Revisiting the Avant-Garde
Armstrong, Helen. Graphic Design Theory: Readings From the Field, Princeton Architectural Press, 2009. Pages 9-15.
Questions / Prompts
- According to this author, what role should design play in society?
- What distinguishes the field, or fields, of design from other creative occupations?
- Why should designers concern themselves with unsolvable theoretical questions?
- What role does technology play in shaping design?
- What are the most urgent problems facing designers today?
- How, and why, is a designer responsible for solving these problems?
Reading Response
From the reading, according to Armstrong the role of designers and their designs in society should be that of agents of change. Designers must be conscious and aware of their positions within the design field and the general society. They often move between different extremes such as anonymity and authorship, the personal and the universal, or social detachment and social engagement. Through the movements between these extremes and the ever-changing culture due to advancing technologies, designers are much more influential and can enact changes within society with their designs.
Because of technological advancements, designers have been given the means of creating, producing, and distributing their designs by themselves. Technology, more so digital technology, and the internet also give designers more of a presence within society that broadens their designs’ influence. Designers now have a widespread reach which they should take into account when creating their designs with a message to inspire change in society.
Within our ever-changing culture and society, many social issues and problems start to arise and appear more in the spotlight. These issues become the most urgent problems that designers face today, having to be conscious of such issues when designing. Through designs, designers can influence and actively reshape their societies into something more. With the outreach designers have today, they have become some of the most influential agents of change.
I agree with your point on “Designers now have a widespread reach which they should take into account when creating their designs with a message to inspire change in society. ” because it’s true with advances in technology we can reach more people and in turn reach more opinions and advice which we can choose to listen to better improve our works. Society can look at what we have made and we are able to see how they can react and whether or not we should do something about it.
Good point, Eric. The message cycle is fluid– with instant feedback. Instant feedback can also cause kneejerk reactions, edits, or adjustments. So we must determine which feedback is noise and which is valuable, right?