debate issue 17 2012

issue17 2012

FEATURE: ThoUGHTs ON CREATIVITY + AN INTERVIEW WITH BIG SCREEN VFX ARTIST CHRISTIAN ALZMANN

ARTIST of the week | SPORTS | NEWS | FASHION | REVIEWS

CONTENTS

THE PRIZE. Win a Makeover and become the face of our new TV ads.

HOW TO ENTER. 1. Snap a creative self portrait at Atrium on Elliott.

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5. Entry closes 31st August 2012.

6. The winners will be notified on Facebook.

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CONTENTS

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Editorial

6

Social Media Highlights

Sports 10 One of these sports is not like the other

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Artist of the week Hally Scobbie

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AS CHELSEA C’s IT

12 HITSORY OF DESIGN AND WORLD 15

RecIpe corner

AuSM 16 Prez sez

AuSM update

Feature INTERVIEWS 18 Emily Priest - Spatial Design 20 Christian Alzmann - ILM 22 Tatiana Taraves - Illustration 24 David Way - Watermark

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on the cover:

editor Nigel Moffiet nigel.moffiet@aut.ac.nz sub editor Matthew Cattin

Article Diabetes

designer Ceapum Kaushish ceapum.kaushish@aut.ac.nz

POLITICS Like me, follow me, Vote for me

contributors Matthew Cattin| Scott Moyes | Morgahna Godwin | Amber Rinkin | Jarred Williamson | Renee Simpson | Kieran Bennett | Chantelle Lincoln | Megan Phillips | Ksenia Khor | Jennifer Choat | Annabel Cramer | Sarah Gibson | Ceapum Kaushish

ARTICLE Bringing graffiti to the people

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Design Issue CYAN - class of 2012

Fashion The flowing trends of brightly coloured hair

advertising contact Kate Campbell kate.campbell@aut.ac.nz

32 Reviews

printer PMP Print Ltd.

STUDENT PROFILE 34 Mark Wu

publisher all rights reserved

debate is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA)

This publication is entitled to the full protection given by the Copyright Act 1994 (“the Act”) to the holders of the copyright, being AUCKLAND STUDENT MOVEMENT AT AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED (“AuSM”). Reproduction, storage or display of any part of this publication by any process, electronic or otherwise (except for the educational purposes specified in the Act) without express permission is a break of the copyright of the publisher and will be prosecuted accordingly.

Inquiries seeking permission to reproduce should be addressed to AuSM.

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disclaimer Material contained in this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of AuSM, its advertisers, contributors, PMP Print or its subsidiaries.

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EDITORIAL

reception help out in a creative sense.

Would it be fair to say creativity runs through everyone to some degree?

Editorial Image : http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnuckx/3207766497/sizes/m/

When I was at school we were set the task of sketching fruit and ornaments that were set in the middle of the room for art class. One of my friends, who was notoriously bad at drawing, got half way through the task before turning over his paper to begin drawing a messy scribble which was supposed to represent an underwater world inhabited by sea monkeys. It was a terrible drawing. But when our art was marked and handed back to us, I was bemused to discover he scored quite nicely – not on the fruit and ornaments, but on the sea monkeys. Yes, our teacher decided to mark his sea monkey drawing! In other words, his creativity stemmed not through his technical prowess but through imagination.

Yet, creativity doesn’t just relate to drawing pictures and making art. If you play an instrument, if you like to sing, if you’re into fashion, cooking or gardening or any other hobby, there’s a fair chance it requires a good dosage of creativity whether you’re aware of it or not.

Even at uni, a good helping of creativity is much needed while carrying out assignments and research, regardless of the degree you’re undertaking. In this sense, I always liked Einstein’s quote that imagination is more important than knowledge. I guess it means you have to be open to all ideas and possibilities for any new information to flow your way.

But being open to new ideas doesn’t always come easily or naturally. I guess you sometimes have to make a conscious effort to expand your horizons. Some simple tasks like brainstorming and listing one’s thoughts might help in this regard. Certainly, reading is another way of coming into contact with new ideas which might

But there is nothing worse than having that dreaded mental block; that brick wall inside your head that refuses to let through any fresh ideas. This is especially bad when you’re in the middle of an exam – you start to panic and then everything escapes you. I’m guessing all of us have experienced this from time to time.

I recently came across a list of ideas on how to stay creative. Here are just a few tips: carry a note book, try free writing, drink tea/coffee, get away from the computer, allow yourself to make mistakes, have fun, get feedback, know your roots, don’t give up, practice a lot, collaborate, listen to new music, watch new films – the list goes on.

In this issue of debate we have a number of interviews with people studying and working in different fields of the creative industry. Aside from some interesting profiles and conversations, there are a number of lessons and themes which run throughout and they reinforce a number of the tips listed above. Many of the people interviewed mentioned the value of thinking outside the box and trying new ideas, many stressed the importance of enjoying your work in order to remain creative, and as Tatiana Tavares mentions in her interview, getting to know yourself and your roots is very fundamental. Whether or not you consider yourself a creative person, I feel there’s a lot we can take away from these ideas and apply them to any number of pursuits.

So good luck to all you creatives out there, all the best in finding your muse and bringing some light and colour into the world through whatever you do – please don’t hide your talents; share for all to see!

- NIGEL.

City Campus Level 2, WC Building 921 9805 Mon-Thurs: 8am-5pm Fri8am-4pm North Shore Campus Level 2, AS Building 921 9949 Mon-Fri: 11am-1pm Manukau Campus MB107 921 9999 ext 6672 Mon-Thurs; 9am-3.30pm

governance & leadership Kizito Essuman AuSM Student President 921 9999 ext 8571 kizito.essuman@aut.ac.nz

management

Sue Higgins General Manager 921 9999 ext 5111 sue.higgins@aut.ac.nz

advocacy

Nick Buckby Liaison Manager 921 9999 ext 8379 nick.buckby@aut.ac.nz

marketing

Kate Campbell Marketing and Communications Manager 921 9999 ext 6537 kate.campbell@aut.ac.nz

events

Carl Ewen Student Life Manager 921 9999 ext 8931 carl.ewen@aut.ac.nz

LETTERS

media

Nigel Moffiet Publications Co-ordinator 921 9999 ext 8774 nigel.moffiet@aut.ac.nz

Dear debate, I’m loving debate. It adds a little something special to uni. I’m loving the spot the differences and the puzzles. I’m loving the recipe corner. I’m loving the random articles like the Caffeinated Banter. I’m loving the sports sections and the humour sections. I’m loving the art. In my opinion I’d much rather have a debate in my hand than a cheeseburger.

sports

Melita Martorana Sports Team Leader melita.martorana@aut.ac.nz

vesbar

Zane Chase Vesbar Manager 921 9999 ext 8378 zane.chase@aut.ac.nz

Thanks heaps, I’m loving it (Jessica Johnston)

volunteers & clubs

Letter of the week wins two movie tickets for event cinemas debate letters policy: Letters need to make it into debate’s mailbox before Wednesday, 3pm each week for the following issue. You must give us your name when submitting letters to be eligible for letter of the week, but you can use a pseudonym for publication if you wish. Any letters longer than 250 words may be subjected to editing. The editor reserves the right to decline without explanation. Most importantly, the views contained on the letters page do not necessarily represent the views of AuSM. Send your letters to debate@aut.ac.nz or if you want to kick it old school, PO Box 6116, Wellesley St, Auckland.

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Deanna Berry Volunteers Coordinator 921 9999 ext 8911 deanna.berry@aut.ac.nz

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Morgahna Godwin It’s that time again. Four years have passed since we last came together as Kiwis to support our New Zealand Athletes, and four years ago Twitter was pretty much nonexistent. Look at us now - vomiting out 140 characters like crazy bitches. In honor of the Olympics, and our technological advancements, I’ve compiled a list of the best Olympic tweets.

Stan Walker@1stanwalker

“Watching Ozzy vs France womens basketball..

Incredible game.. She just got it in from half way at the last second.. Awsome girls.. Godbless” That’s what she said.

Hilary Barry @Hilary_Barry

Nick Hadouken @nickrice5

“I love that a 56 year old is likely to win New Zealand’s first Olympic medal. Just think - in nine years Mark Todd will be a superannuitant.”

Guy Williams @guywilliamsguy

“If you’re having girl problems I feel bad for you son / but I’m Mark Todd and I’m the greatest horse rider of all time bitch. #MarkTodd”

“If you close your eyes whilst watching the Olympics basketball it sounds like you’re getting attacked by mice” If that’s true then I have had rabies for a very long time.

Rob Ackroyd @Ackersboy

“NBC’s coverage of the Olympics makes London look like such a Tonka Town. I’ve never seen so many Beefeaters and double decker buses.”

Guy Williams @guywilliamsguy

“You can lead a horse to water... but you can’t enter it in the Olympic Swimming. Otherwise Mark Todd would tear that shit up! #MarkTodd” I love how Hilary inadvertently calls Mark Todd a geriatric and Guy Williams refers to him in a ‘Chuck Norris’ capacity. Someone tell Mark, please.

The reluctant Brit. Embrace the change Rob, embrace.

And if you just don’t give a shit about the Olympics, here’s something to make you smile:

Jenna Mourey/Marbles @Jenna_Marbles

NZ Olympic Team @nzolympics

“NZ 1 - AUS 0 Womens Hockey #nzolympics” A score we all like to see regardless of the sport or the occasion.

We’ve already won if you ask me. *All images taken from twitter

“Gave myself an aggressive camel toe putting on my pants today#toomuchcaffiene”

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SPORTS

One of these sports is not like the other: an Olympic debate by SCOTT MOYES “The Olympics are a great chance to immerse yourself in sports you wouldn’t usually sit down on a Saturday night to watch.”

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t’s incredibly easy to write when you’re passionate about what you’re talking about. The words are all there; you know exactly what you’ve got to say and all you have to do is put it in logical sentences. Example: I just watched the Warriors get beaten by the Sea Eagles having conceded three tries in the last ten minutes of the game. Now I just want to spray verbal diarrhea at anyone who will lend an ear. But in the name of responsible reporting I shall refrain.

However, I do wish to talk about something else that grinds my gears just a tad. Whenever the topic comes up I always struggle to contain myself. You will often hear discussion about what sports should be staged at the Olympic Games and which ones should be left out. You always get these people saying there should be rugby and cricket and quidditch (I’m not even joking) and whatever else. Most of them think they’re standing up for equality and giving everyone a chance to share in Olympic glory. Translated: they just want to see the All Blacks win some more shit. But there is a really clear-cut solution to what should and should not be staged at the Olympic Games.

Whatever it is, winning Olympic gold should be the very pinnacle of success in that sport. Athletics is one of the best examples of this. For someone such as Usain Bolt, winning an Olympic gold medal is the absolute height of glory for his career. Apart from breaking world records, there is no greater achievement in his sport. It usually comes down to the simplest sports out there that involve the

potential to beat time or distance records.

These are always going to be relevant to the Olympic Games. No matter what happens to this Earth, as long as there are humans they will always compete to see who is the fastest runner or swimmer.

Time and distance records stand the test of time. No matter how many years pass you can accurately say that Usain Bolt is the fastest man to have ever competed at the Games so far. However, with other sports this isn’t so easy to judge. There has been a lot of talk lately about how this year’s American basketball dreamteam compares to that of 1992. The truth is you will never be able to say for certain who takes the title. It’s a matter of opinion and no statistics out there will give you a clear-cut verdict. You may argue that this is insignificant but the Olympics are so rich in history and its achievements that it is only natural to compare yourself to legends of days gone by.

There are two sports that really drive my opinion on the matter. The first is soccer. For players worldwide, competing at the Olympics is an honour, no doubt, but it most definitely is not the pinnacle of the sport. The ultimate achievement is winning the World Cup for your country. I’d even argue that winning the Champions League is more significant.

It is also age-restrictive at the Olympics, although each nation is allowed a certain amount of over-aged players. Sound confusing? It is. The Olympic Committee should scrap it altogether.

The second is tennis. Once again, an Olympic gold medal is not the ultimate

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dream for tennis players, even if Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic were the flag-bearers for their respective countries. Ask any player on the tour if they’d rather have a Wimbledon title or a gold medal and I know exactly what each and every one of them would say.

Look at Rafael Nadal – he has pulled out of the games with injury, yet already committed to the US Open tournament in September. The Olympics Games are supposed to be about putting the best in the world up against each other to achieve never-before-seen heroics. You can’t guarantee that athletes who aren’t striving for the ultimate success are going to contribute their ultimate performance.

The Olympics are a great chance to immerse yourself in sports you wouldn’t usually sit down on a Saturday night to watch. Have a look through SKY’s 73 different channels dedicated to the Games and find something a bit different.

You can saturate yourself in soccer and basketball anytime, but only every four years will you get such extensive coverage of things like fencing and archery. Get behind the underdogs; cheer for the Kenyans trying to out-swim the Aussies. Cheer for the runners that aren’t Jamaican. But most of all, appreciate that you’re living a moment in history. You never know what’s going to happen or what the world will still be talking about in a hundred years’ time.

ISSUE 17 2012

ARTIST OF THE WEEK

Hally Scobbie I’m currently in my third year as a graphic design student majoring in illustration. I’ve been a freelance graphic designer for roughly ten years now specialising in web design and branding and wanted to focus on enhancing my illustration work. My main interests are character development and children’s book illustration and very much a traditional approach using pen & ink and watercolors. Inspiration comes from Gris Grimly, Edward Gorey & Tim Burton’s work.

You can follow my online sketchbook at

www.wooshdesign.tumblr.com

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ARTIST OF THE WEEK

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Keep an eye out for the Windows U Crew around campus Do a trial, get a USB It’s that easy Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/windowsucrewnz Follow us on Twitter: @WindowsUCrewNZ

All right, this is a big one, insecurities! We ALL have them in some form or another but the question is do you let it bother you?? Insecurities can be both physical and mental from not liking your body image to being scared the other person is going to cheat Both girls and guys have insecurities about there bodies and it will be individually different depending on the type of person you are, one quick tip if you come across confident most of the time your significant other wont even notice. Or there is your other option of express it to your partner, they can help reassure you it doesn’t matter to them, if your already dating they must not mind to much!!. One thing I’ve been asked about is that relationship weight gain thing.

Yep it happens to a lot of us its very easy when settled or settling to have eat out dates, but if it is a problem for you try other dates that keep you busy, maybe a long walk beach side or one tree hill. Come up with other ideas to spend time together without eating.

try suggesting active dates, or if wanting to be straight up approach delicately “ hey babe you ok, noticed you gaining a little weight?” That way if they have noticed it to they have the chance to agree with you, and you have a nice opportunity to suggest some gym-ing dates.

Moving on to our mental insecurities there are many things we worry about mentally “Am I good enough for …?”, “Are they cheating on me”, “Do the parents like me?”, “Will we last?” The best thing I can suggest is don’t stress yourself out too much, COMMUNICATION IS KEY, talk to your partner about what ever it is and work through it as a couple if your together they should be your first point of call if there are insecurities and it is relationship based they are the best person to figure it out with you.

BTW if you notice you or your partner packing on the pounds avoid the whole “hey baby you getting fat!” that will not go down well instead

Alright so that good old question of does age matter.

Firstly age definitely does matter if you are looking at those under the age of 16.

Seriously it is not even legal to have sex before that age, no older person (university students or workers) should be getting involved in a relationship which is intended to lead to sex with someone of that age. That is just straight wrong.

Next lets move on to us students. From what I’ve noticed as we get older, love and devotion do not discriminate on age. If you find someone a little older, a lot older or what ever, and you are of consenting age I say do what makes you happy, if that person makes you happy (Not condoning chasing taken/ married people) go for it. In the end the relationship is between the two of you, and maturity levels defer among people of many ages, it is the connection between the two individuals that matters. However there is a warning with this as there are extra considerations when in a relationship with someone older. One of those being what you see in your future, your elder partner may have differing plans as

they may be entering or in a different stage of their lives.

But this does not have to be a deal breaker it just means a bit more communication and awareness of what each of you requires out of the relationship, other then that Enjoy life and enjoy relationships and be true to you.

As I focused majority on the younger persons point of view, I do want to make this final comment, some elder people do prey on the innocent, inexperienced, trusting younger generations and pursue those that they feel have more control over so when I say age does not matter as a consenting adult I do warn caution just like dating douchebags our own age is possible those older that have all the lines and practice can be just the same, trust your gut feeling and try look at it critically, decide if it is fulfilling what you should have in your life.

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Meet with our staff:

Thursday 23 August, 7.00-8.30pm Mercure Auckland, 8 Customs St, Auckland Register via: http://www.eng.unimelb.edu.au/nz *THES World University Rankings by Subject 2011-2012. No.25 in the world in Engineering and Technology.

DEBATE.indd 1

31/07/12 2:33

gn

1492 CE

First Roman style type

Columbus discovers new world

1440 CE

Chinese invent movable type Wooden movable type was first developed around 1040 AD by Bi Sheng (990–1051), as described by the Chinese scholar Shen Kuo (1031–1095), but was abandoned in favour of clay movable types due to the presence of wood grains and the unevenness of the wooden type after being soaked in ink.

Gutenberg Gutenberg was the first European to use movable type printing, in around 1439, and the global inventor of the printing press.

Among his many contributions to printing are: the invention of a process for mass-producing movable type; the use of oil-based ink; and the use of a wooden printing press similar to the agricultural screw presses of the period. His truly epochal invention was the combination of these elements into a practical system which allowed the mass production of printed books and was economically viable for printers and readers alike.

Gutenberg’s method for making type is traditionally considered to have included a type metal alloy and a hand mould for casting type.

1467 CE

Woodblock printing in Europe In Europe, Woodcut is the oldest technique used for old master prints, developing about 1400, by using on paper existing techniques for printing on cloth.

The explosion of sales of cheap woodcuts in the middle of the century led to a fall in standards, and many popular prints were very crude.

1400 CE

1040 CE

Earliest Printed Manuscript

1000 CE

0 CE

197 BC

753 BC Rome founded

1000 bc

2100 BC Copper Tools & Weapons Used

3100 BC

15,000-10,000 BC

Cave paintings, Lascaux Discovered in 1940 by teenagers the Lascaux cave paintings are the best example of paleolithic cave paintings. This is where it all started!

Julius Caesar assassinated

Early Sumerian pictographs The Sumerians used pictographs created on clay tablets using a “wedge” shaped tool. The pictographs are the earliest form of writing and the first alphabet to be discovered.

100 BC

Rosetta Stone The Rosetta Stone is an Ancient Egyptian granodiorite stele inscribed with a decree issued at Memphis, Egypt in 196 BC on behalf of King Ptolemy V. The decree appears in three scripts: the upper text is Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, the middle portion demotic script, and the lowest Ancient Greek. Because it presents essentially the same text in all three scripts (with some minor differences between them), it provided the key to the modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Gun powder used in China

Early Greek ALPHABET

Book of Kells The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript Gospel book in Latin, containing the four Gospels of the New Testament together with various prefatory texts and tables.

It was created by Celtic monks ca.

800 or slightly earlier. The text of the Gospels is largely drawn from the Vulgate, although it also includes several passages drawn from the earlier versions of the Bible known as the Vetus Latina.

It is a masterwork of Western calligraphy and represents the pinnacle of Insular illumination. It is also widely regarded as Ireland’s finest national treasure.

800 CE 868 CE

esi D F RY o d O hIST worl e & th

First English Newspaper

Industrial revolution

1st French photographic printing plates Art Nouveau Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art— especially the decorative arts— that were most popular during 1890–1910.

The name “Art Nouveau” is French for “new art”. A reaction to academic art of the 19th century, it was inspired by natural forms and structures, not only in flowers and plants but also in curved lines.

1875 CE

1757 CE

1750 CE

1621 CE

1608 CE

1700-1800 Neoclassical

Telescope invented

1597 CE Romeo & Juliet published

1523 CE

Mona Lisa painted

1505 CE

Garamond typeface designed

1825 CE

The main Neoclassical movement coincided with the 18th century Age of Enlightenment, and continued into the early 19th century

1814 CE

Baskerville Typeface designed The Baskerville typeface is the result of John Baskerville’s intent to improve upon the types of William Caslon.

He increased the contrast between thick and thin strokes, making the serifs sharper and more tapered, and shifted the axis of rounded letters to a more vertical position.

The curved strokes are more circular in shape, and the characters became more regular.

These changes created a greater consistency in size and form.

Baskerville also pioneered a completely new style of typography adding wide margins and leading between each line.

Braile invented by Louis Braille

Neoclassical Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the “classical” art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome.

Steam powered press At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, the mechanics of the hand-operated Gutenberg-style press were still essentially unchanged, although new materials in its construction, amongst other innovations, had gradually improved its printing efficiency. By 1800, Lord Stanhope had built a press completely from cast iron which reduced the force required by 90%, while doubling the size of the printed area. With a capacity of 480 pages per hour, it doubled the output of the old style press.

Nonetheless, the limitations inherent to the traditional method of printing became obvious. Two ideas altered the design of the printing press radically: First, the use of steam power for running the machinery, and second the replacement of the printing flatbed with the rotary motion of cylinders. Both elements were for the first time successfully implemented by the German printer Friedrich Koenig in a series of press designs devised between 1802 and 1818.

continued in issue 18

Impressionism Impressionism is a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists. Named after a painting

by Claude Monet “impression, sunrise”, the movement focused on nature and focused on brush strokes rather than lines and contours.

1870-1886 Impressionism

1890-1910 Art Nouveau

» www.counterspace.us

ISSUE 17 2012

Correctly identify the five differences in the two photos then circle them and drop your entry into your nearest AuSM office, or the box on the side of the red debate stands, or post to debate PO Box 6116 Wellesley St before 12pm Thursday.

What’s up for grabs? Two “squawk burgers” vouchers for Velvet Burger on Fort St, Auckland CBD.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

to our issue 16 winner

Meleane Hausia City Campus

1. How high is a regulation basketball hoop from the ground?

2. What year did Elvis Presley hit the charts with All Shook Up? 3. How many red balls are in a game of snooker?

4. Which year did the USA Dream Team first win gold in men’s basketball?

5. The African rhinoceros has 2 horns on its head?

6. In West Virginia, it is illegal to do what underwater?

7. In Idaho, you cannot give someone this if it weighs over 50 pounds?

8. In Alaska, it is illegal to do this from a flying vehicle?

9. Who was the killer in the original Friday the 13th movie?

Name Phone # Email Campus

10. All Polar bears are left handed?

*Answers on page 30

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Dear Scared

Dear Agony Aunt I have a very embarrassing problem. I'm too embarrassed to go to a doctor but I'm really worried there is something seriously wrong with me. When I wipe myself after going to the toilet for a bowel motion I see lots of bright red blood. I do not have any pain but I am shocked to see so much blood. I am so scared I cry sometimes.

From Scared

www.theedinburghblog.co.uk’s photos via Getty Images

I understand how scary this must be for you but it is very important you get a doctor to check you out. Often bleeding from the anus is caused be haemorrhoids (sometimes known as piles) and is easily resolved. However a diagnosis from the doctor is essential to exclude something more serious. You may feel embarrassed initially but just think how relieved you will be afterwards. Health Counselling and Wellbeing has male and female doctors so you can choose who you want to see. Don’t worry any longer make an appointment today.

Do you want to create a tasty meal for under $10 for 4 people then look no further, this could be what’s for dinner tonight….

INGREDIENTS:

Mexican Beef Nachos

► 500g Beef mince ► 2 cans mild chili beans ► 1 can hot chili beans (You can change the ratio of hot to mild beans if you prefer things hotter or milder) ► 1 Large onion, roughly diced ► 1 400g can of chopped tomatoes in juice ► 1 cup grated cheese (edam/ tasty) ► 1 large packet of cheese/salsa nacho chips ► Optional: sour cream and avocado ► 2 Tbsp oil ► Salt and Pepper

Step 1:In a medium sized pot heat up the oil and add the onion, cook for 2-3 min.

Step 2: Add the beef and cook until brown. Add all the chili beans and canned tomatoes.

Step 3: Bring mixture to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, add salt & Pepper to taste.

Step 4: Place nacho chips on plate/bowl add nacho sauce and place cheese on top (Add optional sour cream and/or avocado) Enjoy!

WORTH $4.50

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COST: $9.70 - for four people -

(With optional ingredients $12.20)

This dish is a classic international one, if you feel like spicing things up at the dinner table you will love this high protein tasty meal.

ISSUE 17 2012

AuSM Student President

Last week to Nominate Yourself!

Nominations for the 2013 Student Executive Council close on 10th August!

There are 12 positions available including a paid position for the elected Student President, a great first step into the real world! Being on the Student Executive is a great experience and ensures all AUT students have a collective voice. It also looks great on your C.V! Check your inbox for the nomination details you would have received on 23 July or go to www.ausm.org.nz.

Olympic Games at Vesbar

Kia Ora everyone, I hope you all had a fantastic time last week – your third week into this semester. To all my fellow students, especially the second semester first year students, please make good use of the University’s Free Learning Development and Success (Te Tari Āwhina) programmes as they are very helpful. Their staff can advise you on many aspects of your academic work such as writing essays and assignments, taking notes, giving oral presentations, understanding the culture and expectations of academic study and much more. I have been studying at AUT for the past seven years and I still find those ‘Keys’ useful – I even had to take some during my AUT MBA School Induction programme.

I will be catching up with the Vice Chancellor, Derek McCormack very soon to talk about student matters and other things in general. So if you have any concerns about the delivery of services and facilities on campus, academic related issues or any other general student issues please email me or drop in at my office at WC 202 and I will take note of that as well.

Cloud 9 which is an AuSM affiliated club, is bringing you the SUPERNOVA. ‘Like’ the SUPERNOVA page on Facebook and post a comment on it telling them why you should WIN a DOUBLE PASS to SUPERNOVA,

plus EXPRESS ENTRY and TWO FREE DRINKS on arrival. They have two of these prizes to giveaway, one for the best comment, and one for the comment with the most likes.

Prize drawn 12pm Saturday 11th August. SUPERNOVA is a premier event showcasing NZ’s industry leading artists with support from our nation’s leading DJs. For more details, contact Sam or Savanna at cloud9.uni@gmail.com Two weeks ago, the Republic of Ghana lost its sitting president, H.E John Evans Attah Mills. President Mills died at the age of 68 at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra, Ghana.

The international community is mourning with Ghanaians. Tributes from global leaders, politicians, family members, friends, and people all around the world keep flowing in for the man who was known as a man of peace and helped promote economic growth in Ghana in the midst of challenging global circumstances and strengthened Ghana’s strong tradition of democracy. On behalf of AuSM, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the Ghanaian and African students at AUT as well as the people of Ghana.

Till next time, have a lovely blessed week.

Your Student President!

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Obsessed with the Olympic Games?

Don’t miss out while you’re at Uni, come to Vesbar and watch it with us! You can even grab lunch and a drink at the same time... Not into sports? Try the Vesbar board games – Jenga, Monopoly, Connect Four and Scrabble!

AuSM Sports

Get social! The AuSM social netball league and futsal league start in August on the North Shore campus – sign up now by emailing

melita.martorana@aut.ac.nz

or check out the “Sports” section at www. ausm.org.nz.

AuSM Connect

Have you checked out the AuSM smartphone app “AuSM Connect”? You can store all your classes, find local discounts and keep up with what’s going down on campus every day. Download AuSM Connect from the iPhone App store or Android Google Play.

Buy, Sell, Trade

If you’re looking for a textbook, selling something or wanting a flatmate you should check out the AuSM Classifieds.

It’s free to place a listing on the “classifieds” at www.ausm.org.nz

Vice Chancellor’s Awards Information Workshops

Would you like to know more about the process for this year’s Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Academic Excellence in Teaching? Are you thinking of nominating a lecturer? Has a colleague asked you to accept their nomination?

Come along to a one hour session on Tuesday 7, Wednesday 8 or Thursday 9 from 12.30-1.30pm and have your questions answered. Please feel free to bring your lunch - tea/coffee/juice will be provided. Contact Pam Wyse on ext 8375 or email pam.wyse@aut.ac.nz if you would like to attend. The sessions will be held here at CfLAT in level 1, WY.

AT&T

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Aug 17

AUT SNOWSPORTS

Winter Madness Presents

Dane Rumble With Guests

At

Sweet Mix Kids Jimmy P Lost Boys Ditto Rowie

$25 +bf VIP $35 +bf

Fashion Showcase of This Seasons Winter Gear

Tickets Avaliable from 200 Discount Release Tickets avaliable from

https://www.facebook.com/events/503285056351575/

AUT City

9/05/11 1:48 P

FEATURE

Interview by Ceapum Kaushish

ISSUE 17 2012

An artist doing what she loves in the spatial word Emily Priest 26, Emily was born in Wanganui and grdauated from AUT in 2010 with a Bachelors in Spatial Design.

She is currently working as a Spatial Designer for Cheshire Architects Ltd in Auckland.

See more of Emily’s work at: www.a-small-act.tumblr.com

If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.

- popular adage

The truth behind this simple sentence becomes evident when you hear passionate creatives like Emily Priest talk about their love for design.

Emily graduated from AUT with a bachelor’s degree in spatial design (Hons) in 2010. Her unique approach to each project creates a new story in two and three dimensions. Emily’s creative direction has won a variety of awards and recognition recently attaining a coveted Gold and Bronze award at the 2011 Best awards (New Zealand’s top design awards).

So what got her interested in spatial design?

“I had an amazing design teacher at school. I really enjoyed it there and decided to pursue it further. I started studying graphic design at Wanganui School of Design in 2006, and realised that every piece of work I did turned into an installation piece.

At the end of my first year I was involved in a major car accident and am lucky to be alive. And this of course became the turning point in my life.

It made me rethink my decisions and where I wanted to be. I loved graphic design, but I knew there was another side of design I wanted to explore. This led me to spatial design at AUT. I called up to inquire about the course but was told submissions ended months ago. So I decided to take a direct approach and contact the head of school, Albert Refiti myself. Within a week and half I was in Auckland starting the course. I believe I was still on crutches. I remember for the first three months I felt a bit out of place but I really loved the course.”

The transition from graphic to spatial design was surprisingly easy for Priest.

She loved it because of the freedom she says.

“Not necessarily a freedom that was offered by the course but the freedom the tutors gave you.

“I was really lucky to have two amazing tutors, Carl Douglas and Andrew Douglas. They really encouraged me to continue thinking outside the box and challenge everything.”

Talking to Priest, I was also keen to gauge her opinion on spatial design and how one might come to define it. She says one of the things she loves about this particular design is that it’s open to interpretation.

“It’s hard to define and that’s what I

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loved about it. The courses openness was a great comfort to me, I often cannot understand it when people feel the need to label things. For me, spatial design is taking a space, no matter its condition, and adding creativity in the form it needs. The truth is, there is no right or wrong way of defining or doing spatial design, or any design for that matter. Each person creates a new definition with their work.”

I also asked Priest how she found the transition between studying and entering a professional environment.

She says there were some anxieties with this change but she managed them positively.

“I loved uni. I felt I had endless days of playing, able to take the brief in whatever direction I chose. This is of course where it differs from the professional world. I often question, ‘how can I make this work practically, on budget but still carrying the delight?’.

“To be honest as I neared the end of uni I was a little bit scared. I constantly asked myself ‘Is my work good enough?

Who could I work for?’ So, I decided to outline what I really enjoyed about design and what I wanted. My dream job was to work for someone who was design driven, I then looked into those around and paid particular attention to those I thought whole-heartedly dismissed a cookie cutter design approach. I feel like now I am lucky enough to be working with the best in the business.”

So how does Priest reflect on her time as a student – does she have any critical advice? I asked her if she would change anything in the courses she studied.

“I wouldn’t have said this when I was a student but the course should really focus on drawing. Clients don’t care if you know a program well or not. When pitching ideas to clients, it is important for you to visualise your ideas then and there.”

In terms of student tips, Priest says taking al oportunities that come to hand is the key.

“Gather plenty of experience, take any freelancing work you can and build up your portfolio. If you cannot find anyone you aspire to, start your own thing. Identify your strengths and work hard to improve your weaknesses.

“It is important to make contacts and get involved. This is how people get to know who you are. Don’t be a cookie cutter designer, that’s not where dreams are built. If you follow your true passion you will find your dream job.”

go to sleep thinking “my work will change the world”

aaand repeat 6AM!

“just want to go to bed...”

rise and shine

sleep in

home time casual drive to work

“guess this will do” says the boss

gazillion changes later... stuck in traffic

miss the bus

take it to the boss

numerous mouse clicks later...

come up with a great idea

get handed an insane number of projects

do more concepts

get distracted

drink lots of coffee

Ceapum Kaushish

sit in front of the computer screen forever and...

do lots of concepts

FEATURE

Christian Alzmann - image from www.semipermanent.com

ISSUE 17 2012

An artist comes alive on the big screen An interview with senior VFX art director Christian Alzmann

By Ceapum Kaushish

Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars: Episode II, Men in Black II, Transformers, and Rango are just a few examples that demonstrate the talents of humble genius Christian Alzmann.

Alzmann’s creative journey began in kindergarten when he decided to ‘render Darth Vader in finger paint.’

His childhood urge led him to Art Center College of Design (Pasadena, CA) and study illustration. He graduated with distinction in 1998 and scored a job at the prestigious Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) visual effects company. Christian started as a production assistant and now works as a senior VFX art director.

I was aware of Alzmann’s work but listening to him speak at the creative conference Semi Permanent this year was just unreal. I got in touch with him afterwards and he kindly agreed to share his story with debate.

You started as a 2D artist.

What made you get into live animation?

“I always loved the idea of working in films. Growing up I had two passions, Disney animation and live action sci fi/fantasy films. I think I would have been happy working in either.”

Who influenced you as an artist?

“My first influences were guys like Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston who worked on the original Star Wars films. As I got older I started looking at book illustrators. My favourite guys now are the American illustrators from I guess what’s considered the golden age. Guys like NC Wyeth, Dean Cornwell, Mead Schaeffer and JC Leyendecker.”

Can you tell us about your journey to ILM? How did you get here?

“I went to Art Center College of Design and studied Illustration. I chose that school because Ralph McQuarrie had gone there years before. While I was there I put together a few portfolios. One of them was an animation portfolio, because Dreamworks and Disney were doing great things at the time.

It was filled with storyboards, layout and background paintings I had done. Different companies would come to Art Center to do on campus interviews for the students that were about the graduate and I saw

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that [Industrial Light & Magic] was listed. I really didn't think I had any chance at all with an animation portfolio, but I had to try and at the very least I could meet someone that worked there. I really almost didn't even bother to sign up. During the interview I was really pretty relaxed because, again, I thought I had no chance. They looked at my book and liked it and I remember telling them that one of the reasons I picked Art Center was that Ralph McQuarrie went there. They didn't know that and were pretty impressed. They then told me they were working on a digital feature, which fell in line with my portfolio. The next thing I know we were talking about schedules and salary. Luckily we were nearing the end because then I got really nervous.”

What is the role of a Senior VFX Art Director?

“Mostly creating concept designs for anything that might be a visual or special effect. Most often we work in the framework that is set up by the production designer. He's the guy that is in charge of building and designing all of the sets and creating a design aesthetic for the film. We usually show our work to our VFX supervisors here at ILM or to the director. On some projects we might also have a few concept artists working with us and it’s the art

WWW.AUSM.ORG.NZ

director's job to supervise that work.

We often start when the movie is just beginning and there is only a script and we will work until the very end making sure all of the designs come out looking as they were intended.

Once the artwork is approved, then the digital asset has to get built and put into shots. There are a lot of other people that will work on it at that point. We go to dailies and look at everything in progress and give them feedback to keep things moving forward. During post production we might paint over a frame in Photoshop to help the lighting or paint 2D elements to help a shot progress too. Anything to help the work more forward.”

What are some of your favorite projects to date?

“They seem to be the Spielberg projects. I loved working on AI and War of the Worlds, and I love Steven Spielberg's sense of infectious enthusiasm and strong leadership.

Terminator Salvation was fun too because we got to do a lot of design work on it.”

What changes do you see in the 3D industry? Do you ever wish to go back to traditional media?

“The biggest changes are that the software is getting easier and easier to use so that more and more people are comfortable jumping in and

FEATURE

trying it. Also, off the shelf software produces really great results now. I love traditional media and when I miss it I will go out at lunch and do a landscape sketch in gouache or an oil study at home, but as a designer it makes far too much sense to work digitally now. You have the power to really finish what you started with that early sketch. Professionally, I feel there is room for both. Lately, I feel I need to know both so that I can take my sketches to a finished design.

I do miss seeing art that looks like art though.”

The industry is evolving. So much is changing and there is a huge audience for 3D. Do you think 2D animation is at a risk? Does it have a future?

“Stylistically film has changed.

The camera moves so much more now than it did 15 or 20 years ago.

That is hard to pull off in pure 2D animation. I really hope that the domination of 3D animations is just a fad, because I really don't believe that anyone cares whether it's 2D or 3D. Most people just care that it’s a good, compelling story. It's tough on traditional animation right now because 3D can look very 2D with the addition of a moving and dynamic camera. I was just watching Tron Uprising yesterday, and it looks like a really super dynamic 2D cartoon, but it's 3D. Either way, I can say that

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drawing will always be vital whether or not the films are actually made from them.”

What is your favorite software at the moment? (Something you would recommend students to learn) “Photoshop is always the main one, but I've been playing with Zbrush and Modo a lot lately. Zbrush is really fun. For students on a student budget I recommend playing with Sculptris or Sketchup. I believe those are still free to download and they're both great for getting your feet wet.”

What advice would you like to give to all the budding talent out there?

“Draw two hours a day minimum. If this is what you want to do then you have to put the hours in. If you put two hours a day into something for at least a year you will improve. I find most portfolios can always be boiled down to how well someone draws.

Then once you have work you are proud of get it online and out in the forums or on your blog or website.

It’s much easier to get your work out there and to be seen now, but there is a lot of competition, so work twice as hard as everybody else.”

See more of Christian’s work at: www.christianalzmann.com

ISSUE 17 2012

FEATURE

Getting back to your roots: a reflection on creativity Interview with designer Tatiana Tavares

By Ceapum Kaushish

“My study at AUT has been a really big journey for me. It has helped me discover myself and helped me settle in a foreign land,” says 32 years old Tatiana Tavares, as she talks to debate about her voyage as a designer in New Zealand.

Originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil, Tatiana Tavares came to New Zealand in 2004. She graduated from AUT with a Masters of Art and Design in 2010 and now works as a Senior Lecturer at Media Design School.

Her beautifully illustrated book ‘Carnival Land’ won a Bronze in New Zealand Best Awards (2011) and received a high recommendation at Illustration awards in Australia (2011). She was recently invited to be a guest speaker to speak about her thesis “Bricolage Identity” at Upstream Conference held at Institue HyperWerk (May 2012)

What made you choose AUT? “I was a graphic designer before. I came to NZ in 2004 and I started [post graduate] studies in 2009. I worked in packaging and advertising. When I decided to do PG studies I was working with a design company in North Shore.

I took print design when I was in high school in Brazil. I had a bit of understanding of design when I started working. I was only 19 when I got my first design apprenticeship; worked full time and did uni in the evening. I always really enjoyed design. This was all I knew and I was good at it.

I did bachelors of design in Brazil.

When I came to New Zealand I worked for a while. I realised I wanted to do more conceptual thinking rather than continuously meeting deadlines at work. This was when I came across AUT’s Masters of Art and Design and decided to go back to studying.”

What influenced your work the most while you were studying?

“Photographs have inspired me since the beginning. They tell you a story and give character to your work.

Designers who did collage influenced me. I always liked playing around in Photoshop and spent most of my early days in re-touching photographs and merging them together. This was something I enjoyed doing. I was fluent at it.”

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Your final year project at AUT was really well received by everyone. It even won a Bronze at the Best Awards. What was your muse for this project?

“My final year project ‘Carnival Land’ is an illustrated graphic novel. I use my experience of coming to New Zealand as a reference to create the narrative.

The main character is actually myself.

It shows the characters’ struggles in the land. People in the book wear costumes and masks. This is a comparison to different cultures.

My first and second year at AUT were a struggle and I did not know where I belonged. My supervisor at AUT, Welby Ings, was very supportive and suggested I go back to my roots and figure out what I wanted to do. I went back to Brazil and it was Carnival time there. It gave me a sense of identity and connection with my own culture. That is what changed me. It all made sense and it gave my life a new perspective.”

How would you define your personal design style?

“I want to give a sense of memory through my work. So most of my work has a strong renaissance influence.

It has a lot of calligraphy writing and texture. Collage cannot be defined, it merges a lot of different styles together. You are trying to find a balance amongst the mix. I want to create a world I envisage at the back of my mind.”

WWW.AUSM.ORG.NZ

Did you always think of teaching design instead of working in the industry?

“This was my initial idea. I wanted to be involved in education. I have worked in the industry but I realised commercial practise fills my expectations to a certain level.

Research, on the other hand, is what you are investigating, something that goes beyond just selling products. I like to question rules constantly. Education gives me that opportunity. I chose teaching because it is like sharing my experience. It allows me to inspire my students. I give and I receive. It helps me look at things in a million different ways through the eyes of my students.

It is more fulfilling. You bring the knowledge to the classroom. I am also doing freelance projects on the side but teaching is my my passion.”

There is a huge ongoing debate on survival of print design. Do you think print is dying?

“I believe graphic design profession today is a multidisciplinary. You cannot survive knowing just one skill.

I don’t think print will completely die but it will shift in a different direction.

A print designer will have to learn to adapt to digital media as well.

I believe designers need to know a bit of everything but specialise in one. Focus on your strengths. The market is constantly shifting you never

FEATURE

know what will happen tomorrow.

So we should be prepared to adapt to change.”

You have walked in the shoes of a student and now a teacher.

What advice would you give to students?

“Students need to understand that design is something that requires a long time to develop. You learn but you need to give time to yourself to research, ask questions, and think about the concept and not just concentrate on the final product.

The final can always be improved.

The foundation needs to be stronger.

University is a time where you learn how to develop concepts. Students overlook this step. They don’t spend enough time and then struggle when they step into the professioanl world.

Feel connected with your designs. Let them speak for themselves. It’s not just about the designer it is about the people you are designing for.”

How has studying at AUT benefited you?

“AUT has opened a variety of doors for me.

The industry teaches you a lot. My Masters study made me think about my ideas. I work much better now because I now know what to question.

It is important for designers to ask the right questions. We are problem

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solvers we need to understand the questions. AUT’s program helped me get a better understanding of the design process which is really important. You cannot afford to make random decisions out there.

You need to learn why you choose a particular colour, a particular shape or a font. Everything needs a reason.

The audience might not notice it but these reasons will help you sell your work effectively or make your designs effective.”

AUT has a lot of international students. Do you have any advice for them?

“I remember being really homesick in the beginning. I had a hard time coping with the changes around me.

I taught myself how to speak English.

It is easier to speak in your own language sometimes but it is essential to overcome any communication barrier in order to move forward. I realised it doesn’t matter where I go, my home needs to be in my heart. It is up to me to make myself happy. Life goes too fast. You cannot waste it being sad about things you do not have. My experiences have taught me to live in the moment and give it my best and I advise the students to do the same.”

See more of Tatiana’s work at: www.tatytavares.com

ISSUE 17 2012

FEATURE

Sarah Gibson talks to Watermark’s Animation Director and AUT graduate DavID Way.

Born in Durban, South Africa, David Way graduated from AUT in 2005 with a Post Graduate Diploma in Art & Design. He has won many awards over his career including a Gold at the prestigious Best Award (2011), highly Commended at Illustrators Australia (2012) and a Gold at Illustrators Australia (2011) plus many more.

David is now one of the company directors of Auckland-based collective of illustrators known as Watermark Ltd. He is heading the animation and interactive projects of the company.

What do you feel you benefited from the most as a student at AUT? “I think the relationships you form with the students and lecturers you work alongside goes a long way to getting a headstart in the industry. Since the lecturers and tutors are all working as professionals in their respective fields, a lot of what you learn is immediately relevant.”

“Find something you really enjoy doing. Keep it fun, you can sometimes lose a lot of passion for what you do when it gets too serious.”

Who has influenced you as an artist?

“As far as technique and style, I feel I’m quite eclectic and have never gravitated to one individual for very long. However, as a creative thinker I think I learnt more from Prof. Welby Ings than any other person. Ten years on and I still catch up with Welby and I still feel inspired after each visit.”

Can you tell us about your journey from studying to where you are now?

“I guess it’s been one on continuous learning. After graduating, I thought I had a very clear idea of exactly what I wanted to do and how the industry worked, but it was only after I had worked for a couple of years and done a bit of traveling that I started to understand what really motivated me. After about three years working in a variety of different places and after doing some postgraduate study, I met up with Simon Shaw from Watermark. I remembered him from a talk he did for our class in third year and after a brief chat, we both found we had a common passion for telling illustrative stories. We started working on some animation projects together, just simple things that we thought would be fun ideas. Fast forward to today and we’re still working as a creative team, still having fun and sometimes doing work if we really, really have to.”

What is the role you play at Watermark?

“I’m one of the company directors, and at the moment I’m heading the animation and interactive side of what we do.”

What are some of your favourite projects you have done so far?

“We look for ways of getting as much as we can from every project we undertake but the ones that stick in my mind are…

“The Shapeshifter music video app. We just recently released this project on the iTunes store after several months of working in it. It’s incredibly fun working with new toys and technology and seeing how far you can push it. Although it was a challenging project to overcome technically, it was great working with other types of creatives and arriving at a very interesting collaborative result.

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WWW.AUSM.ORG.NZ

FEATURE

Watermark has offices in Auckland, Wellington, Sydney and Melbourne. They recently created a 3D Music Video for Shapeshifter’s single ‘Monarch’ and have worked on campaigns with clients like MTV and Vodaphone. Watermark are host to amazing world class illustrators who specialise in illustration and animation from editorial work all the way through to packaging and advertising.

“The concepts, artwork and animation for the V evolution game.

This was our first big game that the studio created and put together and involved a team of artists and animators. It was great working on a project that was so illustratively and creatively driven.

“Artwork and concept art for the Vodafone Foundation campaign.

One of the few projects that we’ve been given free rein to create something really visually fresh and provoking. There have been lots of others which have been fantastic projects either because of the end results and/or the people we get to work with.”

What changes do you see in the illustration and creative industry?

“Commercially, we’ve noticed that the smaller illustration jobs (like simple icons and spot illustrations) are being swallowed up by the stock imagery websites, but more and more we’re becoming involved in much larger projects that have multiple outcomes. With the surge towards high quality digital content, it’s been an important part of our process to understand and adapt creatively to the new ways in which people interact and respond to imagery and stories.”

How do you see New Zealand’s creative industry growing in the future?

“With the comparatively small creative industry in New Zealand, clients seem to be more game to push for more innovative, competitive and creative ideas in comparison to the generally more conservative larger markets overseas. Because of that, New Zealand has a reputation of producing good quality creatives.

With the degree of social connectivity worldwide, I think the future for New Zealand creatives living here, is the ability to collaborate and export their talents overseas.”

The industry is evolving. So much is changing and there is a huge audience for more interactive and digital media. Do you think that traditional illustration is at risk? Does it have a future?

“Yes it has a future, there will always be a place for “traditional artwork”. At the end of the day, computers and paintbrushes are all just a means to an end. If you can draw well and tell good stories on paper, the digital medium simply becomes another extension of that ability. In fact, in my opinion, the great digital artists I’ve met all have their talents rooted in traditional techniques and approaches - concepts like colour balance, tone, composition and form supersede technique.

What advise could you give to students wishing to set up their own businesses, creative or otherwise, to stand out from the crowd?

“Don’t be afraid to share and collaborate, it’s becoming too hard to just walk out of uni and be able to do everything. Learn what your strengths are and try where possible to surround yourself with people who you trust and who compliment your abilities.”

What advice would you give to all the budding talent out there?

“Never stop learning, there is always something new to discover.

Keep challenging yourself, it’s far too easy to become complacent and settle with what you know. Find something you really enjoy doing. Keep it fun, you can sometimes lose a lot of passion for what you do when it gets too serious.”

“Although a lot of commercial illustration work requires a digital outcome, there is no reason why 99 per cent of the process can’t be traditional. If you’d like to do traditional illustration as a living (or any illustration for that matter), it becomes less about exactly how you achieve your end result and more of a process of understanding how your work fits into the market place.

“On the flip-side, there has never been a better opportunity for artists to self-publish their work to a global market (whether it’s made traditionally or digitally). With the explosion of the selffunded, self-published, projects of recent through portals like Kickstarter and the iTunes Store, all the tools are there to get a community behind your work and ideas - it’s never been a better time to be a creative thinker.”

See more of Watermark’s work at: www.watermarkltd.com

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ARTICLE

ISSUE 17 2012

By Chantelle Lincoln and Megan Phillips With fast food chains excessively advertising fatty food, sugar readily available at every corner dairy and soda cheaper than milk, it’s no wonder diabetes is on the increase. Over 208,000 New Zealanders have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Every day 50 more people are diagnosed and an estimated 1/3 of all cases remain undiagnosed.

Diabetes is a condition that prevents the body from properly using energy from food. It occurs when the pancreas does not produce insulin, or when the pancreas produces insulin but it is resisted by the body.

Type 2 diabetes can cause damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves and blood vessels. Many of these side effects can be delayed or avoided altogether through careful blood sugar control and regular exercise.

Why is having an active lifestyle so important for students?

Type 2 diabetes and obesity are quickly becoming the scourge of communities. It has been reported that type 2 diabetes most often occur in individuals 40 years or older but is now starting to show increasing levels among young people from the ages of 10 – 18 years, especially those of ethnic descent such as Maori and Pasifika.

Spending hours in front of the computer screen, living off cheap food and drinking alcopops in your down-time can all contribute to the rigors of influences that cause diabetes. As students, what are we expected to do? We can’t exactly say, ‘sorry miss I didn’t do my assignment because I might get diabetes from sitting at my computer for 12 hours on end’ or ‘sorry bank, I spent my overdraft on expensive high quality food.’ Moderation is key!

 Get involved in physical activity,

being active helps blood flow to the brain – in return giving you more brain power to power through those all nighters. Maybe instead of sitting on the couch watching movies on your day off, you could find a coms student to help you make your own movie!

 Control the amount of sugar

and fat you consume throughout your day – maybe you don’t need those five chocolate biscuits and a V for lunch. Make your own lunch, it sure won’t beat mum’s sandwiches but it’s easy on the pocket.



Make your own vege patch!

Vegetables are the source of a nutritious healthy lifestyle, they’re cheap, easy to cook and you can pretty much throw them into any dish.

So what is the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes?

Type 1 People who do not make any insulin (or very little) have Type 1 diabetes.

Because the immune system destroys the pancreas they have stopped making insulin, and their body is unable to use glucose for energy. They tend to lose weight very quickly because their body is actually being starved. Their health rapidly deteriorates and they would die if insulin were not given.

They therefore require insulin by injection several times each day.

Along with some dietary changes, this will allow the person to maintain good health.

Type 2 People with Type 2 diabetes are still making insulin but the production is sluggish or their body is resistant to insulin. Becoming overweight is

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almost always the cause of the body becoming resistant to insulin and can trigger Type 2 diabetes, even in young people. Type 2 diabetes can be treated with weight loss and regular physical activity. Medication in the form of tablets is often required to reduce the resistance to insulin or to stimulate the pancreas to make more insulin. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition in that the pancreas continues to get more sluggish over time. People with Type 2 diabetes may eventually require insulin.

Building Awareness

In collaboration with diabetes NZ, a few AUT iMAPS students have taken the initiative to get involved to raise student awareness around diabetes by holding a fun interactive event for everyone.

The event will be held on: Wednesday 15th August AUT City Campus Quad 11am – 2pm With the help and support of Faith MMA and other sponsors, some fun, keep-fit challenges including kettle bells, altitude masks and sock pulling are certain to get that heart rate up. Fancy a competitive game of tug-of-war? Get your buddies together to form a team; prizes will be awarded to the champions of each challenge. If severe weather persists, the event may need to be postponed to a later date.

by Annabel Cramer

T

he last thing a second-year, selfconfessed long black addict wants to hear from her doctor is that, for medical reasons, she must not only give up alcohol but her caffeine as well in the middle of what happened to be the three most stressful assignments EVER. Although I was nowhere near the 99.6 cups of coffee it would take to kill someone of my weight, I was a somewhat avid coffee consumer. Given that it only takes approximately 100mg of caffeine a day – about half a cup of coffee – to start an addiction, I was well and truly hooked with my 3-4 cup habit. Not only did this cause my hard earned moolah to percolate out of my pockets at a rate faster than I realised, it also made going cold-turkey, during the most stressful part of the semester, much harder than I ever anticipated.

The first two weeks, as you could imagine, resulted in more than some splitting headaches which painkillers could not reduce and fatigue beyond belief. On top of this (due to the timing) there were some NetballSocialLeague_2012.pdf

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9/07/12

very disappointing assignment results.

As of today, I am currently six weeks and four days coffee-sober, and the benefits have made me feel like I have been born again as a (potentially) A+ student. While I was a coffee-nut, I thought it was normal to have to stumble out of bed after ten hours of sleep still feeling like I had been run down by a rhino. After the initial two-weeks of hell, I noticed an absolutely positively dramatic change in my lifestyle.

Not only did I wake up at 8.30am with no alarm, feeling as though an unknown godsend had injected energy serum into my veins, but my concentration seemed (to me) to be 100x the capacity of a normal human being. The last week of semester one was spent gathering the knowledge I had missed over my two-week slump, but weirdly enough, I was not a quivering ball of stress as some expected.

Not only that, I am less at risk of hypertension, heart palpitations, stomach cancer and paranoia. And I am less likely to

be wrinkly when I am older, as caffeine ages the skin, sources say. Always a bonus.

Although the initial come-down may have left me to be a quivering, snivelling, stressed, tired, angsty, grumpy, sore and snappy sloth for the better part of two weeks, the superhuman concentration and dramatically reduced stress level that followed made that hell well worth the battle.

Although it looks a lot less sophisticated to order a trim hot chocolate instead of a long black, I haven’t been giving boutique coffee shops half my wages for several coffees a day. I’ve saved enough ‘coffee’ money to buy a pair of Jeffrey Campbell’s – boys, that’s equivalent to two and a half copies of Skyrim. In six weeks.

So, given it’s the start of semester two, think about kicking coffee for touch. Go explore the world of herbal teas and caramel lattes, and become a student with superhuman concentration.

3:42 PM

Tuesday 14 August 2012 10.00am – 4.00pm Wednesday 15 August 2012 10.00am – 4.00pm

AUT Wellesley St Conference Room, WA 224 A & B, Wellesley Street, Auckland

POLITICs

ISSUE 17 2012

Like me, follow me, Vote for me: The new-age politician

P

Jarred Williamson

arliament and its members in the past seem quite different to the bunch we have at the moment. Yes, you can argue some aren’t as charismatic; maybe some are a hundred times better than those of the past. But, there’s just something different about them.

Twitter and Facebook:

Gender and ethnic ratios aside, it is social media that seems to be another avenue bringing the politician closer to the everyday Joe.

Whilst Facebook is also widely used, I’ve found that more politicians interact over Twitter than Facebook due to the easy nature of Twitter.

In the past, it seemed like the press release and media interviews were the only way to connect with a politician. Yes, we still had our local members but the politician seemed like a figure above us all.

A few years back National MP Tau Henare was dubbed “Minister of Twitter” from his numerous and sometimes out there tweets from inside and outside the house. A few times his comments made news headlines, but his twitter feed is usually a good read as he certainly speaks his mind.

While politicians still use the traditional media to challenge one another and to release policy, social media is now widely used by politicians to connect with their supporters and is another avenue for exposure to the public. Increasingly with social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, politicians able to freely express themselves and their ideas.

For example, one’s excitement when the prime minister follows you on Twitter or the Australian prime minister follows you (they don’t follow everyone who follows them). Maybe you can tweet and have a conversation with your local MP. Recently I read a tweet from Greens coleader Metiria Turei about National behaving rudely in the house during a debate. I replied saying Labour and the Greens weren’t any better and I got a response.

Probably one of the best ways to connect with a politician nowadays, Twitter’s 140 character limited messages are a quick and convenient way for an MP to get an update out or to quickly reply to a user’s tweet.

Other busy tweeters include members of the Green party and Labour MP Trevor Mallard, often posting updates from the house or their view over certain issues. Certainly Anti-Asset sales messages spread all over Twitter with MPs using the #SaveOurAssets hashtag.

While the benefits of social media are great, there are ways not to use it. Certainly politicians have been caught out, as you can delete a tweet or post but no doubt someone has screenshot it or its made headline news.

Megan Woods is a recent example, after a debate over asset sales in parliament she likened National’s policies to Hitler and his anti-Semitic policies in Nazi Germany.

It caused a stir, forcing the party leader to distance himself from the comment and forcing an apology from Woods. It just doesn’t look good and the negative press generated can be a hindrance.

While social media makes us feel like we can be closer to the politician, they must manage their messages very carefully. It can lead them to ridicule online and generate bad news for them and their party. If you’ve ever seen the numerous memes on Facebook and elsewhere on the web, you know what I’m talking about.

Attention seeking? Yet another controversial post from Colin Craig.

The Meme: While a good laugh for most of us, the spread of memes over Facebook and other online sites can be a bit of a headache for the politician.

Before, it was just cartoonists in the paper making fun of a policy or political drama.

Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, it seems as though a user may now have this privilege and puts the politician under more scrutiny. Especially if they have made a controversial claim in the media.

Numerous pages have been created on Facebook spreading these memes. The example of Winston Peters I have shown is from “New Zealand Politics Memes”.

The meme: An example of MPs words made into a good laugh online.

Connecting with the public: An example of a MPs reply to a tweet. (Excuse the spelling errors).

With the growth of social media, a perception that it is more genuine than traditional sources of news has grown with it.

Some academics argue that social media is a more direct and trusted outlet for both news and connection to people.

been in the news often for his outrageous comments over social media. It seems he makes bold claims to get attention as he fights to get the party to enter parliament in 2014. My example here is after a bill to legalise gay marriage was drawn from the ballot. No doubt these comments will be used by the media in coming coverage over the bill.

Blunder: New Labour MP Megan Woods gives us a reminder to think before posting online.

Of Course Facebook is no different. There are endless examples of MPs getting it wrong, but I will focus on a politician outside of parliament.

Conservative Party leader Colin Craig has

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All in all, I think the “new-age politician” as I have called them (including the ones from the 1980s still in the house) embracing technology is a good thing. As MPs are supposed to be our representatives in parliament it is important to have a strong connection with them in letting our voice heard.

Even if you are a cynic, give Twitter a go, as it is often a handy way to keep up to date with the happenings here and around the world.

WWW.AUSM.ORG.NZ

ARTICLE

BRINGING GRAFFITI TO THE PEOPLE Nigel Moffiet If you headed into AUT’s Hikuwai Quad during the last study break, you might have come across Zamia Weatherall’s spatial design project on graffiti art.

Weatherall, in the second year of her degree at AUT, set up some walls and encouraged anyone who came past to have a go at creating their own graffiti.

It was a project that was intended to raise the profile of graffiti as an art form; something Weatherall admits is not easily accepted by most people. It was also focused on raising the history of graffiti art as a movement and the phases of the scene. “ A lot of people are down on graffiti art and don’t think it’s an art form, but once someone actually gets to have a go and spray on a wall, they figure out it’s not as easy as it looks,” she says.

Speaking of its history, Weatherall says graffiti art is recognised as one of the four pillars of the hip-hop movement – the art being a visual manifestation of the music. Other expressions included are break dancing and DJing.

“As the music has evolved so have the themes concerning identity, that of style, status, skill and street. However, with the temporality of this art form, recognition from the outside perspective can be distorted, especially through the means of media,” she says.

Zamia Weatherall - image from AUT facebook Photos by Ashleigh Hill

In this sense, Weatherall says her project was aimed at breaking down the public misconceptions around graffiti while acknowledging is still has an edge that pushes the boundaries of society.

“Graffiti art questions the threshold of what is deemed appropriate use of public space, offering questions of illegality and legality, interior and exterior, public verse private spaces, art or vandalism,” she says.

Although Weatherall says she likes to stick to the old school protocols.

“You get the new wave of graffiti artists or vandals coming through and they’re uneducated about the history and where it came from. Back in the day it would be like you don’t tag on a church, you don’t tag on a tree…there are no rules but there are some protocols that should be lived by.”

Weatherall has had a number of opportunities to make more mainstream use of her graffiti art, such as a revitalisation project for K Road.

She also ranks New Zealand as having some of the best graffiti artists in the world and says it’s a shame they don’t get the recognition they deserve simply because it’s not a widely accepted art form. On top of this, cities such as Melbourne, New York and Berlin are places where one can find some world class graffiti art she says.

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ISSUE 17 2012

FASHION

Fresh Menswear: On & On

All images taken from www.onandon.co.nz

Morgahna Godwin

T

he New Zealand menswear scene is really starting to step up its game. With the rise of the 'indie/odd future-esque following' our menswear brands have grown and grown.

Recently I met a few people who were associated with a menswear brand in little old Tauranga, and the stuff they’re churning out is pretty sick. On & On, a branding branch of Lower, are creating a Kiwi aesthetic that fits perfectly with Kiwi guys. It's the right balance of work and street wear.

On & On have a variety of leather satchels and iPhone cases (perfect for the tech savvy male) that play on the old school Hamptons prep.

There's a real reference to the old school American fly-fisher man - who would potentially have a house in rural Minnesota and enjoy dressing for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Kiwi edge is added with the slim fit straight jeans and the bold colour pairings. I’m loving it!

Also, from their current collection, I’m digging the fisherman beanies. I’m guessing the idea is a nod to the fishing culture that makes up a huge part of the Bay of Plenty. Again they take a work-wear item and reinvent it to appeal to contemporary tastes. A must have for winter.

Brands out of Tauranga are known for their street edge, which On & On maintain, but they add a little more tailoring that takes their clothing into that upper tier. In normal-people-thug speak, it’s fresh as hell. I'm excited to see who will be the first of the menswear brands to take this top button shit to the next level. After hearing what On & On have planned, I'm sure they will be among the leaders.

QUIZ ANSWERS: 1. 10 feet | 2. 1957 | 3. 14 | 4. 1992 | 5. True – the Asian Rhinoceros has one horn | 6. Whistle | 7. A Box of Candy | 8. Look at a Moose | 9. Mrs Voorhees (Jasons Mum) | 10. True

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REVIEWS

Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present Marina Abramovic, Ulay and Klaus Biesenbach Director:Matthew Akers, Jeff Dupre | Run Time: 106 min

Marina Abramovic is one of the most controversial artists of the second half of the twentieth century. Some say she is iconic.

Others just give credit to her incredible stamina but don’t even consider her work to be art.

Despite what side you’re on, the recent documentary by director Matthew Aker is going to strike a chord.

a great job in showing what it can. Through various close ups of Marina we can get a glimpse of what it must have been like to sit in front of her. Moreover, the documentary does not attempt to criticise Abramovich’s artworks.

It just allows us to meet Marina, learn about her roots and get some idea for what she has done for the performance art.

Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present is an intimate portrait of a notorious performance artist preparing for her massive retrospective in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Abramovich trained a bunch of young artists who are showing her early works at the exhibition.

While Marina teaches them to fast, meditate and enter a different state of mind, she reminisces about her native Yugoslavia, youth, failed relationships and fame.

All in all, Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present is a fascinating documentary that puts us into the heart of a great art piece in the making.

The highlight of the documentary is Marina’s latest piece The Artists Is Present. During this ambitious performance, Abramovich spends three months sitting silently in one of the museum spaces and encountering everyone who want to look her in the eyes. It is amazing how such a simple action as a glance drew 750000 people who wanted to experience a moment with the artist. More importantly during all these numerous encounters, Marina Abramovic managed to touch peoples’ souls.

Looking at her face, some people would start crying, and many of them would say that they had a feeling of unconditional love.

Surely a film cannot deliver all the intense emotions and the whole one-to-one experience with the artist. However, it does

Ksenia Khor

Counting Spins Clap Clap Riot Local musicians Clap Clap Riot have just released Counting Spins, their debut album. The boys, originally from Christchurch, have spent the last year working hard on the album and it has paid off with 12 awesome songs containing a sweet sounding Kiwi slant.

You’ve probably heard quite a few of the tracks from Counting Spins before as Clap Clap Riot brought out four tracks before releasing the album. The first was Everyone’s Asleep, which came out in March 2011. It’s the one that starts with a whole lot of clapping (kind of cute irony there, huh?) before kicking into a sweet chorus. The second song to receive some air time is Yoko Ono, and this is my favourite song off their album. It’s a great rock song which kicks off hard and fast and has a nice comparison to relationships like the one between Mr and Mrs Lennon.

Whether you feel partial to Yoko Ono or not, Clap Clap Riot turn her name into a great song.

You might also recognise the track Moss-Haired Girl, which was released in late 2011. With a similar sound to Yoko Ono, I feel this is the direction Clap Clap Riot want their songs to take – and it is a damn fine direction to take. Finally, So You Say came out earlier this year; it’s the track you probably best recognise and starts off with some strings before, again, kicking into a heavier chorus which is fast becoming Clap Clap Riot’s signature sound.

In saying this, as the rest of the album follows in a similar suit, there isn’t much variation between the tracks.

Everyone’s Asleep is probably the track which takes the biggest detour from common sound. However, because it is their first album, it still sounds fresh and you can forgive them for not putting in too much variation into their tracks. I especially recommend checking out Never Go Back and Lie. Thanks to a few good contacts in the New Zealand music industry, Clap Clap Riot had some help in making this album sound so good. The most significant help coming from Jimmy Christmas – the lead singer and brain child of The D4 and Luger Boa. Christmas knows how to make an album sound good, and Counting Spins has really benefited from his input.

Overall, Counting Spins is a great debut album; everyone I’ve talked to has nothing but good things to say. It is fair to say Clap Clap Riot are still finding their footing in the industry, and I can’t wait to see where they’re heading next.

Renee Simpson

REVIEWS

Le Tableau Voices of: Jessica Monceau, Adrien Larmande and Chloé Berthier Director: Jean-François Laguionie | Run Time: 76 min

Le Tableau sounds like a hipster’s wet dream. It’s French, the characters are surrealist paintings and, visually, it feels like a Studio Ghibli creation.

But unlike a hipster, Le Tableau has style, panache and it doesn’t take itself too seriously.

During my ritual scanning of the NZIFF booklet, I came across the little blurb on Le Tableau and I was thoroughly enticed by the film’s concept. Set within a painting, a kingdom consists of three social castes. The Alldunns are exquisitely painted snobs who reside in a beautiful castle.

Much to their distaste however, they coexist with the Halfies and the Sketchies. The Halfies are painted like the Alldunns but lack the colour and detail they so desperately desire to feel whole. The Sketchies are mere scribbles; colourless and hollow.

But their level of completion is not just skin deep; the Alldunns in their superiority speak eloquently, the Halfies don’t finish their sentences and the Sketchies struggle to express full ideas. Brilliant.

The story is, like you may predict, a Romeo & Juliet inspired romance between an Alldunn named Ramo and Claire, a Halfie. With both classes unhappy about their blossoming romance, Ramo and Claire experience a bit of hate crime which sees Ramo set off on a journey of sorts to seek their creator, the artist, for answers. Also along for the ride is Claire’s Halfie friend Lola, a Sketchie and a few other unlikely companions.

It’s a beautiful and original concept, perhaps a little sketchy for young children, but the fun really begins when the gang of adventurers fall out of their own painting into the artist’s home. From here, they whisk their way through a series of colourful paintings, meeting weird and wonderful characters in their search for truth. It mixes animation with live footage beautifully and you really do get caught up in the stunning imagery and mysterious magic.

I suppose in hindsight it’s not a children’s film at all; more like an adult idea disguised in colourful clothes. There are some pretty deep running themes of inequality, tolerance and colours thrown into the mixing pot, all stirred together with the motif of a divine hand; things that would brush right over the heads of young’uns. But since I’m old enough to read the film in all of its colours, it’s all the more delightful.

Matthew Cattin

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell and Dominic Cooper Director: Timur Bekmambetov | Run Time: 105 min

I’m no expert on American history, but I am nigh upon certain that Vampires did not feature in the battle of Gettysburg. However if they did, I might become more of an expert. Abraham Lincoln firmly establishes the utter coolness of vampires and American history being combined. In case you can’t figure it out, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is essentially a movie about its own title. Abraham Lincoln becomes a vampire hunter and proceeds to kill vampires, wear tall hats and be honest.

Helmed by Zac Snyder of 300 and Watchmen fame, I was pretty sure I knew what to expect. Action. Lots of vampire killing action. The film delivers in this aspect, providing a large slew of action sequences and a liberal sprinkling of slow motion. However, it does not really measure up in a dramatic sense. The plot makes sense but the problem is it’s just not that original; drawing on a huge trope of cliché. From the murdered mother to the unforeseen return of the childhood best friend, the gang (as they say) is all here. It’s also not helped by the fact it attempts to squeeze a president’s life into one film, adding more vampiric details as it goes; as such none of the characters other than Mr. Lincoln himself are particularly fleshed out. Sadly, the script suffers from a tendency to sink its teeth into the overly dramatic with such lines as “we reign over a nation of the dead”. It means that while the film tries hard to turn itself into a serious character driven horror film,

it just doesn’t achieve those heights.

Abraham Lincoln does have a few points going for it though.

As I said before, it delivers on the action; and it delivers in a big way. The action is incredibly slick and fast and throws out a lot of gore and destruction.

Of particular note is the scene where (for reasons that I couldn’t tell you), a train filled with silver crosses a bridge over a river, while being attacked by vampires. And the bridge is on fire. Is it ridiculous? Yes of course it is. But is it incredibly fun? Yes of course it is. The film doesn’t ask for you to ponder your place in the world at large, it only asks that you suspend your disbelief. If you can look past the utter bizarreness of the film’s concept, it turns into an averagely written, but incredibly fun, action horror story.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is not Shakespeare. It’s not a ground-breaking film, it’s not even particularly emotional.

But it is a great popcorn film.

Ignore the film’s inherent bizarreness and just jump on and enjoy the ride which this over-the-top, explosion filled film offers.

Kieran Bennett

ISSUE 17 2012

STUDENT PROFILE

Interview by Nigel Moffiet

“You have to be part of the system first in order to fight against it.”

Mark Wu 22, Product Design, AUT

MARK WU 22, Product Design, AUT How did you get into product design?

“When I was young I was always into drawing and making sculptures and objects. When I came to New Zealand and went to high school I studied graphics and visual art and at that point I was still thinking that’s what I’m into but around my second year of university I realised there must be more to that. Design can do way more than just design beautiful objects.”

How would you explain product design to dummies?

“It’s about solving problems or looking at opportunities for improvement. It’s what we call ‘the human centred design approach’.

It’s specifically for the user. If I’m designing a chair for you, I need to know what your needs are and maybe even observe your behaviour. It’s about meeting unmet needs and it’s about improving the experience of a product.”

What gave you the idea to look into the nasal structure of camels and then incorporate this into your design? Do you also need a lot of scientific background as a product design student?

“I’m always into nature, but there’s actually a lot of articles and papers on how to look into nature and look for inspiration. So I flicked through and tried to think ‘okay this is what I want to achieve, how could nature achieve that?’ Before that, I did have the idea that when patients keep exhaling moist air, it would be a good idea to capture that because at the moment it’s just wasted and they have to generate new humidity to try to humidify the patient’s lungs. So I thought, ‘why can’t we reuse that?’”

You’re also interested in how third world constraints have the potential to lead innovative designs? Can you tell us more about this idea?

How did you come up with “I really want to use design to the idea for the medical empower people who are in need. humidifier? What was your We met Ray Avery, who is the inspiration behind this founder of Medicine Mondiale. design?

They did a lot of these medical “The project was for Fisher & Paykel projects for developing countries.

Healthcare. They came to us saying He gave me this opportunity to we want to redesign this product design an incubator for developing that they had on the market for 20 countries. That’s when I realised I years. They wanted to make it better can use design to make a difference. and easier for the user to use. At It’s using that kind of context and first we didn’t really look into the that kind of environment; using technology or anything because their constraints as an innovation all they wanted were incremental driver for everyone in the world. It design improvements but then has to be low cost, it has to be easy we though it’s better to have a to maintain, and it has to be really revolutionary product.” easy to use.”

Born in Taiwan, Mark Wu brought his passion for art and design to New Zealand when he arrived here in 2003. He says he was always an art fanatic as a kid with a passion for drawing and sculpting. During his high school years he pursued this passion through graphics and visual arts and part way through university he realised he could apply an altruistic philosophy to his designs by creating things that help people. He was recently named joint design graduate of the year by the Design Institute of Australia – an award that looks at the work of NZ and Australian students. Wu was awarded the Australasian title for a number of projects including his work on an ICU medical humidifier and a resuscitator for new-born babies.

Wu talks to debate about his projects and the ideas behind his work.

Were you working alone on this project?

“On the research phase there were three of us – all students. Later on, during the conceptual phase, it was just individual. Each of us came up with a concept to propose to them [Fisher & Paykel].”

What was your inspiration behind this design?

“I looked into nature and the nasal structure of camels. Because camels survive in the desert by saving water, their nose is designed so that when they exhale some of the water vapour is captured.”

What is your philosophy around product design?

“I believe design has a social agenda; it’s not just about designing a beautiful product. If you do it right you can help people. To be creative is really important because you have to think outside the box.

If you think directly for a solution, often that’s just a temporary fix, it doesn’t create a permanent impact.

I think design has the potential to empower people.”

debate is looking for some super interesting AUT students to profile. Do you know someone at AUT who we should profile? Is it you? Email debate@aut.ac.nz with your suggestions.

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