Reading Response 2 – EF

Revisiting the Avant-Garde

F.T. Marinetti, “Manifesto of Futurism”; Aleksandr Rodchenko, “Who We Are: Manifesto of the Constructivist Group”; and El Lissitzky, “Our Book” are found in our main text Graphic Design Theory: Readings From the Field by Helen Armstrong on pages 19-31.

Questions / Prompts

• What political events were happening during the time and place that these manifestos were written? How did those events influence the authors’ beliefs?
• Consider if and how these manifestos addressed the concepts of authorship/ownership, universal systems of communication, and social/political engagement.
• Which elements of these texts remain relevant for the present, and which elements are problematic? 
• How has the communication process changed since the early 20th Century, specifically concerning technology?

Response

In the times when the manifestos were written, a world war ripped through everything, and a technological revolution too. This, for the artists, was a unique opportunity to attack the society where they lived, they took advantage of everyone’s vulnerability to make themselves known through controversial ideas and messages that communicated the truths of the world. Being responsible for how part of the new world would behave is the basis of what would soon be graphic design as such. These terrible events also gave rise to their ownership and responsibility for their messages and art directed at society. Since in a world governed by government propaganda, the only thing left to do was to explode against it.

Manifesto began to implement the concept of ownership based on how work was done and delivered while combating the concepts and issues of the times. Over time this would become very important to the point that today no important work is done anonymously. Each artist takes charge of their work and takes responsibility for how it affects the world, just like they did in the 1900s with the Manifesto in opposition to all government-controlled propaganda. It is a responsibility.

The problem with knowing which elements of the text remain valid is difficult to explain. On the one hand, we know that like the Manifesto, art, and graphic design continue use to cause a stir in different ways for different social or cultural problems that occur. However, with all the technology out there, it becomes difficult to fight for a cause or express what one feels. Social networks have become a fundamental key to transmitting all kinds of ideas, creating many groups defending their concepts. Everything becomes more complicated.

Communication has become simpler. Now technology allows us to see and express our art and problems very easily. However, now there are many movements that use art as a form of expression, which is fine, but there are so many that you can no longer take a neutral position or feel free about what you think, and we find ourselves criticized more than before.

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