Au revoir
I chose to title this ‘Au revoir’ rather than goodbye not because it is more exotic looking than the word ‘goodbye’ and the fact that it is a different language. But I chose it because saying goodbye would be inaccurate, our paths will cross again (I hope). Rather this is goodbye until we meet again.
One of my objectives was to practice bouncing ideas off others/work with others instead of independently. We’ve been taught at a young age to cover up our ideas or protect our ideas from being stolen. Most times when I share my ideas, the concept/idea ends up being better because everyone has different perceptions and viewpoints.
I also wanted to learn about historical art and design movements as I was wasn’t too familiar with any, to begin with. I discovered the Bauhaus movement and though I had heard of the Memphis group, what Andy and Karen had to say about their work was insightful.
I also never really knew the difference between a prototype and a mockup until we had a workshop session where we worked on prototypes for our third project.
Gesamtkunstwerk = TOTAL WORK OF ART
I love that concept.
I’ve been inspired that as a designer we have a responsibility to use our talents, not for trivial purposes but to contribute for worthwhile purposes. This was brought to my attention through the First Things First Manifesto which was written in 1963.
“The idea of the artwork is more important than the object itself”
Conceptualism is a historical movement that moved me, as its more than just the aesthetic. It’s about the message that the artwork is communicated, which has made me think more carefully about what I make and to place the idea/message as a higher priority than the aesthetic.
I reckon there were two activities we did in the workshop which definitely changed the way I thought about design. One of them was the activity where we used water to write a pangram and then use string/ribbon. This made me realize that there is indeed a connection between the materials we use and that materials matter. The other activity was going around the campus and finding letterforms. This reminded me that what you need is often around you, you just need to pay attention.
Something that was mentioned in the lecture (I can’t remember it word for word) but it went along the lines of “you should look for inspiration in everything other than your medium/art” or that inspiration will be better found per say in a park or on the train or at a beach rather than going to an art gallery. Not to say that inspiration can’t be found at the NGV, but I (personally) tend to find inspiration in places which aren’t galleries.
I’d definitely love to learn more about design movements in general.
Honestly, a creative/collective that has inspired me during this course was Andy & Karen (clicheeeeeeeee).
I just have an admiration for their work and what they do. The way they work together and compliment each other in both design aspects and just in general. I’ve been inspired by their energy and passion for what they do and listening to the projects they’ve done and experiences they’ve collated over the years whether it was in Milan or their books. I thoroughly enjoyed these story times. So thank you :)
