Read in Indonesian

In this four-part series, TFR observed and analysed the roots of knockoff culture in Indonesia. The purpose of these articles is to educate, inform and provide solution to the issue.

“I applied to [Fashion Institute of Technology] FIT because it has more options in fashion majors,” said Audrey Martiandy, a 21-year-old undergraduate student who is currently studying textile/surface design at FIT in New York. “I don’t think many people realise my major exists.”

Her statement prompted TFR to compile design majors that Indonesian universities offer. Our research found that almost all universities and vocational courses offer graphic design studies. The second most common studies is interior design, followed by fashion design.

What’s more concerning than the generic offering is the content and approach. If we look at the subjects, most of them focus on the technical aspect of design--typography, digital design and pattern making to name a few.

The ability to use design software, develop taste, understand layout, master colour theory and create a set of branding and stationery is essential to build the foundation of design. The question is, how are the design graduates going to compete in the oversaturated market since all of them possess the same set of skills mentioned above?

Teaching students to be practical and technical only won’t push them to be critical, creative and a problem solver. Being innovative requires all of those. Literacy plays the biggest role in critical thinking. Unfortunately, a survey from UNESCO in 2019 showed that Indonesia is the second least-literate nation in a list of 61 measurable countries.

Agah Nuragah, a Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) alumnus who is a prep tutor for ITB entrance exam, shared the same sentiment. “Literacy is important for undergraduate students (bachelor’s degree). That’s what makes us different from a person who takes a drawing class and becomes a drafter, taking orders [from designer]. Literacy and reading habit are lacking in fine arts. Students think it’s just drawing.”

He also takes teaching method into account. Back then, most Indonesian schools applied one-way learning. In late 90s and early 2000s, international and national-plus schools started to emerge and some of them apply a two-way learning system where students have to be more actively involved in class. However, the implementation depends on the teacher.

If the habit of being passive at school is brought to university, it will be challenging for students to develop an active style of learning, engage in deep conversation and think critically or independently. It subconsciously grooms a follower mindset.

According to Agah, more than 100 students he tutors choose graphic design because it is a trending programme. Following social trend like becoming a YouTuber seems to be popular among the younger generation. Social media undoubtedly fuels the trend.

“One of my relatives wants to be a YouTuber and believes that she doesn’t need higher education. If we dig deeper, we’ll find out that becoming a full-time YouTuber isn’t as easy as it seems. Only one in a million makes it to the top, but then again, the trend is heading that way,” said Ahimsa Hindarto (Asa), a 23-year-old postgraduate student at University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in the UK.

Alexandra echoed the same concern, “There are batik and other heritage. I’m interested to know why upcoming Indonesian designers are more inclined to create Western-looking products. Is it because Western culture is perceived as a better culture, or is it because of the lack of representation of Indonesian heritage or designer? Why are Asian designers in general taking inspiration from Western culture when we are so rich in culture?”

Audrey shared a similar confusion, “I have a class where we have to try out fabric techniques like ikat. The school has a room full of tools to create different types of fabric. My classmates who are not Indonesians are excited when we get to create Indonesian fabric.”

Another learning behaviour that Audrey noticed is Indonesians’ tendency to reference past collections during the designing process. Ina Binandari, a fashion design lecturer at Unisadhuguna International College who has been in the industry for 25 years, backed up Audrey’s statement.

“[At FIT] We are pushed to anticipate future trends based on trend forecast from WGSN or EDITED,” said Audrey. On the first part of TFR’s knockoff culture series, we mentioned that Indonesia falls under the late majority category. This kind of learning behaviour is definitely a contributing factor.

Choice of university could shape students’ character. For starter, location. Universities located in the middle of the city will affect the research process. Take, for example, Trisakti University in West Jakarta. The area is surrounded by skyscrapers, packed with traffic and there is not enough access for pedestrian.

As a result, it will be difficult for students to head to the street and conduct research. Talking directly to people will bear different results as opposed to online ‘research.’ Finding inspiration on Pinterest is not going to cut it because Pinterest consists of other people’s curation. Design is a combination of literacy, research, reference and one’s POV.

As atmos Creative Director Koji once told TFR, “You can’t find inspiration online.”

The experience will be different in universities like ITB where the surrounding areas are pedestrian-friendly and filled with greeneries.

Aside from location, meeting students from diverse backgrounds is beneficial for the learning process. Students get to hear different perspectives and life experience from others. Students enrolled at private universities with high tuition fees might have a homogeneous background.

“I had a classmate who worked as a truck driver before entering ITB. He said he did the job to save up money for university. You can find students who come from rural areas, whose parents work as fishermen or farmer, as well as those with privileged backgrounds. It’s a melting pot. It will influence the way you look at people and things,” said Agah.

However, to keep the melting pot going, the government has to step in and help students from lower socio-economic backgrounds who wish to enter art school. “Many Indonesians have high dependency on prep class (bimbel) and it turns into business. It is expensive for a lot of people. Government-funded prep class is only available for science studies,” said Agah.

It leads to inequality because only those who can afford the price tag will progress. Moreover, internet access in rural areas is subpar. The problem is further escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Religious beliefs put further restrictions on what an individual can and cannot learn. “One of the reasons why parents don’t let their children go to art school that I’ve heard is that ‘you will be doing free sex because there will be a lot of porn,’” said Agah.

There is also perception among Asian parents that getting an art degree isn’t as bona fide as getting a law degree. This way of thinking has been internalised in the society as people associate art with paintings, drawings and sculpture. Art subject at school is one of the culprits.

“It’s always in-person art like painting, drawing but they have nothing to do with creative programmes. I mean, there is one like photography which is the bare minimum,” said Alexandra who lived in Indonesia for six years.

As a result, it creates another limitation on the career path of design graduates. People assume design graduates either work as designer or establish a design studio. “The limited choice of studies is unfortunate because there are many textile manufacturers based in Bandung,” said Audrey.

If we factor in generic studies, misconception and follower culture, we will have another chicken and egg problem: do people assume the career path for design graduates are mostly designer at a studio or create a design studio because the available studies are limited, or are the available studies limited because the most common career choices in the industry are designer positions?

Then, there is language barrier. The art industry in Indonesia is a society within a society. It has its own language that non-art people are not familiar with. It contributes to the prejudice against art.

“We need feedback from non-art students because they are going to be different. We need to transfer our language to non-art students so that they can understand us. Maybe that’s the reason why many Indonesians don’t respect art. How can they respect something they don’t understand?” Asa explained.

Indeed.

Cool design shouldn’t be the benchmark of art and design. Communication skills - translating and delivering message effectively to the public - is more relevant. What’s the point of creating a cool design if the intended audience doesn’t understand the message?

“In Indonesia, art is just an expression. People don’t see art and design as a profitable business,” said Asa. “Universities haven’t evolved. They teach art as art only. When you move to the 21st century, you are not teaching art only; you are teaching through art. Designers can be entrepreneurs with creative flair. I am studying business at an art school, not business school. It’s about how I apply business into creative minds.”

A Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education (now Ministry of Research and Technology/National Research and Innovation Agency) decree in 2017 stipulates that the government allows universities to modify their curriculum to cater to technology development.

On a separate attachment, the ministry listed down programmes vital for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0). Creative business is on the list, yet it hasn’t been applied as a standalone major or programme. Out of 18 schools and universities, only four insert creative business subject into their curriculum. One of them is a standalone fashion business programme at LaSalle College Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Europe, the UK, the US and Australia have revised the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) curriculum to STEAM. The ‘A’ in STEAM stands for Art. Art is one of the fundamentals. The engineers build, the designers translate the message and add aesthetic value.

“There is a saying that the next business school is design school, but we haven’t even fully dived into creative entrepreneurship. Europe, the UK and the US have applied science into art, so there are creativity, entrepreneurship and sustainability. Sustainability is science,” Asa further explained.

Australian schools have made a similar move. Alexandra is studying fashion and textiles (sustainable innovation) at RMIT.

The first step toward innovation is critical thinking, which is built upon literacy and humanities, including awareness of surroundings. It is something that can certainly be taught. “I met a teacher in Pulau Weh, Aceh who used local resources to teach art. He told his students to create sculpture from shells found on the beach. He used the opportunity to teach them about ecosystem preservation,” said Agah.

The next step is creativity. Creativity comes from problem solving skill and interpretation developed through critical thinking.

Universities have to constantly push students to conduct research, experiment on various methods, document the process and understand culture before moving to project execution. The flow of creating art is different from one another. One thing for sure, it is never an instant process.

Read part 1