Deconstructivism Lecture Notes 15/02/2011

Deconstructive Graphic Design- Lecture Notes- 15/02/2011

Deconstruction became the main mode of graphic design in the 60's. The work produced is a model for the integration of theory and practise together, its a perfect example of a practise that relies on theory or inversely a theory that relies on practice.

Post modernism

-Po-mo attitude of questioning conventions

-Po mo aesthetic=multiplicity of styles and approaches

• Deconstruction= approach associated with post-structuralism and Jacques Derrida
• Blended with 20's Russian constructivism= de-constructivism in architecture
• Visually interpreted in Graphic Design= sometimes called deconstructionism

What is deconstruction...?

Approach to texts which analysis their systems of representation- the systems which frame their communication. (Of Grammatology 1966 trans 1976)

Writing and Speech. Writings purpose is to immitate speech,

Speech- interior to the mind, requires no equipment, spontaneously learned, natural, organic, present subjects.

Writing- Exterior to the mind, requires equipment, culturally constructed, artificial, copy, absent subject.

David carson ray gun Magazine 1992 -95

His take on deconstruction, type that is hard to follow and seeks to reveal more than you expect. Its more of an explosion and onslaught of graphic design insanity, that overwhelms you and overcomes what you're thinking.

David Carson- The end of print

Deconstruction became a style very quickly influencing architecture and other forms of art.

Peter Eisenman- Tokyo office block

Avant Garde

http://www.tate.org.uk/collections/glossary/definition.jsp?entryId=38

Definition: Applied to art, means that which is in the forefront, is innovatory, which introduces and explores new forms and in some cases new subject matter.

To define Avant Garde in around 300 words, I've decided to analyse 2 of my favourite album covers that I think fall into this classification. The CD below is by Simian Mobile Disco a DJ with the album titled Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release. I picked the cover because of how it pushes boundaries within design, for an electronic genre of music you wouldn’t expect the letters to be made out of shells and surrounded by grass. I think the piece has been made digitally because of the accuracy in the shapes of each letter, however the cover shows experimentation and an unusual way of representing this type of music. The term Avant-Garde has been used so regularly it has almost lost its own meaning, however I think this CD fits into the category of being Avant Garde due to its irregular way of presenting information. I like how the type is all uppercase, this works well to catch the viewers attention, and also plays on the characteristic of pushing boundaries.

This is my second album cover, The Warning by Hot chip, I think the album cover is Avant Garde for many reasons other than just pushing boundaries. The shapes/building blocks on the front cover aren’t something that you would see or or think about everyday, they appear to be very futuristic and the way they have been set out and arranged engages you as a viewer. A range of pastel light colours have been used to compliment each other, yet if you were to have used them separately I think they would loose their appeal. The design leaves us as the viewer to make up the answers to the questions it creates by using an unusual subject matter. I think without knowledge of when the piece was made (2006) a viewer could be told that it was from the 70's or 80's and it would be believable.

Exploration of shape is this piece's main characteristic that pushes it into the catagory of being Avant garde. The repetition of dissected blocks/bricks works well to stimulate the viewer into creating their own perception of the piece, mixing all the shapes together to make our own new subject matter. This exploration of multiple different forms shows that simplicity works and that the mind can wander, a good example of being Avant-Garde in relation to pushing boundaries within design.

Avant Garde- Stephan Sagmeister

Stefan Sagmeister  is a graphic designer and typographer mainly based in New York with his own design firm, Sagmeister Inc. He has designed album covers for Lou Reed, OK Go, The Rolling Stones, David Byrne, Aerosmith and Pat Metheny and is very well known because of his dark unusual pieces of design.

http://www.sagmeister.com/

This photograph above outlines many reasons why Sagmiester's work is Avant Garde because of how dark and unusual it is. The piece doesn't follow the conventions of graphic design and doesn't stick to the rule of form follows function. Carving into the human skin is far from being a regular recognized form of media and is a shocking technique to use, this shock has built on the pieces fame and has been used to gain attention.

Lecture Notes- 01/02/2011 Avant-Garde

Dictionary definition: The adjective form is used in English, to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics. Avant-garde represents a pushing of the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm or the status quo, primarily in the cultural realm. The notion of the existence of the avant-garde is considered by some to be a hallmark of modernism, as distinct from postmodernism.

-Being Avant Garde in the work you do challenging innovating etc.

-Idea of doing art/design work that is progressive

-The concept of avant Garde has been used so much its meaning is basically meaningless.

Avant garde criteria from LCA old prospectus;

Innovation, (creating new stuff), experimentation, (process involved in order to achieve stuff), originality (to copy is bad, to be original is good) Creative genius, (to bring out a hidden creative depth held deep within the student)

Pushing boundaries/conventions.

We imitate others work to build up skills until we become accomplished to move on. Constantly developing rules to push forward in terms of talent. Style can be picked up through following others rules.

Art created for arts sake, not concerned for politics of the world. They're trying to create a system of aesthetic experimentation where we only think about things such as beauty or form. The more people look at these pure works of art the more they will culturally develop.

A major problem for the Avant Garde is that it seems to necessitate (ELITEISM)

Good design is invisible, but if your work is invisible then how can you ever get noticed?

What is Kitsch?

An inferior copy of work, or a worthless imitation of a piece of art.

Kitsch aspires to be like art but fails in some way. To call something kitsch you have to make a judgement of taste. But then who decides what is tasteful and what isnt?