Author: Ashley Leon (Page 2 of 2)

Technology has played a huge role and made an impact on art and design. According to the article, we got to learn how 3 artists from the early 1900’s that have used technology in their work of art which now makes an impact to today’s world and art.

Starting with Marinetti Manifesto, according to the reading, it seemed that Marinetti looked to technology as a muse for Futurist art and saw technology as a way for humans to evolve and harness more power over nature and progress from the past. He magnified the excellence of the machine and the new innovation of the vehicle, with its speed, force, and development. He reflects his goal of discarding the art of the past and celebrating change, originality, and innovation in culture and society. Marinetti’s manifesto glorified the new technology of the automobile and the beauty of its speed, power, and movement.

In ‘Our Book’ by El Lissitzky’s he explores new material forms of book design while dematerializing it in the digital world. He mentions Gutenburg, the inventor of the system of printing movable type. There are masterly variations accompanied by technical improvement in the production of instruments. He explains that the idea that moves the masses today is called materialism but what really characterizes our time is dematerialization. He says “The amount of material used is decreasing, we are dematerializing, cumbersome masses of material are being supplanted by released energies”. I would have to agree because technology is becoming very powerful more than ever and can take over to a certain extent. 

Lastly, Aleksandr Rodchenko was more of an engineer than an artist. He used new innovation and large-scale manufacturing trying to give structure not simply to progressive ideas of functionalism and economy. He embraced and redefined graphic design as an essential form of society using his distinctive style which helped give visual voice to constructivism.

Language is a form of communication used in everyday life but also a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication of articulated sounds. According to the reading, the linguistic sign is arbitrary. It is powerless to defend itself against forces from one moment to the next when shifting relationships between the signified and the signifier. It plays a form of communication using patterns, conventions, and techniques that is used to give a line of designs. This can also contain color schemes, textures, layouts, etc.

A symbol is a sign linked to its object by virtue of conventions, agreements, or rules. Symbols are arbitrary and the meaning of symbols needs to be acquired. The orthography of languages or the writing system of languages is also symbols. Individually, symbols like alphabets and letters carry minimal or no meaning. It is a combination of a concept and a sound but it can generally designate only a sound-image. This is where the signifiers and signified take place. The bond between both is arbitrary, meaning that sign is to designate the whole and to replace concept and sound-image. The signifier being auditory is unfolded which represents a span and the span is measurable in a single dimension.

It was very interesting reading the 3 essays of signs and symbols because it went into depth on how it all started but not only in the real world but in the design world. How writing and numbers had been used in different techniques to communicate whether it was using sticks, beads, or the human body. Lastly, the archaic numbering systems show that it can give a better representation in many ways in the design process. Through different forms of language, there is a sign or symbol to indicate its meaning just like the 3 short essays where it’s explaining the background of symbols using the symbol or sign beside it.

In today’s society, graphic designers carry out a myriad of artistic and professional services, which center on visual communication and presentation. It is a very new design expression technique, which was a spontaneous response to the vast communication requirements of the industrial revolution. As a product of the last hundred years, graphic design was developed in order to market the fruits of mass production to the increasing numbers of consumers. With that technology plays a very important role. According to the reading, Technology  is fundamentally altering our culture but technology wrought radical change in the early 1900s as well. Designers back in the day did not have all the access now but they made sure they were designing in some way, shape or form. 

As more designers are enabled by Technology, they as well have more access and more to do now more than ever. Not only it empowered a new collectivity but redefined universality. I find it very interesting when Armstrong indicates that “technology through which designers today create and communicate has quietly thrust universality back into the foundation of our work” meaning that the design concepts come back around years later a give you a sense of taste of Avante Garde artists like El Lissitzkey, Herbert Baylor and more.

Design is a part of what makes us human, and in a modern industrial economy, it has evolved with the changes in technology and production. Without design, the world would be without creativity. We see it in our everyday lives constantly whether it is watching tv, on your phone, or just at home. It is very much influenced by how we think, how we dress, and what we purchase.