by a striking three-colour palette to emphasise the deconstruction of the brand making process. All of these components are interactive and can be moved around the space to help with the participants decision-making.

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Jacinta Ramsdale

Sienna Fernando

Savanah Murtough

Monica Ouk

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