80s Design is Alive, Well, and Living in 2019” by Nadja Sayej, published in PRINT, March 6, 2019
Prompts
- How or where are the principles of “collage” and “mixed media” used today?
- In what ways do we see the 80’s aesthetic / ideologies in more of the recent “cyberculture, vaporware, or glitch art” trends?
- How was self-publishing in the Postmodern-era (“the use of the photocopies/zines became an alternative voice for communities who were not well represented in mainstream media”) similar to the use of today’s technologies?
- Find 1 example of work from a postmodern graphic designer from the 1980s and 1 example of work from a contemporary graphic designer from the last five years. Deconstruct the works and explain which visual and/or ideological elements are associated with the Postmodernism of the 1980s and why.
Response
1. Collage and mixed-media techniques are often utilized in modern art, design, and advertising. In editorial layouts, packaging, and poster design, collage methods are commonly utilized. In sculpting, fashion, and fine art, mixed media is frequently employed. Today, a lot of designers and artists combine conventional methods with digital media to produce fresh types of mixed media. Artists may produce aesthetically appealing, multi-layered, complicated works that go against accepted ideas of art and design by using collage and mixed media.
2. There are various ways in which the 80s aesthetic is present in contemporary trends in glitch art, vaporware, and cyberculture. These fashions frequently make use of vivid neon hues, strong geometric patterns, and futuristic lettering evoking 80s style. The usage of pixelated and glitchy images, which alludes to the early days of digital technology, is also widespread. These themes frequently make reference to pop culture and technology from the 1980s, as well as a sense of nostalgia for that decade.
3.In that both technology of today and self-publishing in the Postmodern era make it possible for alternative voices to be heard, there are some parallels between them. In the 1980s, disadvantaged communities were able to convey their viewpoints and narratives outside of the mainstream media through self-publishing through photocopied zines. Today, similar views may be heard thanks to social media and internet platforms. Both also enable DIY content creation and sharing, eschewing conventional gatekeepers and hierarchies.
4. David Carson, a graphic designer from the 1980s who is renowned for his experimental and outlandish use of typography, is an illustration of a postmodern graphic designer. He frequently used warped, unreadable, and overlapping text in his works, which questioned conventional ideas of readability and communication. Jessica Walsh is an illustration of a modern graphic designer from the previous five years. She is renowned for her striking and vibrant designs. Her designs frequently use whimsical font, hand-drawn graphics, and a strong story element. Both designers promote experimentation and creativity while challenging conventional design principles. However, Walsh’s work is connected to a more whimsical and playful approach, whilst Carson’s work is connected to the deconstruction and fragmentation of design features.
Art Works
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