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.

PROMPT:

  • 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 with regard to technology?

RESPONSE:

The political events happening during these manifestos were during a time of chaos, industrialization, world war, and technological upheaval and change (p.19, Line, 5-7). During the 20th century there was a rise of fascist and communist regimes in Europe, as well as the manifestation of modernist art and design movements. These political events had a significant influence on the author’s by shaping their beliefs and motivating them to take action. 

When it comes to the concept of authorship and ownership, these manifestos advocated for a more democratic and participatory approach when it comes to design to focus on creativity and collaboration. These manifestos challenged the traditional concepts of artists/designers arguing that design in general should be a political engagement that solves the needs of the community. In addition, the manifestos also addressed the concept of universal systems of communication, supporting a new design language that can be understood by everybody regardless of their cultures and backgrounds. They thought of design as a tool to change society for the better. 

I believe some of these texts are still relevant today, for example the “Manifesto of Futurism” by F.T Marinetti 1909. It embraced the speed, machinery and the new technology as well as rejecting traditional art forms for modern creation which is still relevant today. However, there are some elements that might be problematic as they may fail to consider the social and cultural effects of new technologies. 

Communication has changed dramatically since the 20th century with technology. Now we have social media, the internet and other fast methods of communication. This has helped artists to engage with communities as well as given the rise of new forms of design such as interactive designs. Since technology is advancing more and more, designers have to also adapt to these changes. 

Annotations: 

  1. Creating The Field 
  1. creating the field 
  1. Manifesto of constructivism 
  1. Manifesto of futurism by Marinetti 1909