Tasks Due Today from Week 9
- Post your Research Project Presentation Outline
- Add comment to Reading/Discussion #5: Write your own Manifesto
- Create your Midterm Assessment post
Check-in (10 min)
Freewrite – The Art of Noticing (15 min)
Prompt: In your language of choice, write continuously in your notebook for 10 minutes about what you noticed this week when completing the task. Don’t edit, or correct, don’t stop, just write. Feel free to share or not.
This week’s task brought to you by Andre:
Change your perspective (aka self-examination through another’s perspective)
Notice how your see yourself vs how others see you. You probably already know how you feel about yourself but what about others? Choose a person/group of persons and think about how they might view you/what they think about you. It can be anyone, be it a stranger or someone you already know.
Andre
Next Week’s Prompt by Esmeralda:
Look Up – and then look up again
Find a place to sit or lie down and look up. Take your time. See what’s up there. Then look for what’s beyond that.
ART OF NOTICING
Activities
Below, find the information covered in this session. Complete all of the following activities, videos, and assignments.
1. Assignment Review
How did it go?
- Peer-Review of your Research Essay – Stereotype
- Research Project Presentation Outline
- Midterm Assessment
2. Share: Manifestos!
3. Designer’s Cookbook: Influences + Lineages
In the remaining weeks (and in leu of a second essay), we will explore the evolution of contemporary design through the lens of a few key ideas. As author Helen Armstrong notes in Graphic Design Theory: Readings from the Field, [design] is a discipline that continually moves between extremes—anonymity and authorship, the personal and the universal, social detachment and social engagement.”
We will examine major design movements and their lineages, with an eye toward:
- Technological Change
- Authorship vs Anonymity
- Universal vs Personal/Cultural/Political
- Social Responsibility vs Social Detachment
We will start by following the western canon and weave in underrepresented designers, movements, and influences, as well as contemporary lineages.
The goal here is for you to discover your own aesthetic lineages. Why are you drawn to one visual aesthetic over another? What are the ingredients (influences) that make up your visual style? Together let’s make a Designer’s Cookbook (or suggest another name for this). Each week write a post about an artist, designer, musician, scientist, philosopher, or movement. And with example images, demonstrate how they are part of your design lineage.
4. Futurism
Graphic design was in its infancy in the early 20th Century, and the artists/designers of the early Avant-Garde were laying the foundation for the field amidst worldwide upheaval and technological and social change.
Filippo Marinetti, along with a group of young Italian artists, composed the “Manifesto of Futurism” in 1909 to declare their ambitions, in opposition to the traditional values dominating Italian art and culture of the time.
Login to LinkedIn Learning with your Public Library Card (see LinkedIn Learning Access) and watch European Avant-Garde in the Course: Learning Graphic Design History.
Using our “lens of extremes” outlined above, where did the early Futurists focus their attention?
Key ideas/concepts
- The 11 point manifesto lists the values and ideals that the group will celebrate, including motion, movement, technology, speed, dynamism, unification of culture, industrialization, war, violence, courage, aggression, machismo, extremism, destruction of the past, revolution and glorification of war.
- The introductory paragraphs contain allusions to traditional, mythological imagery with references to the latest machine technologies.
- Machinery is portrayed as both dangerous and thrilling
- Political leanings were initially fascism, anti-feminist, anti-democratic, but years later those ideas were rejected to focus more on technological advancement, specifically aviation.
- The closing paragraphs emphasize the Modernist idea of rejecting past art movements in favor of progress
5. Dadaism
The Dada Movement was a radical artistic and literary movement that emerged in response to the chaos and disillusionment of World War I. The movement began in Zurich, Switzerland in the early 20th century and spread to other parts of Europe and the United States. Hugo Ball and Tristan Tzara wrote Dada Manifestos in 1916 and 1918, respectively.
Learn more in this short essay.
Key ideas/concepts
- Anti-Art: Dadaists rejected traditional artistic conventions and sought to challenge the very notion of what art could be. They embraced anti-art as a means of protesting against bourgeois society and its values.
- Absurdity and Nonsense: Dadaists employed absurdity, randomness, and nonsense in their works to shock and provoke viewers. They often used unconventional materials and techniques to create their art, such as found objects and collage.
- Political Critique: The Dada movement was deeply political, with many artists using their work to critique nationalism, militarism, and authoritarianism. Dadaists saw the horrors of World War I as evidence of the failure of rationality and civilization.
- Collaboration and Collective Creation: Dadaists valued collaboration and collective creation, often working together to produce art, poetry, and other forms of expression. They formed tight-knit communities and sought to create a sense of camaraderie and solidarity among artists.
6. Afrofuturism
Afrofuturism is a cultural aesthetic that combines science-fiction, history and fantasy to explore the African-American experience and aims to connect those from the black diaspora with their forgotten African ancestry.
tate.org.uK
Let’s watch this PBS Video introducing Afrofuturism.
Does contemporary Afrofuturism have lineages back to those of the early avant-garde Futurists?
Afrofuturist Artists/Designers/Writers
- Sun Ra: Often considered the godfather of Afrofuturism, Sun Ra was a jazz musician, composer, and bandleader whose work incorporated themes of space travel and futuristic mythology.
- Octavia E. Butler: While primarily known as a science fiction author, Butler’s work often explored themes of race, gender, and identity, making her a key figure in Afrofuturist literature.
- Janelle Monáe: A musician, actress, and visionary, Monáe’s albums, such as “The ArchAndroid” and “Dirty Computer,” are steeped in Afrofuturist themes, exploring concepts of identity and technology.
- George Clinton: Parliament-Funkadelic band leader. Clinton’s music is deeply influenced by Afrofuturist themes, incorporating elements of science fiction, mythology, and cosmic imagery into his songs and stage performances.
- Rasheedah Phillips: A multidisciplinary artist, attorney, and writer, Phillips explores themes of time travel, Afrofuturism, and speculative fiction in her work, including her Afrofuturist novel “Recurrence Plot.”
- Afrofuturist Affair: Founded by Rasheedah Phillips, Afrofuturist Affair is a grassroots organization that hosts events and promotes Afrofuturist art, literature, and culture.
- Samuel R. Delany: An award-winning science fiction author, Delany’s work often explores themes of race, sexuality, and identity within futuristic settings.
- Nnedi Okorafor: A Nigerian-American author, Okorafor’s work blends African culture with science fiction and fantasy, often exploring themes of tradition, technology, and identity.
- Wangechi Mutu: A Kenyan-American visual artist, Mutu’s work incorporates elements of Afrofuturism, exploring themes of gender, race, and technology through collage, sculpture, and video.
- Flying Lotus (Steven Ellison): A musician and producer, Flying Lotus’ music often incorporates Afrofuturist themes, blending jazz, hip-hop, and electronic music with futuristic soundscapes.
- Mati Klarwein: A painter known for his surreal and visionary artwork, Klarwein’s work often incorporates Afrofuturist themes, drawing inspiration from African art, mythology, and spirituality.
- Mickalene Thomas: A contemporary artist known for her vibrant mixed-media portraits, Thomas explores themes of race, gender, and sexuality within a futuristic context, challenging traditional notions of beauty and identity.
- Toni Morrison: While primarily known as a novelist, Morrison’s work often explores themes of race, identity, and history, touching on elements of Afrofuturism in novels such as “Beloved” and “Song of Solomon.”
- Emory Douglas: As the Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party, Douglas created iconic graphic designs that merged revolutionary politics with Afrofuturist imagery, influencing generations of artists and activists.
- Saya Woolfalk: A contemporary artist whose work spans various mediums including graphic design, Woolfalk explores Afrofuturist themes of hybridity, technology, and utopia through her vivid and fantastical illustrations and installations.
- Waldo Lee: Known for his vibrant and dynamic graphic design work, Lee incorporates elements of Afrofuturism into his designs, exploring themes of identity, culture, and technology.
- John Jennings: A graphic novelist, illustrator, and scholar, Jennings explores Afrofuturist themes in his work, often reimagining historical narratives and mythologies through a futuristic lens in his graphic novels and illustrations.
- Timothy DuWhite: A graphic designer and poet, DuWhite’s work often explores themes of race, identity, and social justice, incorporating Afrofuturist aesthetics into his designs and poetry.
- Osaretin Ugiagbe: A graphic designer and visual artist, Ugiagbe’s work incorporates Afrofuturist themes, exploring concepts of African futurism, identity, and technology through his vibrant and imaginative designs.
- Dawit N.M.: A graphic designer and illustrator, Dawit’s work often incorporates Afrofuturist elements, blending traditional Ethiopian motifs with futuristic imagery to create visually striking designs.
- Sindiso Nyoni (R!OT): A graphic designer and illustrator from Zimbabwe, Nyoni’s work often explores themes of African identity, culture, and futurism, challenging stereotypes and celebrating the diversity of African cultures through his designs.
- Afrocentric Vibes: A graphic design collective, Afrocentric Vibes creates visually stunning designs that celebrate African culture, history, and futurism, incorporating Afrofuturist aesthetics into their artwork and illustrations.
- Rachelle Baker: A graphic designer and illustrator, Baker’s work often explores themes of Afrofuturism and speculative fiction, blending traditional African motifs with futuristic elements to create visually captivating designs.
7. Black Dada / Adam Pendleton
In his book which he describes as “a collage in book format,” Adam Pendleton, draws “connections between classic European Dadaist texts, which were responding to the violence and trauma of World War I, and the writings of figures like Black Arts Movement leader LeRoi Jones, responding to the violence of racism in the 1960s. Relating these art historical threads creates an avenue for considering the experiences of shock and displacement in both anew, opening up new potential associations.”
“What Is ‘Black Dada’?” by Terence Trouillot (read more)
Black Dada began as a series of paintings and as an old-fashioned manifesto, in the form of a wotty, 13-page epic poem, that references some of his touch stones…
“BEYOND WORDS ART TALK” Ted Loos, WSJ Magazine (REad More)
8. Assignment: Designer’s Cookbook Week 10
This week we looked at Futurism, Dada, Afrofuturism, and Black Dada; and the designers, manifestos, and aesthetics that define them.
Were you inspired by any of the designers or movements we discussed this week?
If yes, dive a little deeper and identify which and why. Write about them in relation to your own work, design aesthetic, or creative ideology . See if you can locate visual lineages or connections in your own work.
If no, introduce us to a designer, artist, musician, scientist, philosopher, writer, or movement (etc) that has influenced your work, design aesthetic, or creative ideology. Include images of your work and theirs for comparison and demonstrate how they are part of your design lineage.
Create a post called Designer’s Cookbook Week 10 – YourInitials.
Add the category Designer’s Cookbook.
9. Midterm Assessment Post
If you didn’t do this last week, do it now on paper or in a post before the end of class. Review the guidelines in Week 9.
Week 10 Agenda Checklist
Below are all of the tasks, big and small, for this week. The due date is Wednesday, 11:59 pm before our next Thursday class. Timely completion of these tasks will contribute to your success in this course.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Designer’s Cookbook Week 10 – N.S.
(Could not create post, did not give me the option.)
Reflection of the eclipse caught on camera