ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC SCULPTURE FROM WASTE TO WEALTH (form follow function)

ENVIRONMENTAL FUNCTIONAL
PUBLIC SCULPTURE IN SOLVING
WASTE MANAGEMENT
(FORM FOLLOW FUNCTION,
FROM WASTE TO WEALTH)

RESEARCH REPORT

JUNE 30 2020

PREPARED BY
PROFESSOR DR ABDUL SHUKOR HASHIM
(Project Leader)

GROUP MEMBER:
ASSC. PROF. DR DZULKARNAIN
AHMAD
DR RINA ABDUL SHUKOR
KHAIRUL AZUWAN ISHAK

RESEARCH TITLE

ENVIRONMENTAL FUNCTIONAL PUBLIC SCULPTURE IN SOLVING WASTE
MANAGEMENT

(FORM FOLLOW FUNCTION, FROM WASTE TO WEALTH)

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI) /PROJECT LEADER

PROFESSOR DR ABDUL SHUKOR HASHIM

RESEARCH TEAM MEMBERS

PROF. MADYA DR DZULKARNAIN AHMAD
DR RINA ABDUL SHUKOR
KHAIRUL AZUWAN ISHAK

FACULTY/CENTRE/DEPARTMENT

COMMUNICATION, VISUAL ART & COMPUTING

DURATION

1 ½ YEAR

DISCLAIMER
PENGAKUANTANGGUNGJAWAB

I am/We are responsible for the accuracy of all opinion, technical comment, factual report,
data, figures, illustrations and photographs in the article. I/We bear full responsibility for the
checking whether material submitted is subject to copyright or ownership rights. Universiti
Selangor does not accept any liability for the accuracy of such comment, report and other
technical and factual information and the copyright or ownership rights claims.
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Signature;
Tandatangan;

…………………………………… ……………………………
………. ……………….
Principal Investigator (PI) Research Team Members
Name: Prof. Dr Abd. Shukor Bin Name: Dr Rina Abd. Shukor
Hashim
Date: 30 Jun 2020
Date: 30 Jun 2020

…………………………………… ……………………………
Research Team Members
Name: Assoc. Prof. Dr Dzulkarnain Research Team Members
Ahmad Name: Khairul Azuwan Ishak
Date: 30 Jun 2020
Date: 30 Jun 2020

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We are grateful to all of those with whom we have had the pleasure to work during this project.
Each of the members has provided extensive personal and professional guidance in completing
this project.
This research was supported by Unisel Internal Grant. We also like to thank our collaborators
who provided insight and expertise that greatly assisted this research, although they may not
agree with all of the interpretations or conclusions of this project report.

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ABSTRACT

The project involves selected waste for beautification and improving quality in the Visual Art
Department building as a pilot test area. Art of functioning public sculpture directly associates
valuable messages in cultivating space and community. On the other hand, it is to construct a
healthy environment and spaces with visual qualities.

The objective of this project is to produce contemporary creative space using recycled
materials by transforming it to art products. This waste to wealth approach is believe to be
able to reduce vandalism behaviour in the society and beautify the visual quality of the area.
This is inline with the post modern art replaced the modern art is a forward thinking approach
ideas & technologically and positively and gran narratives.

The project is significance from the student’s point of view since its promoting amenities
towards the community and area by developing sense of pride and ownership. It also
contributes to the waste material solution and raising improvement of quality and creation of
vitality within the area. The vitality of the sculpture emphasize it’s role in meeting community
perception towards public art as a function.

The project has inspired creativity in the workplace at the University radius. This has been
achieved from a waste to wealth functional sculpture and for the use of public recreation. This
has also encouraged social interaction experience in university’s community daily lives during
the engagement of the installation.

The idea to accommodate the aspect of community and human interaction with the art of
subconscious mind has been achieved. Whereby, waste management issues in the radius area
will be solved by recycling and reusing materials into an environmental public art.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

CONTENTS 4
Abstract
Introduction 6
Literature Review
Definition of Terms 7
Objective of the Project
Significance of the Project 9
Project Scope
Methodology 10
Result
10
• Product design overview
• Product design outcome 10
Findings
Conclusion 11
Reccomendations
Refferences 14
15
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INTRODUCTION

Follow function from waste to wealth is a relationship of solving material such as plastic,
glass, paper, metal, wood, chemical and other polyester medium that causes hazardous to
environment into a functional public sculpture that invites friendly environment. Thereby, this
research project has formed into a new constructive functional sculpture that will help to
contribute towards the society. For example, the functional sculpture form waste will be created
into chairs, bench, tables, gazebo, wall paintings and other constructed form will also enhance
the aesthetic of art towards the landscape and environment. The purpose of this project has
established the selected waste for beautification and improving quality in the Visual Art
Department building as a pilot test area. Art of functioning public sculpture directly associates
valuable messages in cultivating space and community.

On the other hand, it is to construct a healthy environment and spaces with innovative
and aesthetic qualities . The vitality of the sculpture emphasize it’s role in meeting community
perception towards public art as a function. The idea accommodate the aspect of community and
human interaction with the art of subconscious mind. Whereby, waste management issues in the
radius area will be solved by recycling and reusing materials into an environmental public art.
The use of materials is characterized by perceptual openness and receptiveness to internal and
environmental stimuli with the sense of unity between medium and message. On the other hand,
media and materials evoke a perceptual emphasis where the creative level interacts the synthesis
of kinaesthetic, sensory, perceptual, affective, cognitive and symbolic components of expression
and emphasizes emergent, self – actualizing forces. This framework process application
improvise new aesthetic work with new image based technologies is the process of imagery rather
than creating from raw (recylce & upcycle). Similiarly, this practical theory heightens awareness
towards our environment whereby, artists / designers / environmentalist / educationist converting
waste material in order to satisfy their urge in sustaining our planet resources. Various poetic and
evocative follow function product contributes practical function, serving as furniture, lighting,
and wall art.

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LITERATURE REVIEW

Background of research

Public art is a media that is planned by a particular society in order to give attention
towards the environment that is accessible to all. Whereby, the aesthetic of an environmental
functional public sculpture in the Post modern era has been dictated with nature or original
traditional form into a revised modern content design (Doyle J., 2017). The use of material and
medium is sustainable, traditional, nature and waste that are reused to construct new content form
(Zalaya B., 2003). Thereby, the aesthetic of a functioning public sculpture in definition, lines
the elements of unity and creates amenity towards the surrounding. On the other hand,
environmental functional public sculpture is a bound of therapeutic elements that associate
conducive emotion which creates peacefulness. Environmental art is a process of beautifying the
waste system to a recycle functional art that is conducive and friendly to the environment
(Heatherwick, 2013 & 2017). The idea accommodate the aspect of community and human
interaction with the art of subconscious mind. Thereby, waste management issues will be solved
by recycling and reusing materials into an environmental public art. The new aesthetics work
with new image based technologies is the process of imagery rather than creating from scratch.
They use instantly recognizable objects whenever possible. For example of Artist is Andre
Carletti’s functional public art that is associated with the deconstruction of the idea (Fargelio,
2015 ). During the war and post war art movement Pablo Picasso and George Braque have used
newspapers, magazines and waste material transfoming them into assemblages and sculptures.
This was then Dadaism during the 1930s , founder Marcel Duchamp created intimate surreaslitic
tableaux from fround objects (Olbrantz. J, 2006).

This is inline with the post modern art replaced the modern art is a forward thinking
approach ideas & technologically and positively and gran narratives. At the beginning of
Dadaism and pop art the post modern multiple artistic forms including conceptual art minimalism
video art, public sculpture and installation. The ironical and playful fragmented subject are
aesthetically and original emphasis of image. (Zebraci, 2018) According to Leo Tolstoy (1935),
art is a motion of human behaviour towards art viewing that is consciously a symbol towards

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feelings, emotion and the process of contentment (Rhuberg, 2000). It requires diversion of
sensitivity with the relationship towards audience. Audience and viewers will be able to form the
aesthetic of beauty as a depiction towards human behaviour. The environmental benefits whereby
recycled materials and item solved a waste management sytem into an art product, By reducing
the amount of waste in the area, creating and innovating with new design philosophy will also
promote value towards the product.

Adapted by Astec Waste Management Philosophy, 2017

The artwork of Gerhard Bar consist interventions in business industries and social context
where he connects viewer with the product. A designer and environmental activist has brought
ideas to upcycle plastics and produce them into furniture designs (Baer G., 2013) Thereby,
upcycling and recycling waste into an art product with a functioning character has solve part of
waste system management . Waste system managing has provide scientific framework and social
framework. In order to test framework outcome, some studies are pivotal in the recycle art
development. To develop knowledge and education towards public about why recycling and
upcycling is important to reduce waste polution and diverting waste into beneficial product
(Tudor H., 2016). Harriet Tudor, 2016 has created a framework of how to increase recycling
awareness through public art with artists collaboration in both lab and studios. A showcase node
was activated in what recycle materials can transform into, benefits (oppurtunities) and education
awareness strategies (2016).

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Adapted from Harriett Tudor Raising recycling awareness through Public Art , 2016

DEFINITION OF TERMS

PUBLIC SCULPTURE is an execution that is planned and constructed by the artist, architect,
landscaper or designer in order to publicize the art form in an open space area.

ENVIRONMENTAL FUNCTIONAL SCULPTURE is an ecological art or closely known as
“Eco - art” in regenerating and restoring utilized medium.

FORM FOLLOW FUNCTION is a relationship of modern architectural and industrial design
of an object that has function an purpose.

WASTE MANAGEMENT is minimizing and recycling waste materials in a final source to
avoid adversity effect over human health.

WASTE TO WEALTH is a circular of development rubbish system into a sustainable product
of art (wealth) from raw materials that cause hazardous to the environment.

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OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this project is to establish the selected waste in order to :
1. Reduce vandalism behaviour in the society and area proposed
2. To produce rationale contemporary creative space / area from waste to wealth (framework)
3. Making use functional public sculpture to adequate space from form to function.
4. Beautify and improving the visual quality of the area.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT
The importance of the project is :

1. Solving waste material and system in the area proposed.
2. Creating and generating sustainable environment for public to use the space as a recreation area.

(framework)
3. Promoting the amenities towards the community and area to develop sense of pride and

ownership.
4. Raising improvement of quality and creation of vitality in it’s radius.

PROJECT SCOPE
The project will be focused to:

1. Identified area with suitable landscape, recreation and radius that is appropriate.
2. Proportional surface that is applicable with the functional sculpture in needs of the area.
3. Concentration on upcycling waste material to solve hazardous of the area
4. Scavenging method that concentrates on educational experimental projects on sustainable living.

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METHODOLOGY
Educational experimental case study

The approach takes an account of an action and art based research that is practiced in community
development that is compatible to creative adaptations, changing or innovating condition, public
needs and practice reality in field. The method below provides a pragmatic phenomena of
guideline conducted during this research project. A ‘Scavenging’ method or an experimental case
study are conducted during field research coined by Kayode F.,2006 concentrates on the process
of collecting waste (to be recycle or upcyle), manage proper system (treating, restoring, evaluate
density and value) and designed to be produced into public sculpture or product design (wealth).

Phenomenalogical Practical work

The framework of recycling & upcycling waste, both are particularly transforming used,
disposed, abandon materials to be valued as “New-Old or ‘New New” . The process of
transforming ‘waste recycling’ holds a mechanism for reducing unwanted items that involves
art and environmental skills to be useful in meeting other creative ends. (Taşdemir, V., 2010)
The project was implemented to a studio project where students as a product artist / product
designer applies an empirical thought in art project for 6 weeks. Students were given and assigned
with worked on a number of variety different follow function product design. with I) A research
about the use of recycling materials sorted using the ‘scavenging method’ of II) Collecting waste
material III) Cleaning and designing work (idea, concept & sketches) IV) Assembling product
design process and manual documentation VI) Checking standard of quality V) and presented
during critique session to improve further production.

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Process flow of Waste to Wealth - Follow function. (Dzulkarnain A., 2019)

1. POST CONSUMER RECYCLED MATERIAL COLLECTION
Post consumer → Sorting → Storage/Baggage → Collection Centre → Washes

2. COLLECTING RECYCLED MATERIALS & EVALUATE
Collection → Visual Inspection → Fine screening → Geometry constraint check → Application
measure → Integeration opportunity measure → Cost evaluation → Product decision

3. CLEANING AND DESIGN WORK (Material / medium – sketch – structure – model -
product)

Public (research) → Research (action) → Documentation (product testing, process, innovating
& changes) → feedback and testing → Final Product (Functional Sculpture).

4. PRODUCTION PROCESS AND MANUAL DOCUMENTATION

Raw → Function → Perception → Rationale → Radius → Process /
change → Result (Product)

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5. QUALITY CHECK
Result (product) → Function →Safety→ Product testing→ Product function

6. CRITIQUE & PRODUCT DISPLAY
Aesthetic →Value →Imrpovement→ Evaluation→ Exhibit / Display

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RESULTS

FORMAL ELEMENT ANALYSIS

The Formal Element Analysis, Interpretation and Evaluation of the product design were
evaluated using Terry Barret , Principles of interpreting art (2002., 2007 & 2011) that had been
revised by researcher to evaluate interrelated and interdependant context of functioning object
(form). This process will I) Identify empirical art base understanding during the process of
assembling form and style (skills & technique), II) Analyzing the principles of design,
composition and stability, III) Making critical judgements about specific areas of improvement,
IV) Discussing how structural system contributes to appearance of function and V) Quality and
standard design.

Formal Element Analysis framework criteria

ANALYSIS • SUBJECT INTERPRETATION • CONTENT JUDGMENT • QUALITY
MATTER • IDEA • STANDARD
• CONCEPT • AESTHETIC
• ELEMENT & • FUNCTION • PHILOSOPHY
PRINCIPLE OF • RHETORICAL • ORIGINALITY
ART
MEANING
• MEDIUM

• MATERIAL

• CONTEXT

Formal Element Analysis theoretical framework revised from Terry Barrett’s principles of
Interpreting Art (Shukor H., 2018 & Rina S., 2019)

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Product Design Overview:

This has resulted that organization and arrangement of elements and principle of
design in constructing waste materials were purely aesthetic with visual aspects of function. The
visual aspects of product function have composed, combined and created overall effect of the
product design. Therefore, the product has created relationship between the elements of visual
art aspect through the conversion process of waste material. The process of converting waste
material into a follow function art product yielded aesthetic values such as giving diversity, unity
and balance energy towards the concentrated space or area.

The product design idea and concept relate with the principles of recycling through which
the daily consumables are formulated in an appropriate manner for a useful purpose. A variety
of consumed wasted materials in different shapes and sizes such as rubber tyres, glass, sponge,
fabric, metal, scraps, plastic and consumption of various type of wood. The emphasis or the focal
point of the product designs are the functional contribution. The functional value or the useful
purpose was designed in the most distinguished position; in a pyramid configuration balance,
which is the most stable geometric structures. The emphasis of the product designed sails with
emphatic colour suited with the space and area installed. Some prominent and deep details to
reflect the simulation of the traditional fabric textiles, treatment of natural wood to maintain and
sustain wood patterns as well as textures. Somehow, a few follow function product design has
responded metal relationship with other elements that needed geometric constraint check process
in constructing the product. Thereby, the product design constructed symmetrically needed
proper structural foundation and surface formations to achieve the functional purpose.

Somehow, through the evaluation process had determined areas of product design should
be improved such as product design, technical skills and product finishing, contributing to further
implication for future improvisation. Each product design injected sense of emphatic expression
accordingly to its distinguished position within the area proposed. This emphatic expression is
to achieve varied value of humanistic emotion and man – made with the colours and patterns. A
few non – objective wall art design emphasizes the concept of Morse code encryption. This
theoretical concept is to attract viewers of high value primary and secondary colour key with a
metaphor of Piet Mondrian, De Stijl approach. This technique and approach resulted glisten

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descriptions with satisfactory formation through the element of combining recycle / upcycle
material in forming new context.

In conclusion, researcher had identified certain value of waste materials that were not
appropriate in long term display due to changes of weather humidity. Therefore, the process of
‘scavenging’ and collecting waste materials needs to be properly identified whether the material
is recyclable or upcycled. These two methods apply different process of material restoration,
technique in handling, and surface sustaining.

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Product Design Outcome

Product 1: Twin chair (Furniture design)
Medium: tyres, glass & wood plank

Product 2 : Bus stop design (Public mural art)
Medium: bus stop, paint, plywood, Perspex & cement

Product 3: Wooden plank bench (furniture design)
Medium: wood palette, wood plank, plywood, bricks and pebbles

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Product 4: Wooden plank bench (furniture design)
Medium: wood palette, wood plank, plywood, bricks and pebbles

Product 5: Wall Art Installation (Installation Art)
Medium: wood palette, Perspex glass, vinyl, acrylic plaque, plywood and oil paint

Product 6: Wall Art Installation (Installation Art)
Medium: wood palette, Perspex glass, vinyl, acrylic plaque, plywood and oil paint

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Product 8: Post Box (Product design)
Medium: PC compartment casing, iron rod, tyres, pebbles and paint.

Product 9: Wooden Pallet sofa set (Furniture design)
Medium: wood palette, plywood, bricks and pebbles

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FINDINGS

This innovative research project is part of a waste reduction and waste management
strategy being applied through education as a new teaching method in implementing recycling
concept to create new artistic products. Waste materials in the campus area includes paper,
plastic, site construction scraps, mechanical parts, wood, foam glass and abandoned were
dismentled and assembled or reconstrcuted together into an aesthetic art piece. The aesthetic art
piece describes an intervening conversion process where, artist and designer has contributed
innovative concept in the conventional art.

The aesthetic of public art has benefited contributions of designer planner, engineers,
elected officials and community in the use of waste. The public art produced has encourage social
interaction experience their daily lives engaged with the installation. Through this social
experimental research experience, a framework and environmental model developed that could
be implemented to some areas of courses in education instituitions. This model has broaden
curriculum the concept of recycling and upcycling waste materials facilitates knowledge,
affective and cognitive skill applied during field work production. A method and framework
process of scavenging waste material had develope a grounded theory (Camic, P., 2010).
Thereby, this method and framework has benefitted appropriate process in enhancing aesthetic
value, functionality and artistic contemporary concept into sustainable development as well as
improving industrial production.

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CONCLUSION

This research framework proposes an approach to takes an account of an action and art
based research that is practiced in community development that is compatible to creative
adaptations, changing or innovating condition, public needs and practice reality in field. It
suggests the framework of recycling & upcycling waste, that a comprehensive approach needs
to be valued as “New-Old or ‘New New”. The process of transforming ‘waste recycling’ holds a
mechanism for reducing unwanted items that involves art and environmental skills to be useful
in meeting other creative ends, where both are particularly transforming used, disposed, and
abandon materials. The research approach is not intended to be prescriptive and can be applied
flexibly to others space of context. It is hoped that this will promote the use of recycle and upcycle
materials in attracting art work space, preserves resources and promote creativity using a follow
function ideas. As such it can be used to social interaction experience, either using a method-
based or a theory-based evaluation approach with a specific set of art products.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Art is define as a creative experience of an artist or designer in creating pleasant beauty
to end users. Inspite of developing their technological skills, the ability of an artist or designer in
converting discarded materials into wealth also contibutes in enhancing their skills to make art
relevant to societal needs. For effective waste management system, our built environment needs
to start considering more public art pieces generated from discarded wastes for environmental
beautification.

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REFERENCES
Taşdemir, V.N. (2010) Attitudes of the students of primary education class teaching

department to the visual Arts Education Course, Procedia Soc Be-hav Sci, 2, 2572-
2576.
Camic, P. M. 2010. From trashed to treasured: A grounded theory analysis of the found
object. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 4 (2), 81.
Tudor, H., 2016. Raising recycling awareness through public art : using public art as a catalyst
to rethink downtown kansa city recycling. Vol.1 (p45.)
Kayode, F.,(2006). From ‘waste to want’: Regenerating Art from discarded objects.
Zalaya B., (2003). A Study of traditional and modern content. Academia press.

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