COMD3504 - D063
Hi! I'm Matthew De Souza, a graphic designer and artist. Art has been a major part of my life and I've been sharing it with friends and family for many years. It's exciting that I can be able to share my work with people across the world, whether if that's digitally or physically. I'm constantly open to feedback as I believe improvements can always be made to any body of work.
In this project I talk about the portrayal of black women in the fashion world, mainly through the use of fashion magazines.
Research Project Outline w/ Bibliography and Images: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j_YWfMkBrw7FsCMJUUFycGoycmZvvuabcqSAFGNiHTs/edit?usp=sharing
Link to Outline and Bibliography
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j_YWfMkBrw7FsCMJUUFycGoycmZvvuabcqSAFGNiHTs/edit?usp=sharing
Modernism is the rejection of the Victorian era’s traditions and the exploration of the industrial age. Stretching from the late 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, Modernism reached its apex in the 1960s; Postmodernism, however, describes the period that followed during the 1960s and 70s. As a philosophy, modernism holds logic and reason as central values for seeking universal truth. However, post-modern art rejected the traditional values of modernism, instead embraced experimentation with new media and art forms, including intermedia, installation art, conceptual art, and performance art. Post-modernism can be seen as a continuation or an extension of modernism, thus adapting or keeping a few elements from the previous era. Both epochs can’t be decreased or minimized to a single art form or style, nor can they be reduced to one single theory.
Because of the creation and establishment of mainstream technology, the effects of postmodernism are at its peak. Refusing to recognize the authority of any single style or definition of what art should be; it is an era that opens the door to creative freedom and emphasizes the diversity of human experience and multiplicity of perspectives. Promoting an eclectic, colorful style of architecture, decorative arts, and using new artistic forms enriched by video and computer-based technology. Postmodern art movements have been created and some are still present to this day; some examples are: Pop Art, Word Art (Text-based Painting), Conceptual Art, Video Art, Minimalism, Photography, Graffiti Art and Body Art (using the body as the “canvas”). The postmodern era is still present today because, if taken literally, the name would refer to the phase of history that comes after modernity. In today’s society, art has become subjective and artists continue to push the envelope when it comes to their designs. Whether it’s using garbage to create a sculpture or editing multiple pictures together to make something new, if postmodernism promotes infinite growth and creative freedom, then what can come after that? How are we able to expand further? What is the limit?
“Do the job HE left behind”
The ad I chose is a 1943 20th century war poster made by R.G. (Robert George) Harris. I really like the meaning and history behind this ad as it commits to an important message and movement that is still present in today’s society.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dLF0JK_9cxc-ASsK7CvBYt-6dsmJR4_DbKWOldQgdyQ/edit?usp=sharing
Introduction:
Diversity is important in advertisement because the media should more accurately portray the American consumer population and because consumers are more likely to buy something from a company that commits to diversity. As conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace continue to happen within organization everywhere, the fashion industry has not been immune to concerns about the lack of diversity and representation both on the runway and in the fashion background around the world. Despite the fashion industry welcoming all kinds of people, no matter race, gender, sexuality or religious background, there is still a preferred or ideal group of people that companies strive for. This ideal group is models that fit a certain standard of how the body should look. In particular, African American women are sadly not considered to be in this ideal group and this becomes quite apparent when looking at old and sometimes recent fashion magazines.
Body: But let’s take a step back…
2. Representation in fashion
3. Social Division
Conclusion:
Design is very subjective. Some people can interpret one design as “good design” while others may look at it and see nothing interesting. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The two great minds of Paul Rand and Steven Heller both looked at the concept of advertising from two different angles, with each coming to a conclusion about the relationship between design, corporations, and the underground mainstream.
From the point of view of Paul Rand, design is less a business than a calling. Rand brings up culture jamming, which is a form of protest used to disrupt or subvert media culture and its mainstream cultural institutions, including corporate advertising. An example is a designer creating a Coca Cola variation that instead states “Enjoy Capitalism”. This design uses the same typeface and colors as the original but has a different meaning. He also believes that ideas are the lifeblood of any form of meaningful communication. An open mind is required in this field of work. Narrowmindedness doesn’t create room for growth. While some other jobs and career professions are factual based, referring to a set of information obtained from reading books and research, design is subjective and must be designed for the audience. The design field is an easy profession to get into however, it requires constant adaptation and improvements. There is no “perfect” design. Every piece of work will be judged critically by others, but it is an opinion based profession rather than a factual one. In the text “Good Design Is Good Will” it states, “There is no set body of knowledge that must be mastered by the practitioners… What a designer does is not limited to any particular idea or form… It embodies visual ideas…”
Mainstream design, however, leans more towards profiting and political change. It is sometimes even used to alter the opinions of viewers and change their mindset on a certain topic. This is manipulation. A perfect example is the political cartoons. These cartoons were made for the purpose of conveying editorial commentary on politics, politicians, and current events. It has become easy for political cartoons to shape and set forth a certain narrative about someone or something without giving much information. In today’s society, companies and industries prefer to use design to create propaganda and promotional advertisements.
Design generally is a massive industry that should welcome all kinds of people, no matter of race, gender, sexuality or religious background. Despite this, there is an ignorable fact that African American designers have been getting the short end of the stick. A theory that I have is that there is a lack of design opportunities presented to them, making an interest in this field almost non-existent. Joel Towers seems to have a similar thought, stating, “Mr. Towers blames the scarcity of arts education in U.S. public schools, and poor perceptions of careers in art and design… He believes that African-American students, even those from affluent backgrounds, are also discouraged by the dearth of black role models.” However, even when this shortcoming is conquered, successful African American designers still face some form of prejudice. Every designer has different experiences. Some might not even face any form of prejudice while in this field of work, like artist Stephen Burks, but that doesn’t change the negative experiences that many other designers have faced. In his quote, he brings up the lack of black role models in the industry which can implement hesitation in the minds of young, inspiring black designers. This can be very unmotivating as it sends a negative message that for African Americans to achieve that top position is unlikely compared to white designers.
With the advancement of digital technology, people from different cultural backgrounds are emerging with contrasting designs, giving birth to new and fresh faces around the design field. But this is only the start. To bring about a change in the commercial design field, we must dig deeper. I think some steps the design industry can take are to make initiatives towards diverse representation in design firms, starting from the top. This allows minority designers and students to see someone who represents them in a senior role in firms, someone that they can look at and aspire to be. If diversity isn’t present, then minority people will be less motivated to work in that field. Hopefully, through hard work, perseverance, and addressing this issue straight-forward, we can recognize that there is a problem in this field regarding diversity and that it needs to be handled. By addressing it we are paving a way for future minority students and designers looking to work and be successful in this field. They will see more people like them in senior positions and will aspire to be as successful as them.
Matthew De Souza
My research paper is about German Swiss designer Wolfgang Weingart and his piece “Didacta Eurodidac” made in 1980. I compare this specific piece of work to other designers that we have talked about in class like Herbert Bayer and Walter Gropius, as there were many similarities between these men and their work. I also talk about the connections between Weingart and the Bauhaus, the road to creating “Didacta Eurodidac”, and how revolutionary it was.
Research Paper: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_HXDlq_l1oVF3KQO7jk2CUOQw_1NVlg1W1pxmXk0UyI/edit?usp=sharing
The Bauhaus, a school that combined the philosophies of many people to create its own iteration,-blending art and technology – with its core aim to reimagine the material world to reflect the unity of all the arts. New structural elements develop slowly, for the architectural form of art requires the cooperation of many individuals, whose work reflects the attitude of the entire community. However, the “academy” shut off the artist from the world of industry, and thus brought about his complete isolation from said community. It was taught to artists that art is a profession that can be mastered if studied. It needs to be known that schooling alone can never produce art. Art is the synthesis of techniques, many or few, to create a meaningful whole that is aesthetically, emotionally, or entertainingly pleasing for the spectator. This transition into the role that communication plays in art and design. Without communication, there is no connection between artist and audience, thus leaving a major fundamental aspect of art hollow.The finished product depends on the talent of the individual that creates it. However, the problem with this is that this quality cannot be taught or learned. It has to be up to the individual whether they wish to take the steps to mastering that quality.
To the Bauhaus, they conceived typography as both an empirical means of communication and an artistic expression. To Herbert Bayer it’s a “service art, not a fine art…” Typography is not self-expression, it is conditioned by the message it visualizes. It, along with pictures, conveys a direct form of communication from the artist to the viewer. Developed and progressing over the years, typography continues to adapt to the changing art world. The crucial role it would play is to help establish a much needed connection between artist and viewer.
The three readings each have an author that gives their point of view or perspective on art. In the first by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, The Founding and Manifesto of Futurism, the author talks about futurism. Futurism was an Italian art movement found Marinetti, with it flourishing in the early 20th century. Futurism called artists to reject the past and to celebrate what the modern world has to offer, this was also called the mechanical world. Futurism attacked Italy’s traditions to make it it more modern; to free Italy from its innumerable museums. Futurist imagery celebrated the power of machine, while also glorifying war because they saw potential for freedom in its power to destroy. They admired the militarism and modernity of Italian fascism and the speed of the industrial age. I feel this age to be problematic because futurist artists were sucked into fascist politics, and into positions that most artists would never endorse today, such as love of war and violence, bigotry toward minorities and contempt for women. However, despite all of this futurism is still a language used in modern design.
Aleksandr Rodchenko’s Who We Are gives the idea of artists moving from expression their own vision to serving the society as a whole. All forms of artistic talents must be used constructively for the benefit of society as a whole. This idea is common even in today’s society. The use of design to effect change in our world is certainly a common aim in the field. However doing this depends more on clients and conflicting social aims. Constructivism called for a careful technical analysis of modern materials, it sought to influence architecture, fashion, and design. Rather than emerging from an expressive impulse or an academic tradition, art was to be built, it was a desire to express the experience of modern life.
El Lissitzky’s Our Book tells us his beliefs and he believed that art and life could mesh and that the former could deeply affect the latter. He identified the graphic arts, particularly posters and books, and architecture as effective conduits for reaching the public. He values the importance of communication and how tools have been made to make such a thing so much more easier. To Lissitzky, books have stayed stagnant, following the same method for years. However, the internet is an answer to the complaint against formulaic trends in books. It is a way for millions of people to communicate and work with each other. I feel like Lissitzky and Rodchenko could have some agreements on their views of art. Supporting the modern age and what it has to offer. Art has to constantly adapt to the times, and its through this evolution that it can stay relevant in the modern world.
Language is a tool we as people use for communication with other people. Writers use words to communicate with their readers, and designers use visual language to communicate with their audience through the use of fonts, colors, shapes, visual elements like icons- those are elements of design language. Visual design is not only just for eye appealing enjoyment but it can also be used for one to express their feelings about a topic, situation or someone else. It’s even possible to tell an entire story. People perceive things differently, there is no standard emotion or perception to any one work of art or sign because of the differences in people. The way people interpret things can be influenced by the way they were raised or the experiences they underwent. For example one person may see red as a color that expresses anger, rage, and annoyance while another may see it express sadness. Signs in visual art is essential. They can showcase an object that has a certain meaning to one group of people but can mean entirely different thing to another group of people. An example is the bird the Bald Eagle. To Americans it symbolizes the strength and freedom of America however to the ancient Greeks it had more of a spiritual meaning, an omen, a message from the Gods to them. The way the Eagle is interpreted and perceived is different among people as not everyone is born from the same background or culture. The relationship between signifier and signified can change over time and in different contexts. An example is the word ‘cool’. If used as a signifier in one context or situation, cool refers to temperature. But in another, it can be used to refer to something or someone being popular.
Warde, Beatrice. The Crystal Goblet, or Why Printing Should Be Invisible Princeton Architectural Press, 2009. Pages 39-43., Kepes, György. Language of Vision: Painting, Photography, Advertising-Design, Paul Theobald, 1949. Pages 200-221
The poster I chose was a collaboration between two famous graphic designers, Thijs Biersteker and David Carson together making “Mind over Matter”. The driving ideology behind the making of the work was that when an audience keep a calm, meditative state of mind the world stays in balance, but when one person loses focus the planet spurs out of control into a collage of waste explosions, pollution clouds and floods. The poster Mind over Matter expands on this. This piece of work explores how people can overcome any obstacle and challenges by focusing on one thing at a time. The artwork has a black background that takes most of the screen except for the middle which consists of light green and blue also having two black figures standing in the middle. The main words “mind over matteR”. What’s so interesting about the typeface is how “mind” is quite literally placed over “matter”, providing a literal sense to the phrase. The “R” in “matteR” is also capitalized while the other letters are lowercase. This poster uses typography in unique manner making it more interactive.
The design field is about communication, function, and aesthetics. Designers seek to communicate and attract the audience to the product that they are advertising. The utilization of various colors, type, shapes, etc… creates a diverse field of creativity, mental flexibility, and visual language. The connection between designer and client has to be strong and with the popularization of technology tools, templates and other resources were made for clients.
The development/use of technology has brought about a radical change in the design field and has become the foundation of our work in modern society. It has made the job of designing much easier especially with the tools provided, allowing more complex designs and also establishing a better and easier link of communication between artist/designer and client. As stated in Page 10, “As a result of technology, content generation by individuals has never been easier.”
Design should play a role of neutrality instead of emotion. As of the early 1900s avant-garde artists disliked the old art world, seeing it as a corruption to society, shamefully elitist and ego driven.Rather they preferred the ideal of objectivity instead of subjectivity and as graphic design advanced towards a technology driven future that’s what should happened.
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