Reading Response 1 – SR

• Do you notice similarities between avant-garde movements of the past and the design field (or the world) of today?
• Define These terms and consider in what ways do today’s designers  participate in, facilitate, or reject:
  • Authorship
  • Universality
  • Social Responsibility
• What idea(s) or concerns do you think will drive the Avant-Garde of the near future?

Armstrong, Helen. “Introduction: Revisiting the Avant-Garde” Graphic Design Theory: Readings From the Field, Princeton Architectural Press, 2009. Pages 9-15.

The term Avant-Garde is an interesting term, always being associated with works of art that induce expression, emotion, and a sense of creativity that isn’t the standard. I do believe that we as designers still take inspiration from this early movement. To create and for it to have the significance we must convey a message clearly and as well as have visualizers to keep attention. Authorship can be defined as the state or fact of being the writer of a book, article, or document, or the creator of a work of art. Universality is defined as the quality of involving or being shared by all people or things in the world or in a particular group. Social Responsibility can be defined as an ethical theory in which individuals are accountable for fulfilling their civic duty, and the actions of an individual must benefit the whole of society.

 Authorship is important for designers but depending on what the product/campaign is, designers are hardly created. Designers should facilitate and participate in social responsibility, bringing awareness to something that impacts everyone as a society should be conveyed through all mediums. It gets more eyes to the subject and helps us understand the subject better as well. For example, in another class I’m in, I am researching social impacts and creating a design around it to bring awareness to the subject. I’m not sure what ideas the Avant-Garde will bring but I believe it will change the way people perceive designers as a whole.