blog assignment 7: selected posts

[thoughtful response] from Taryn Hart:
As a designer, I’m not entirely sure who I am yet, and I’m doing this degree because I don’t think I have the skill set to decide yet. Perhaps at the end of it I will. As a New Zealander, I have a pretty neutral stance culture/religion wise. My mother is NZ European, but my father is Maori, so between the two of them I got to see two pretty different sides of New Zealand culture. Because of this, I think it was more the experiences I’ve had and the opportunities I have been given that have shaped my approach as a designer today. I don’t think it is necessarily culture, religion, sex, or nationality that defines a person’s approach, but rather what they choose to take from those things, and other experiences they have had.

[nicely considered] from Fenella Fenton:

Who Are You As A Designer?

As an individual I come from a background of various cultures, religion and ideals. I have been surrounded by people who acknowledge and support what it is that I want to achieve. I was brought up being able to experience different styles of art, media, history and society. To observe and learn through these experiences has helped me to  grow as designer and as an individual.

Through out various experiences and encounters the way I design changes. Through family, teachers, mentors and artists I as a person have drawn from them to create a certain design taste, however I feel as a designer my style is still developing. Being a first year design student it is hard to establish exactly what you want as a designer. I have been exposed to so many new ideas and tastes that my style is continually changing through these influences. I believe the forming of my style is one of organic origin, I like to design manually and hold a tendency to draw rather than use a computer. I like the use of photography in design and am slowly becoming more positive about incorporating the use of computers and technology in my design.

I shall continue to grow as a designer, developing a style from the influences of culture, education and life experience. The way I see it is were always growing as individuals, our style and sense of uniqueness is something that is always progressing.

blog assignment 6: selected posts

from Daniel Blaschke

Modern Design Education – Bauhaus and FYD

I can see similarities in two aspects:

1. The Bauhaus idea of the “Vorkurs “

The Vorkurs was a non-specialized general course that was attended by all students prior to the “actual” study. From my experience so far in the FYD programme, I believe to see the practical use in this, which is, most importantly, learning about oneself. One may discover new interests or become disillusioned, in a positive sense, about old interests. This helps one later on to find the right place when one needs to specialize.

2. Developing the professional eye

Much of what is done in both the Bauhaus’ Vorkurs and FYD is learning how to see as a designer. In FYD we break down and pull apart materials/objects and draw/construct with given material challenges. This leads to a very curious and conscious exploration of the world. During the programme one starts to see things that did not come to one’s attention before. A good example of this is how one can start to distinguish good and bad photography, or even before that, one becomes aware that there is such a thing.

from Alannah Cate

Technology+Progress:

Victoria University of Wellington’s Design School shares many curriculum characteristics of that of the Bauhaus.  A key aspect in the curriculum of study at the Bauhaus permits students to select specialised courses or workshops rather than taking compulsory ones that have no relevance to future courses of study. This allows students to refine and build on their experience in areas they are already passionate about. This is a major aspect of our own first year course in which we are able to pick and chose the subjects that most interest us, and best fit the skills we already possess or the skills we want to develop.

There is also a heavy influence on the collaboration of artist and craftsman, overcoming the void between the fine arts and applied arts. I feel there is also a strong influence on good craft within the first year program, allowing students to improve and develop the original design ideas, and be able to create them, themselves. There is a great emphasis on being able to make and design, creating well rounded students who have the ability and understanding to do both.

A major difference in the Bauhaus curriculum is the bias there is for females and the preference there is for them to take more ‘womanly,’ courses, such as weaving and textiles. This may be more of a sign of the times type situation rather than an actual issue, but in comparison to our first year course, females have just as much freedom to actively use the workshop and participate in any aspect of design they most enjoy.

The appointments and changes of faculty members at the Bauhaus meant there were many changes within the curriculum, depending on what the masters felt most necessary in design. It will always be that people carry different opinions on the importance of teachings within design, but the parallels between our first year design courses and the Bauhaus is evident in my experience.

blog assignment 4: selected posts

From Stacy Thomas:

In today’s society of mass production and get rich quick schemes, craft is not seen as often as design. An example of craft is The Bride lamp by Ieva Kaleja for Mammalampa. These lamps represent most of the key attributes of Craft in a contemporary setting. They are materials based, made from a traditional lamp material; paper, however it is presented in a different, more modern way. The Bride lamp aims to “make lamps differently without adapting, killing or violently beautifying materials.” The lamp also drew inspiration from history, the story of Rapunzel. This shows the lamps appreciation for culture and are not created on a computer program purely for aesthetics.

Mass production is an aspect of design as opposed to craft. The Bride Lamp is created by hand on a small scale of production. Each lamp is woven uniquely, with personal touches added by the weaver.

The lamps are elegant and very feminine, another characteristic of Craft. All the details of the lamp allude to the technique of craft; the execution and the quality.

From Georgie Rodie: 

The Art of Craft?

Craft was traditionally known as something practiced by independent artists working alone or in small groups, displaying a great skill in an area. This tended to be biased to hand craft as it was believed that this showed the true struggle in the object. Also, the likes of William Morris and John Ruskin believed that the maker should be fully devoted to the craftsmanship as well as having a meaningful experience.

Yayoi Kusama is an avant-garde scupltor, painter, and novelist born in Nagana Prefecture of Japan. She has long struggled with mental illness and has even said, “If it weren’t for art, I would have killed myself a long time ago”. Is this quote not evidence enough that Yayoi Kusama is an artist who puts everything into her works. She started to paint using polka dots and nets as motifs at around age ten, and created fantastic paintings in watercolours, pastels and oils. She now uses many medias including mirrors and electric lights. Therefore, Yayoi Kusama definitely has an understanding of mediums having worked with them for so long.

Who are we to say that the works of Yayoi Kusama are not displays of craft just because they are not typically hand crafted? I believe the reason she is so successful is because she uses the integration of technology and an idea to create experiences through her work. Her works do not rely totally on either the machine or the hand. I believe she represents today’s understanding of craft being; a direct experience, a personal vision, and a mastery of medium according to Malcom McCullough.

In the modern world we have access to a great range of mediums that means craft can no longer be defined the way it traditionally was. The types of skills are forever increasing due to an increase in technology and knowledge, how can there be clear cut guidelines as to what a skill is? If these guidelines did exist, would Yayoi Kusama be classified as unskilled, despite her success throughout the world?

I believe craft now is somewhere between a talent and knowledge and Yayoi Kusama has successfully incorporated the two to evoke emotion and create an experience for an audience.

With today’s emphasis on mass production and consumerism, if someone’s emotion, whether good or bad can be aroused when experiencing art then I believe that is what shows true skill.

The image is of a young Yayoi Kusama herself in one of her ‘Infinity’ pieces.

Blog assignment 3: selected posts

From Georgina Rodie:

Construction decorated or decorated construction?

“Construction should be decorated. Decoration should never be purposely constructed.”

Jones meant that nature should only be idealised not copied. He believed that, “in the best periods of art, all ornament was based upon an observation of the principles which regulate the arrangement of form in nature”. Quite simply, he meant that nothing should be designed just for the sake of decoration.

I find it hard to agree or disagree with Jones’ statement as I believe beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes and what appeals to one person may or may not appeal to another. Why shouldn’t something be designed purely for decorational purposes? It only means we end up with a unique design that may not appeal to the majority but in fact the minority. I do believe that if people were to agree with Jones’ statement then there would be less over production but perhaps that is what the world needs. It creates a sense of competition, with people constantly evolving designs and creating new designs, people are pushed to better their own designs and as a result the world is able to experience only the best design. Perhaps without uneccessary decoration the world of design would be at a stand still.

If we were to remove the barriers to decoration or just general design we could be faced with the same problem of the 17th and 18th centuries such as over population causing poverty. However, things may be different today with a greater understanding of technology and populations.

The image of the ‘tree lamp’ by J. C. Penney is an example of decoration constructed. It has been designed purely for aesthetic purposes. It branches out (excuse the pun) of the conventional designs for a lamp but succeeds in the eyes of someone that likes trees.

From Bryce Mcleod:

Blog assignment three. beauty+utility

“Construction should be decorated. Decoration should never be purposely constructed.” In The Grammar of Ornament (1856) this was Owen Jones argument. This principle of design was important to Jones as he and others before him such as Pugin believed that in design there were rules that needed to be followed for something to be considered good or ‘true design’.

The basis of these rules revolve around the above statement (“Construction should be decorated. Decoration should never be purposely constructed.”) In saying that, simply I believe this means that something should never be constructed for the sole purpose of looking good or being decorative and ornamental, just as something perfectly functional shouldn’t be added to and modified with decoration that adds no value to what is was intended for. Everything must have a use and a purpose.

When this statement is broken down and put so simply it becomes hard to either agree or disagree. This difficulty of judgement is all based on two things; the extent to which ornamental value is either constructed or decorated upon or within an object, and the individual viewers opinion as there are rules to what people can like.

An example of this is the flower candlestick pictured above. Based upon Owen Jone’s idea this would be considered ‘false’ design as it has decoration that has been purposely constructed upon it that adds no functional value. This candlestick is quite similar in design to the gaslight that was featured in the lecture as they both fall into the category of having ‘false’ principles of design. These being; imitating nature, having inappropriate decoration for its function and having constructed ornamentation. On the candle stick the inner part of the flower at the top serves both an aesthetic and functional purpose as it looks intricate and well crafted as well as catching the melting wax. However the extra leaves and floral base are just added to visually emphasise the flower theme, adding no functional value to the use of the candlestick.

On the other end of the scale the second candlestick has its visual appeal built into it. The construction has included the decoration through wavy continuous curves in the S shape and has no extra, unneeded design to take away from the fact that it is just a simple but attractive candlestick. There are no other themes that are irrelevant to a candlestick meaning it is ‘true’ design as it has appropriate ornamentation that is suited to its construction and purpose.

Based on the points above and the fact that each person has there own individual views I personally find it hard to believe that all design needs to follow these rules, however in saying this I do agree with what Owen Jones was meaning when he said “Construction should be decorated. Decoration should never be purposely constructed.” Adding decoration for the sake of it is not needed and for something to be truly designed the beauty of it needs to be an integral part that is included in the construction from the beginning.

Blog Assignment 2: selected posts

from Kai Cham:

What is “sensuous impulse” in design?
Where do we see it manifest, today or historically?
Sensuous impulse is a style which occurred in the 1700s and became an important part of the rococo movement. Rococo itself uses the senses and a specific “S” Shaped curvature to express and create more natural and more organic objects, mimicking to an extent the female form.
Rococo became most popular in the 1800s within Europe. The times had changed, there was more wealth and more spending on tertiary products. Through “Sensuous Impulse” people had a way of expressing their wealth and or taste. A much different style to the previous uniformity.
Sensuous impulse over time has become less and less evident. However, it still exists and influences modern objects. Although modernism seems to have taken over, rococo style still exists depending on your location. Modern houses are smaller in scale versus the old style mansions of Europe. For example, the image provided, modern, yet very relative to the S curvature and fluidity of the rococo period. (Lila Jang). Was and is, made for modernist homes, but kept parts of the old sensuous design edge.

from Jessica Christini:

What I feel the sensuous impulse in design is the human want for natural things. It is being spontaneous and letting our senses take hold rather than what is ‘accepted’ or what rules state it should be. In this way nature has a massive influence over more sensual design as it stimulates more than one of our senses constantly and is therefore attractive to us as it allows us interaction - a flower can look pretty but once we pick it up we can smell it and feel its texture. Nature is also very curved - there are very few linear things like what modern design demands but there are plenty of curvy features of nature - including the human body, mainly the woman body.

In this way I feel that it manifests not only historically or today - I feel it manifests constantly. An example, however, of modern sensuous design comes from Front Studio. Simply it is a horse (an organic thing) as functioning lamp (a purposeful thing). A lot of what Front Studio does embraces the rococo thought process but keeps it purposeful as well.

Blog Assignment 1: selected posts

[The posts below were selected as excellent examples of responses to blog assignment 1]

from Fenella Fenton:

The USB

The USB (Universal Serial Bus) was developed in 1994 by several companies. Finally being co-invented in 1996 by Ajay Bhatt who was working for Intel. The Intention being to create a device which made life fundamentally easier when connecting external devices to PCs. The USB represents a significant advancement in computer technology. A new form of connection which created a historical change in technology, the development of the USB mass storage device/flash drive. This produced the ability to have portable information. A device which is commonly used in the world of technology today.  


from Hannah Goldblatt:

HANDS-FREE: 18th Century Innovation

During the four hundred years prior to 1730 eyeglasses had rested awkwardly on the nose or had to be held in front of the eyes. Edward Scarlett, an optometrist from London, was the the first to add rigid side bars that rested atop the ears, anchoring the lenses on the nose with out assistance.
 
His eighteenth century innovation gave rise to the hinged ‘arms’ that exist as part of a design that is integral to our lives, all over the world.

Pictured here is the iconic Jackie O, a famous purveyer of an example of this design.

 

Assignment 1: brief