Project: Manifest
Manifest
Use methods such as visualization and affirmation help you imagine achieving something you want, in the belief that doing so will make it more likely to happen.
#3Ddesign #3Dmodelling #3DScan #3Drendering #3Dprinting #Abstraction #Decoration #Sustainability #KeyShot #Zbrush #Rhino #Blender #Sketching #Handmade
Concept
My project centers on the transformation of the traditional Maneki-neko, or “lucky cat,” into abstract forms that explore the intersection of superstition, cultural symbolism, and psychological comfort. Inspired by personal connections to the Maneki-neko and its role in providing emotional reassurance, the project investigates how abstracting familiar symbols can retain their ability to evoke belief and reduce anxiety.
Introduction
Chinese culture deeply values traditions rooted in Shushu (Chinese metaphysics), divination, and fortune-telling, which remain popular among the Chinese population. modern society. Practices like consulting the lunar calendar for auspicious dates remain integral to decision-making, reflecting how superstition blends with daily life. The fact that people believe these practices can guarantee promising results often fuels a psychological attachment to such practices. The absence of such practices can potentially result in heightened levels of stress and anxiety.
As a young Chinese, I have grown up with these customs. While aware of the lack of scientific basis for these customs, I, like many of my peers, still turn to them for emotional comfort amidst life’s uncertainties. Modern life exacerbates anxiety, particularly among younger generations, who find it harder to recover from stress.
Despite technological advancements, people often rely on rituals or symbolic objects to cope with emotional distress. Superstitious acts, such as performing a ritual before an important event, provide psychological comfort and a sense of preparedness.
Objective
Through a creative process involving 3D scanning, digital manipulation, and material experimentation, I aim to abstracting and modernising the traditional appearance of the lucky cat, the ‘Maneki-Neko’ by changing its shape. Objects can acquire symbolic power through agency, they are seen as subjects with cultural influence and psychological effect on people. Even deformed by design, abstracted lucky objects, such as lucky cats, still carry their original symbolic effects, offering equivalent psychological influences as the pre-abstracted objects.
The symbolic value of an object does not necessarily depend on the concrete presentation of its physical form, but more on its agentic significance in culture
Process
By 3D scanning the Maneki-Neko from my home. By choosing this specific Maneki-neko, I incorporated a personal connection into the project, grounding my exploration in an object that holds both cultural and sentimental significance. From concrete to abstract forms through the 3d modelling technique of reverse-expanded form technique, exploring how these objects can give a sense of ritual in daily life and help users gaining emotional comfort.
Sketching/3D Design Development
