What does design in the context of our current society mean? In his recent book entitled A Whole New Mind – Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future, Daniel Pink writes that “Design is a high-concept aptitude that is difficult to outsource or automate… Good design, now more accessible and affordable than ever, also offers us a chance to bring pleasure, meaning, and beauty to our lives. But most important, cultivating a design sensibility can make our small planet a better place for us all. To be a designer is to be an agent of change.”
In that short paragraph are, I think, some of the most important concepts affecting current design and design of the future. We have been through the technological revolution and we now have a pretty good feel for where technology has taken us as designers. Although there may still be some surprises, there are a few things we know for sure and, as design professionals, it is our responsibility to make sure that these aphorisms continue to be true. They are:
-Good design has become more accessible and affordable
-Good design can improve our lives
-Good design is necessary to help sustain our planet
Even back in 1975, the Pop Culture icon and artist Andy Warhol recognized the importance of good, accessible design for everyone when he wrote, “What’s great about this country is that America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest. You can be watching TV and see Coca-Cola, and you know that the President drinks Coke, Liz Taylor drinks Coke, and just think, you can drink Coke, too. A Coke is a Coke and no amount of money can get you a better Coke than the one the bum on the corner is drinking. All the Cokes are the same and all the Cokes are good. Liz Taylor knows it, the President knows it, the bum knows it, and you know it...........” !
Being a designer today is not just about being trendy or avante garde, or even in sync with the latest gadgets and technology. It is about the responsibilty of creating meaniful experiences that will improve peoples lives and sustain our world. Good designers today understand this in their bones and they are in it because the want to be “an agent of change.”
In the 21st century, life and design are inextricably intertwined. The beauty of the profession that we are in is that it is a juncture where art directly serves life. Rock star designer Karim Rashid confirms this fact in what he calls his “Karimanifesto” – a fifty-point guide to life and design. Here are some excerpts:
1. Don’t specialize
5. Before giving birth to anything physical, ask yourself if you have created an original idea, an original concept, if there is any real value in what you disseminate.
6. Know everything about the history of your profession and then forget it all when you design something new.
7. Never say, “I could have done that” because you didn’t.
24. Consume experiences, not things.
33. Normal is not good.
38. There are three types of beings – those who create culture, those who buy culture, and those who don’t give a shit about culture. Move between the first two.
40. Think extensively, not intensively.
43. Experience is the most important part of living, and the exchange of ideas and human contact is all life really is. Space and objects can encourage increased experiences or distract from our experiences.
50. Here and now is all we got.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
CHARACTERISTICS of the POSTMODERN and MEMPHIS MOVEMENTS
*Postmodern
Borrowed from the past, but put it in modern terms. It can be viewed as a period of transition between Modern and Memphis. Characteristics of Postmodern are:
-Architectural quotes
-Combination of historical elements
-Classicism
-Grayed tones
-Use of ornament and symbols.
*Memphis
A term applied only to furniture and the decorative arts -- not applied to architecture. General characteristics of Memphis are:
-Anthropomorphic or Zoomorphic shapes
-Ironic references to past styles
-Free and varied use of patterns
-Free and varied use of materials
-Borrows ideas from Pop Culture
-Bright colors
Both Postmodern and Memphis
-Take a stand against the Modernist, functionalist doctrine
-Places aesthetics above function
POSTMODERNISM & PLURALISMThe 80's -- 90's
What happens after "Modernism"? Why, Postmodernism, of course! Postmodernism represents a reaction against the pure ideas of "good design" preached by the 1930’s architects and designers, which had become the standard for design well into the 60's and 70's. In fact, during the 70's Modernism was the leading design philosophy in the world. It was big business. Consumers demanded it and furniture manufacturers churned it out.
An influential writer, Charles Jencks, writes in his book Post-Modern Architecture (1977) that "Happily we can date the death of Modern architecture to a precise moment in time. Modern architecture died in St. Louis, Missouri on July 15th, 1972." That 'moment' he is referring to as the death of Modern architecture occurred when the socially undesirable Pruitt-Igoe high-rise tenement blocks, built 20 years earlier, were blown up.
The movement covered by the umbrella term 'post-modern' rejected the absolutist approach of the Modern Movement. Postmodernism describes a general cultural mood, expressed in such diverse disciplines as literature, philosophy, political theory, critical theory, politics, architecture and design.
In the design fields, the Postmodern countermovement first became manifest in architecture. The most obvious characteristic of the Postmodern was the reference to, and combination of, historical stylistic "quotations." Postmodern designers also combined rich ornamentation with minimalist forms, and expensive materials with kitsch. Formally, Postmodernism in the 1980's was above all a blow for freedom from the dictates of the modern.
It is generally agreed that the first objects of Postmodern design were furniture issued by the Italian group Alchimia out of which came the Memphis movement. The goal of Memphis was to produce a new emotional and sensual relationship between user and object, as opposed to the indifferent functionality of modern mass products.
For Memphis, ordinary daily things were the particular characteristics of contemporary life. Thus, they transplanted the colorful plastic laminates from the bars and coffee shops of the 1950's and the 1960's into the private residence. These materials, a "metaphor for vulgarity, poverty and bad taste" were stylized into a work-a-day mythos and declared a statement – newly laden with meaning.
Memphis derived their ideal home decorations from mundane daily life: from comic strips, movies and punk music, screaming in sweet pastel colors, at once playful, symbolic, and witty. Their intention was to excite a form of spontaneous communication between object and user. The practical purpose of the object was of no concern.
Postmodernism is a term for all of those 'messy' design manifestations which for several decades defied categorization. It has had a wide influence, emerging in a number of countries, particularly Japan, the US, and Italy in both avant-garde and commercial contexts. Through its acceptance of 'mass culture' it succeeded to some extent in bridging the gap between the two ends of the cultural spectrum, going some way towards fulfilling the symbolic needs of today's pluralistic society.
In the 1980's technical, social, ecological, and cultural developments, as well as those in style, accelerated to such an extent and so radically that this decade stands out against the backdrop of those that went before. So let’s take a look at the ‘wild eighties’ and design that finally turned away from the dogmas of modernism and functionalism….
--Text liberally borrowed from Design: an illustrated historical overview, by Thomas Hauffe (1996) and Design in Context, by Penny Sparke (1987)
An influential writer, Charles Jencks, writes in his book Post-Modern Architecture (1977) that "Happily we can date the death of Modern architecture to a precise moment in time. Modern architecture died in St. Louis, Missouri on July 15th, 1972." That 'moment' he is referring to as the death of Modern architecture occurred when the socially undesirable Pruitt-Igoe high-rise tenement blocks, built 20 years earlier, were blown up.
The movement covered by the umbrella term 'post-modern' rejected the absolutist approach of the Modern Movement. Postmodernism describes a general cultural mood, expressed in such diverse disciplines as literature, philosophy, political theory, critical theory, politics, architecture and design.
In the design fields, the Postmodern countermovement first became manifest in architecture. The most obvious characteristic of the Postmodern was the reference to, and combination of, historical stylistic "quotations." Postmodern designers also combined rich ornamentation with minimalist forms, and expensive materials with kitsch. Formally, Postmodernism in the 1980's was above all a blow for freedom from the dictates of the modern.
It is generally agreed that the first objects of Postmodern design were furniture issued by the Italian group Alchimia out of which came the Memphis movement. The goal of Memphis was to produce a new emotional and sensual relationship between user and object, as opposed to the indifferent functionality of modern mass products.
For Memphis, ordinary daily things were the particular characteristics of contemporary life. Thus, they transplanted the colorful plastic laminates from the bars and coffee shops of the 1950's and the 1960's into the private residence. These materials, a "metaphor for vulgarity, poverty and bad taste" were stylized into a work-a-day mythos and declared a statement – newly laden with meaning.
Memphis derived their ideal home decorations from mundane daily life: from comic strips, movies and punk music, screaming in sweet pastel colors, at once playful, symbolic, and witty. Their intention was to excite a form of spontaneous communication between object and user. The practical purpose of the object was of no concern.
Postmodernism is a term for all of those 'messy' design manifestations which for several decades defied categorization. It has had a wide influence, emerging in a number of countries, particularly Japan, the US, and Italy in both avant-garde and commercial contexts. Through its acceptance of 'mass culture' it succeeded to some extent in bridging the gap between the two ends of the cultural spectrum, going some way towards fulfilling the symbolic needs of today's pluralistic society.
In the 1980's technical, social, ecological, and cultural developments, as well as those in style, accelerated to such an extent and so radically that this decade stands out against the backdrop of those that went before. So let’s take a look at the ‘wild eighties’ and design that finally turned away from the dogmas of modernism and functionalism….
--Text liberally borrowed from Design: an illustrated historical overview, by Thomas Hauffe (1996) and Design in Context, by Penny Sparke (1987)
DESIGN ALTERNATIVESThe 60's and 70's
“The inadequacy of the purely purpose-oriented form is revealed for what it is – a monotonous, impoverished, boring practicality."
~ Theodore W. Adorno
What do you think of when you think of the 1960's and 1970's? Chances are you think of hippie communes, flower power, and Woodstock. Just peace, love, and grooviness? Probably not. The '60's and the 70's also encompassed the Viet Nam War, Watergate, the Civil Rights Movement and student unrest on campuses across the nation. How about the OPEC oil crisis of 1973 that brought on a general sense of economic and ecological vulnerability that filtered down into most walks of life? Whatever comes to your mind, admittedly this was a time of dynamic change in all aspects of society. Informed by the turbulence of the era, a plethora of design alternatives resulted.
Thomas Hauffe, in his book Design: An Illustrated Historical Overview explains: "The counterculture, rock music, young people, pop art, movies not just from Hollywood but from countries around the world – all contributed to a new perspective on the nature of design. Radical counter-movements against functionalist architecture as well as against the dominance of mainstream industry and design institutions sprang up…"
"The youth culture of the 1960’s represented a revolt against traditional behavior patterns, while pop art represented a rebellion against aesthetic norms. The banal objects of daily life (e.g. soup cans, hamburgers), comics, and advertisements simultaneously stood as art and as a parody of the consumer society in the pictures of Roy Lichtenstein, Claus Oldenburg, and Andy Warhol.
This new aesthetic reached the sphere of the designers. The (new) synthetic materials allowed playful, often ironic and provocative forms, and in connection with the revolt of the 1968 generation against the conventional middle-class life-style, alternative models of living were explored."
In addition, the initial successes in the field of space exploration conjured up visions of space travel, which were projected in film and fashion, but also in furniture designs. (Did you think of Stanley Kubrick’s cult film 2001: A Space Odyssey? How about Star Trek or even the Jetson’s?)
Amidst all of the new industrial materials and processes and alongside the peace signs and paisleys, another form of "anti-establishmentarianism" was beginning. The revival of craft traditions began to humanize design in the 1960’s through the use of natural materials and unique, one-of-a-kind objects. The Studio Furniture makers embraced concepts that included simplicity, vernacular or modern stylistic traditions, and a loving and respectful use of natural resources. A conscious rejection of machine-made furniture brought the artisan traditions of the 19th century Arts and Crafts societies to the forefront, thus elevating furniture, once again, from its purely functional roots to Amidst all of the new industrial materials and processes and alongside the peace signs and paisleys, another form of "anti-establishmentarianism" was beginning. The revival of craft traditions began to humanize design in the 1960’s through the use of natural materials and unique, one-of-a-kind objects. The Studio Furniture makers embraced concepts that included simplicity, vernacular or modern stylistic traditions, and a loving and respectful use of natural resources. A conscious rejection of machine-made furniture brought the artisan traditions of the 19th century Arts and Crafts societies to the forefront, thus elevating furniture, once again, from its purely functional roots to a fine art.
Hauffe goes on to say, "The euphoric atmosphere surrounding mass production and the purely purposive rationalism of modern design were now increasingly attacked, while the role of design in a capitalistic society was loudly questioned. Not all designers wanted either to be, or to be perceived as, pawns of industry, perpetuating value systems that no longer served a useful purpose. They chose to work independently and experimentally for themselves."
So let’s take a look at these decades of experimentation, pop/rock music, bell bottoms, and macramé to explore some of the plastic-fantastic, tie-dyed design alternatives, shall we?
~ Theodore W. Adorno
What do you think of when you think of the 1960's and 1970's? Chances are you think of hippie communes, flower power, and Woodstock. Just peace, love, and grooviness? Probably not. The '60's and the 70's also encompassed the Viet Nam War, Watergate, the Civil Rights Movement and student unrest on campuses across the nation. How about the OPEC oil crisis of 1973 that brought on a general sense of economic and ecological vulnerability that filtered down into most walks of life? Whatever comes to your mind, admittedly this was a time of dynamic change in all aspects of society. Informed by the turbulence of the era, a plethora of design alternatives resulted.
Thomas Hauffe, in his book Design: An Illustrated Historical Overview explains: "The counterculture, rock music, young people, pop art, movies not just from Hollywood but from countries around the world – all contributed to a new perspective on the nature of design. Radical counter-movements against functionalist architecture as well as against the dominance of mainstream industry and design institutions sprang up…"
"The youth culture of the 1960’s represented a revolt against traditional behavior patterns, while pop art represented a rebellion against aesthetic norms. The banal objects of daily life (e.g. soup cans, hamburgers), comics, and advertisements simultaneously stood as art and as a parody of the consumer society in the pictures of Roy Lichtenstein, Claus Oldenburg, and Andy Warhol.
This new aesthetic reached the sphere of the designers. The (new) synthetic materials allowed playful, often ironic and provocative forms, and in connection with the revolt of the 1968 generation against the conventional middle-class life-style, alternative models of living were explored."
In addition, the initial successes in the field of space exploration conjured up visions of space travel, which were projected in film and fashion, but also in furniture designs. (Did you think of Stanley Kubrick’s cult film 2001: A Space Odyssey? How about Star Trek or even the Jetson’s?)
Amidst all of the new industrial materials and processes and alongside the peace signs and paisleys, another form of "anti-establishmentarianism" was beginning. The revival of craft traditions began to humanize design in the 1960’s through the use of natural materials and unique, one-of-a-kind objects. The Studio Furniture makers embraced concepts that included simplicity, vernacular or modern stylistic traditions, and a loving and respectful use of natural resources. A conscious rejection of machine-made furniture brought the artisan traditions of the 19th century Arts and Crafts societies to the forefront, thus elevating furniture, once again, from its purely functional roots to Amidst all of the new industrial materials and processes and alongside the peace signs and paisleys, another form of "anti-establishmentarianism" was beginning. The revival of craft traditions began to humanize design in the 1960’s through the use of natural materials and unique, one-of-a-kind objects. The Studio Furniture makers embraced concepts that included simplicity, vernacular or modern stylistic traditions, and a loving and respectful use of natural resources. A conscious rejection of machine-made furniture brought the artisan traditions of the 19th century Arts and Crafts societies to the forefront, thus elevating furniture, once again, from its purely functional roots to a fine art.
Hauffe goes on to say, "The euphoric atmosphere surrounding mass production and the purely purposive rationalism of modern design were now increasingly attacked, while the role of design in a capitalistic society was loudly questioned. Not all designers wanted either to be, or to be perceived as, pawns of industry, perpetuating value systems that no longer served a useful purpose. They chose to work independently and experimentally for themselves."
So let’s take a look at these decades of experimentation, pop/rock music, bell bottoms, and macramé to explore some of the plastic-fantastic, tie-dyed design alternatives, shall we?
MID-CENTURY MODERNISM1945
- 1954
“The word modern means up to date; and to use the modern style means to take advantage of the technical achievements of the age. It means using the new materials and the new ways of construction that have been developed in recent years. It also means to study changes in our way of living and in our taste.”-- Phillip Johnson
In both originality and timing, the United States lagged behind Europe in the design of modern furniture. From the crafts period – with the exception of the Prairie School – not much new design ground was broken. American designers worked in European idioms, and even through the 1940’s the great styles came primarily from Europe. Imports dominated the market – furniture from Denmark and Finland, from Germany, France, and Austria. And then came Charles Eames. With his wife Ray, Eames began to work in a uniquely American style while building on the technological developments of the Scandinavians. Eames invented a technique for bending plywood into complex curves – taking the work done by Aalto a step further – while making leg splints in the United States Navy during World War II. Eames and his Cranbrook Academy colleague. Eero Saarinen, energized American design and sent it forward into new looks, new materials.
The chief designer of Herman Miller – which produces Eames’s work – was George Nelson. He also had new ideas to contribute – taking the sideboard idea, for example, and coming up with a new American furniture favorite, the wall unit. (This was also being done in Germany in the 1950’s by Hans Gugelot and Jurgen Lange.) Nelson developed a chair and a sofa that introduced a light note into modern furnishings: Coconut and Marshmallow, as they were called, dictated the shape of the 1950’s and predicted the 1980’s to come as well. They were a far cry (for some a welcome change) from the seriousness of earlier modern works.
Besides Herman Miller, the important furniture company in the postwar United States has been Knoll International – which was founded by two Cranbrook affiliates, Florence and Hans Knoll, in the middle 1950’s. They produced the work not only of Americans but also of Bauhaus designers, putting many classics of the 1920’s back into mass production.
ew York City’s Museum of Modern Art, founded in the 1930’s, was an important influence in the development of good design in the United States after the war. By sponsoring shows and competitions for innovative furniture designs, the museum stimulated many talented people and attracted worldwide attention. While the idea for “modern” was not new, Americans brought the idea to fruition. The idea of Mid-Century Modern had arrived…. ~ Excerpted from Modern Furniture Classics by Miriam Stimpson, 1987
“The word modern means up to date; and to use the modern style means to take advantage of the technical achievements of the age. It means using the new materials and the new ways of construction that have been developed in recent years. It also means to study changes in our way of living and in our taste.”-- Phillip Johnson
In both originality and timing, the United States lagged behind Europe in the design of modern furniture. From the crafts period – with the exception of the Prairie School – not much new design ground was broken. American designers worked in European idioms, and even through the 1940’s the great styles came primarily from Europe. Imports dominated the market – furniture from Denmark and Finland, from Germany, France, and Austria. And then came Charles Eames. With his wife Ray, Eames began to work in a uniquely American style while building on the technological developments of the Scandinavians. Eames invented a technique for bending plywood into complex curves – taking the work done by Aalto a step further – while making leg splints in the United States Navy during World War II. Eames and his Cranbrook Academy colleague. Eero Saarinen, energized American design and sent it forward into new looks, new materials.
The chief designer of Herman Miller – which produces Eames’s work – was George Nelson. He also had new ideas to contribute – taking the sideboard idea, for example, and coming up with a new American furniture favorite, the wall unit. (This was also being done in Germany in the 1950’s by Hans Gugelot and Jurgen Lange.) Nelson developed a chair and a sofa that introduced a light note into modern furnishings: Coconut and Marshmallow, as they were called, dictated the shape of the 1950’s and predicted the 1980’s to come as well. They were a far cry (for some a welcome change) from the seriousness of earlier modern works.
Besides Herman Miller, the important furniture company in the postwar United States has been Knoll International – which was founded by two Cranbrook affiliates, Florence and Hans Knoll, in the middle 1950’s. They produced the work not only of Americans but also of Bauhaus designers, putting many classics of the 1920’s back into mass production.
ew York City’s Museum of Modern Art, founded in the 1930’s, was an important influence in the development of good design in the United States after the war. By sponsoring shows and competitions for innovative furniture designs, the museum stimulated many talented people and attracted worldwide attention. While the idea for “modern” was not new, Americans brought the idea to fruition. The idea of Mid-Century Modern had arrived…. ~ Excerpted from Modern Furniture Classics by Miriam Stimpson, 1987
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