Paiwan Glass Beads:A Creative Design Study on Silver

• Main Authors: Ya-Ping Wu, 吳雅萍
• Other Authors: Yuh-Yao Wan
• Format: Others
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/cr4xdv

碩士 === 國立東華大學 === 藝術創意產業學系 === 101 === 　　Paiwan crafts play a leading role in Taiwanese aboriginal art. Bronze knives, ancient clay pots and glass beads, commonly known as “Paiwan Sambo”, epitomize the exquisiteness and beauty of Paiwan crafts. Paiwanese people attach great importance to the ancient glass beads. Myths and legends are frequently incorporated into the design to reflect the value and symbolic meanings of the glass beads. Accordingly, the social and religious significance of the beads often outweigh their aesthetic value. The beauty of the glass beads is expressed via a combination of colors and totem patterns, reflecting the unique aesthetics of Paiwanese people. The perceived aesthetics of the design does not only provide visual gratification, the myths and spiritual meanings incorporated has also become a form of emotional expression for Paiwanese people. 　　Glass beads play a very important role in traditional Paiwan crafts. In addition to symbolizing social status, glass beads are also indispensable accessories in traditional rituals and ceremonies. However, traditional rituals have been drastically scaled down due to the change of social structure. It is expected that ethnic clothing and the types and designs of glass bead will inevitably be changed. Therefore, it is important to retain the emotional feelings of the glass beads as well as exploring ways for sustainable development of the craft. For example, by integrating the design with other mixed media and transforming the traditional beauty of the beads to emphasize the value and practical use of the glass beads in traditional Paiwan rituals and ceremonies. 　　By focusing on the Paiwan glass beads, this study is divided into two parts: preliminary study and the creative practice. The preliminary study includes literature review and the case study of contemporary creativity. Specifically, the literature review starts with reviewing the related literature using the content analysis approach and then investigating the symbolic meanings and aesthetic value of the glass bead based on relevant theories. The case study of contemporary creativity begins with field observations of modern glass beads creative workshops through video-recording to record the current development of modern glass beads production. In the creative practice stage, the traditional culture and aesthetic implications of the glass beads were combined with high-value medium and a creative approach. The silver was chosen as the medium to develop the cultural product, attempting to add value to Paiwan glass beads and to promote and share the beauty of glass beads. Furthermore, the possibility of developing and extending the glass bead products in the other market segments was explored.