CULTURAL STRATEGY: LOCAL GLOBAL IDENTITY IN FURNITURE DESIGN BY ALVIN TJITROWIRJO

Abstract

The use of furniture and patterns of sitting on a chair are influenced by the western lifestyle, which was initially adopted by Indonesian aristocrats and has been followed by the general public until now. Furniture shapes and designs have been adjusted or adapted to the environmental conditions and habits (behavior and activities) of people in the archipelago. The local community has interpreted the process of adaptation so that the meaning of cultural values possibly and indirectly shifts. Alvin Tjitrowirjo, an Indonesian product designer, has successfully repositioned and changed the paradigm of local furniture products so that they can compete in the global market. Based on the explanation above, this research investigates how Alvin interprets his thoughts and creative processes in a culture that continuously changes. Moreover, this study aims to examine cultural symptoms and design methods to design furniture. Therefore, art and design products in Indonesia become diverse. To answer this problem, this research employs history, cultural study and design approaches as well as qualitative methods (observation and literature). In this case, Alvin negotiates cultural appropriation so that local products can compete in the global market. This study has revealed that works of art and design that combine local and modern elements (glocalization) can investigate the process of creation and transform a new identity.