I chose to research Jazz and Fashion during the Sophiatown era and how the Drum Magazine elaborated it in the magazine
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Sophiatown - exercise 9
Sophiatown,also known as Sof'town or Kofifi, is a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. Sophiatown was a legendary black cultural hub that was destroyed under apartheid, rebuilt under the name of Triomf, and in 2006 officially returned to its original name. Sophiatown was one of the oldest black areas in Johannesburg and its destruction represents some of the excesses of South Africa under apartheid. Despite the violence and poverty, it was the epicentre of politics, jazz and blues during the 1940s and 1950s. It produced some of South Africa's most famous writers, musicians, politicians and artists.
I chose to research Jazz and Fashion during the Sophiatown era and how the Drum Magazine elaborated it in the magazine
I chose to research Jazz and Fashion during the Sophiatown era and how the Drum Magazine elaborated it in the magazine
mudfish, mermaids and depictions of Olokun, Oba and Mami Wata.
Mami Wata is venerated in West, Central, Southern Africa, and in the African diaspora in the Caribbean and parts of North and South America. Mami Wata spirits are usually female, but are sometimes male
The appearance of her hair ranges from straight, curly to kinky black and combed straight back. "Mami Wata" where "Mami" is the Pidgin English spelling of mammy (mother) "Wata" is the Pidgin English spelling of water is essentially a mermaid or humanistic water entity.
Mami Wata is often described as a mermaid-like figure, with a woman's upper body (often nude) and the hindquarters of a fish or serpent.In other tales, Mami Wata is fully human in appearance (though never human). The existence and spiritual importance of Mami Wata is deeply rooted in the ancient tradition and mythology of the coastal southeastern Nigerians (Efik, Ibibio and Annang people). Mami Wata often carries expensive baubles such as combs, mirrors, and watches. A large snake (symbol of divination and divinity) frequently accompanies her, wrapping itself around her and laying its head between her breasts. Other times, she may try to pass as completely human, wandering busy markets or patronising bars.[4] She may also manifest in a number of other forms, including as a man. In the Yoruba tradition, the mother goddess Yemaja has been recently associated with Mami Wata in popular culture.[citation needed] Traders in the 20th century carried similar beliefs with them from Senegal to as far as Zambia. As the Mami Wata traditions continues to re-emerge, native water deities were subsumed into it
The appearance of her hair ranges from straight, curly to kinky black and combed straight back. "Mami Wata" where "Mami" is the Pidgin English spelling of mammy (mother) "Wata" is the Pidgin English spelling of water is essentially a mermaid or humanistic water entity.
Mami Wata is often described as a mermaid-like figure, with a woman's upper body (often nude) and the hindquarters of a fish or serpent.In other tales, Mami Wata is fully human in appearance (though never human). The existence and spiritual importance of Mami Wata is deeply rooted in the ancient tradition and mythology of the coastal southeastern Nigerians (Efik, Ibibio and Annang people). Mami Wata often carries expensive baubles such as combs, mirrors, and watches. A large snake (symbol of divination and divinity) frequently accompanies her, wrapping itself around her and laying its head between her breasts. Other times, she may try to pass as completely human, wandering busy markets or patronising bars.[4] She may also manifest in a number of other forms, including as a man. In the Yoruba tradition, the mother goddess Yemaja has been recently associated with Mami Wata in popular culture.[citation needed] Traders in the 20th century carried similar beliefs with them from Senegal to as far as Zambia. As the Mami Wata traditions continues to re-emerge, native water deities were subsumed into it
Olokun is an Orisha in Yoruba religion, associated with the sea.It works closely with Oya (Deity of the Winds) and Egungun (Collective Ancestral Spirits) to herald the way for those that pass to ancestorship, as it plays a critical role in Iku, Aye and the transition of human beings and spirits between these two existences.
Olokun has male or female personifications, depending on what region of West Africa He/She is worshipped. It is personified in several human characteristics; patience, endurance, sternness, observation, meditation, appreciation for history, future visions, and royalty personified. Its characteristics are found and displayed in the depths of the Ocean. Its name means Owner (Olo) of Oceans (Okun).
Olokun also signifies unfathomable wisdom. That is, the instinct that there is something worth knowing, perhaps more than can ever be learned, especially the spiritual sciences that most people spend a lifetime pondering. It also governs material wealth, psychic abilities, dreaming, meditation, mental health and water-based healing. Olokun is one of many Orisa known to help women that desire children. It is also worshipped by those that seek political and social ascension, which is why heads of state, royalty, entrepreneurs and socialites often turn to Olokun to not only protect their reputations, but propel them further among the ranks of their peers.
Olokun has male or female personifications, depending on what region of West Africa He/She is worshipped. It is personified in several human characteristics; patience, endurance, sternness, observation, meditation, appreciation for history, future visions, and royalty personified. Its characteristics are found and displayed in the depths of the Ocean. Its name means Owner (Olo) of Oceans (Okun).
Olokun also signifies unfathomable wisdom. That is, the instinct that there is something worth knowing, perhaps more than can ever be learned, especially the spiritual sciences that most people spend a lifetime pondering. It also governs material wealth, psychic abilities, dreaming, meditation, mental health and water-based healing. Olokun is one of many Orisa known to help women that desire children. It is also worshipped by those that seek political and social ascension, which is why heads of state, royalty, entrepreneurs and socialites often turn to Olokun to not only protect their reputations, but propel them further among the ranks of their peers.
Binary Opposites - exercise 8
Superior - Inferior
Civilised - Savage/primitive
Christian - Heathen
Progressive, Modern, Original - Backwards, Static, Prehistoric
Industrial - Hunting, Farming
Culture - Nature
Enlightened People - Dark Continent
Centre - Margin
Civilised - Savage/primitive
Christian - Heathen
Progressive, Modern, Original - Backwards, Static, Prehistoric
Industrial - Hunting, Farming
Culture - Nature
Enlightened People - Dark Continent
Centre - Margin
Sub Culture -assignment 3 research
1.
Mass
Media- means by which information reaches a vast number of people through
different mediums such as radio, newspapers, internet and television. Sociologists
study mass media to explore the perceptions and behaviors of the audience and
how it effects them.
2.
Culture
Industry- this is in connection with Theodor Adorno as he discusses the
applications within media in the Frankfurt school concept of culture industry. the culture
industry's interest is to preserve its affinity to the narrowing cycle of
capital as its source of living.
3.
Ideology- A system of
ideas, one that forms a base for the economic and political policy. It is a
manner of thinking whether it be a group, an individual or social class.
4.
Popular Culture-
ideas, attitudes, images and perspective that lie within the mainstream of a
culture
5.
Counter Culture – subculture of
which the values of behaviors deviate from the mainstream society.
6.
Critical theory-
Critical
theory is a type of social theory oriented toward critiquing and changing
society as a whole, in contrast to traditional theory oriented only to
understanding or explaining it. Critical theories aim to dig beneath the
surface of social life and uncover the assumptions that keep us from a full and
true understanding of how the world works
7.
Neo Marxism-
A term loosely applied to any social theory or
sociological analysis which draws on the ideas of Karl Marx and Friedrich
Engels, but amends or extends these, usually by incorporating elements from
other intellectual traditions.
8.
Conformism and
Creativity- A person who uncritically or habitually conforms to the
customs, rules, or styles of a group, Another
example of the complexity of the relationship between creativity and conformity
can be found in fashion. Fashion is generally understood as a creative form and
a way of expressing an ‘authentic’ identity. However, Simmel, in an essay on
the philosophy of fashion draws attention to the ambivalence of fashion.
He proposed that: As soon as a fashion has been universally adopted, that
is, as soon as anything that was originally done only by a few has really come
to be practiced by all – as is the certain elements of clothing and in
various forms of social conduct – we no longer characterize it as fashion.
Simmel points to the ongoing tension between individuality and conformity that
is expressed in fashion. For example, clothes express individuality and
creativity but at the same time cover and conceal.
INTRODUCTION TO
SUB-CULTURE
We live in a society whereby individuals are understood and
defined by particular sub-culture ,A sub-culture being a term used to define a
cultural or social group within a larger mainstream culture.
Within a sub-culture lie diverse factors, namely common
interests, customs, beliefs, ethnicity and values, these characteristics
separate sub-culture from the dominant culture. A sub-culture can be
distinguished by the following aspects, choice of jargon, dress and appearance
as well as that particular group’s choice of musical genre. An example of a
sub-culture is Punk, ideally known for being a rebellious group of teenagers,
formed in Britain in the 1970s, a small group of teenagers stood their ground
and made a point through violence, music and clothing, this was their statement
of rebelling against the government. The Punk cultures had similar
characteristics as the Hippie Movement although Hippies were all about peace
and were anti-science people. (Chegg, 2013)
Konik -exercise 7
Thematising the ugly side of sublime
technological development in Sonzero’s Pulse (2006) as an inadvertent critique
of the ‘technocentricism’ of postmodernity”. South African Journal of Art
History 22 (3).
Konik is giving a description as to what Sanzero’s Pulse
(2006) was saying. He say that he is checking the ugly side of beautiful
technological development as an unplanned evaluation of the technological out
burst of postmodernity.
Nihilism in Japanese Anime -exercise 6
Nihilism – the belief that nothing has intrinsic value – has a long history of influence
on human society, even without actual recognition of this fact by the society being
influenced in this way at any specific time; the axiological effects of nihilistic
prevalence can be witnessed readily by the examination of cultural artifacts, such as
painting or, more accessible in the contemporary era, the media. Of course knowing how
to identify nihilism, and for this purpose understanding nihilism and its various forms,
are needed in this kind of examination and critique of artifacts. In this article a genre of
Japanese popular film art (while all film can be viewed as art it is not necessarily ‘high’
or ‘good’ art), namely anime, will be investigated more closely for evidence of nihilism.
analysis of anime, in its capacity as a popular
‘art’, as a means of interpreting cultural undercurrents in Japanese society, as any popular
medium could be said to serve as a vessel containing expressions of the axiological tensions
inherent to its ‘parent’ culture. I say this to support my argument concerning (signs of) nihilism
in Japanese culture. Some would argue that Japanese society is full of wholesome family
values, which on the surface it is indeed (much like American culture), but when one engages
with its art, including instances of popular art, one can bypass the saccharine façade presented
by the society in which it originates, and perceive the qualities hidden behind the façade of
conventional life, but evident in artifacts such as films, television programmes and literature.
I would like to point out that in its applicability as an interpretive concept, nihilism is not
particular to European society just because it was first explored by European thinkers, and that
it can be applied to any human society in which questions of meaning or value are important
– which, to my mind, would be any human society. The present article is predicated on this
assumption, which is arguably a reasonable one.
EXAMPLE
Akira (1988), directed by Katsuhiro Otomo,
because comparing it to Ghost in the Shell and Metropolis as far as its stance on nihilism goes,
one gets the distinct impression that it embodies a deep doubt in the face of technological
developments that may already have tampered too much with the primal forces of nature.
It is set in Neo-Tokyo, in the year 2019, after World War III, and reveals a chaotic, volatile
situation involving a corrupt government, insurgent terrorists, street gangs and the military.
When monitored at a government laboratory, one of the motorcycle gang’s members, Tetsuo, is
discovered to have genetic properties similar to those of Akira – an experimental subject who
was placed in cryonic suspension because of his colossal, virtually uncontrollable ‘natural’
potential. As Tetsuo becomes more and more powerful (and volatile), the narrative moves
towards a final reassertion of nature’s awesome, uncontrollable powers, in the face of which
puny humans can do nothing. The nihilistic element here is difficult to identify, because there
is hardly any promotion of new values (that is, active nihilism) for a future society. Nor does
it seem to advocate passive nihilism as the falling back on old value systems – these appear to
be corrupt and self-destructive. In fact, it seems to assert radical nihilism in a pessimistic way
as far as human society is concerned, but with a hint that nature will have the last word – in the
end the creative process will start all over again.
The broad picture painted by the anime familiar to me is therefore one of a society filled
with tensions concerning intrinsic human values, a culture that is torn between the more ‘liberal’
and personal value systems that constitute active nihilism in a world critically aware of the
falsity of passively nihilistic ideological structures, and the safe, simple security of retreating
into those very passive-nihilistic, preconstructed moral systems. As I have tried to show, anime
serves as a medium for expression of these tensions.
on human society, even without actual recognition of this fact by the society being
influenced in this way at any specific time; the axiological effects of nihilistic
prevalence can be witnessed readily by the examination of cultural artifacts, such as
painting or, more accessible in the contemporary era, the media. Of course knowing how
to identify nihilism, and for this purpose understanding nihilism and its various forms,
are needed in this kind of examination and critique of artifacts. In this article a genre of
Japanese popular film art (while all film can be viewed as art it is not necessarily ‘high’
or ‘good’ art), namely anime, will be investigated more closely for evidence of nihilism.
analysis of anime, in its capacity as a popular
‘art’, as a means of interpreting cultural undercurrents in Japanese society, as any popular
medium could be said to serve as a vessel containing expressions of the axiological tensions
inherent to its ‘parent’ culture. I say this to support my argument concerning (signs of) nihilism
in Japanese culture. Some would argue that Japanese society is full of wholesome family
values, which on the surface it is indeed (much like American culture), but when one engages
with its art, including instances of popular art, one can bypass the saccharine façade presented
by the society in which it originates, and perceive the qualities hidden behind the façade of
conventional life, but evident in artifacts such as films, television programmes and literature.
I would like to point out that in its applicability as an interpretive concept, nihilism is not
particular to European society just because it was first explored by European thinkers, and that
it can be applied to any human society in which questions of meaning or value are important
– which, to my mind, would be any human society. The present article is predicated on this
assumption, which is arguably a reasonable one.
EXAMPLE
Akira (1988), directed by Katsuhiro Otomo,
because comparing it to Ghost in the Shell and Metropolis as far as its stance on nihilism goes,
one gets the distinct impression that it embodies a deep doubt in the face of technological
developments that may already have tampered too much with the primal forces of nature.
It is set in Neo-Tokyo, in the year 2019, after World War III, and reveals a chaotic, volatile
situation involving a corrupt government, insurgent terrorists, street gangs and the military.
When monitored at a government laboratory, one of the motorcycle gang’s members, Tetsuo, is
discovered to have genetic properties similar to those of Akira – an experimental subject who
was placed in cryonic suspension because of his colossal, virtually uncontrollable ‘natural’
potential. As Tetsuo becomes more and more powerful (and volatile), the narrative moves
towards a final reassertion of nature’s awesome, uncontrollable powers, in the face of which
puny humans can do nothing. The nihilistic element here is difficult to identify, because there
is hardly any promotion of new values (that is, active nihilism) for a future society. Nor does
it seem to advocate passive nihilism as the falling back on old value systems – these appear to
be corrupt and self-destructive. In fact, it seems to assert radical nihilism in a pessimistic way
as far as human society is concerned, but with a hint that nature will have the last word – in the
end the creative process will start all over again.
The broad picture painted by the anime familiar to me is therefore one of a society filled
with tensions concerning intrinsic human values, a culture that is torn between the more ‘liberal’
and personal value systems that constitute active nihilism in a world critically aware of the
falsity of passively nihilistic ideological structures, and the safe, simple security of retreating
into those very passive-nihilistic, preconstructed moral systems. As I have tried to show, anime
serves as a medium for expression of these tensions.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
African Aesthetics -Assignment 4 research
here the brief was to research a local designer and showcase their work that contained African aesthetics, i chose to shoot a short documentary on Street painters, with the inspiration of Gerard Sekoto i managed to find a good local painter at the Duran Beach front, who had been painting for years. I interviewed him, asked what inspires his and his future plans.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Postmodern Design
By the 70’s the modern era of art was seen to be drawing to a close. With that a new idea
of postmodernism was born to express a climate of cultural change.
Precursors to Postmodern Design
Supermannerism and supergraphics were terms coined to discuss anything that broke
away from the modern style. These styles featured bold geographic shapes and colors.
And could be seen in design not only for print but in architecture as well.
Robert Venturi was the most controversial and the original architect behind the
supermannerist label. He proposed a radical design for the American Football Hall of
fame in 1967. It featured a electronic light display that could be seen form the interstate.
Early Swiss Postmodern Design
A lot of the postmodern push came out of Switzerland. They aimed for playful,
unexpected, neutral and disorganized layouts. Rosemarie Tissi, and Siegfried Odermatt
opened a firm together and along side of Steff Geissbuhler produced work that was like
nothing else seen before. (page 468). They used space and angles in new ways and
experimented with color.
Bruno Monguzzi was another artist interested in bending the traditions of design. He was
a designer, typographer and teacher.
A revolt and students in the International Typographic Style sought to re-invent
typographic design. New-wave typography was born.
New-Wave
Wolfgang Weingart taught at Basel school of design, he essentially pioneered the new
wave movement. He traveled to America and lectured and American design schools
where he was praised. He did work with photography and experimented with half tones
and work that broke away form typical grid systems. Weingart and his students…Dan
Friedman, April Greiman, and Willi Kunz…introduced such ideas as letter spaced sansseriff
type, stair-step fonts, ruled lines that punctuated space, diagonal type, italic type,
and reversed type.
Dan Friedman was perhaps one of them ore successful of Weingarts studies. His work
were paradigms of the emerging postmodern currents and he explored texture, surface,
layering, spacing, and geometric forms.
April Greiman helped establish this new wave in LA, and Willi Kunz brought it to New
York where his work was hailed as “quintessential examples” of postmodern design. He
did not use grids and could be called an information architecht who uses visual hierarchy
and syntax to bring order and clarity to messages.
The Memphis and San Francisco Schools
When the 70’s went out..the 80’s brought about more change. Function in design became
secondary to pattern, texture, and color.
These groups used pastel colors, exaggerated geometric forms, and laminates to convey
their messages. Form no longer followed function- it became the reason for design to
exist. The work was minimalist and predominant designers were Michael Graves,
Christopher Radl, Valentina Grego, Michael Vanderbyl, and Michael Cronin.
San Francisco postmodern design emerged quickly in the 80’s earning it a reputation as a
major center for creative design. In bay area design, elements are given symbolic roles
and become part of the content. (Remember the Beethoven work by Michael Cronin with
all the crazy colors and lines? Page 480)
Retro and Vernacular Design
The retro obsession was based off a history of graphic design now being taught at design
schools. Designers were learning respect for work from the 20’s and 30’s and wanted to
emulate it in their own work.
Vernacular work refers to artistic and technical expression broadly characteristic of a
local or historical period. This work paid homage to earlier commonplace designs such as
baseball cards and matchbook covers.
These styles thrived in book jacket designs and posters and were reminiscence of earlier
art deco work. This style even influenced corporate identity.
Charles Anderson developed the Classico pasta sauce bottles that were reminiscent of old
style mason jars with elegant typography.
Joe Duffy also helped developed key identity programs including work for Ralph Lauren.
Neville Brody emerged in London producing graphics and album covers. His works
developed from a vision to reveal not conceal, yet provide a logical approach to design.
He has stated that he never learned the correct rules of typography, leaving him free to
invent his own working methods. He did much of his work for “the Face” publication
inclusing work focusing on Andy Warhol.
Finally Paula Scher used a hand made style that went against what everyone was heading
towards with the use of computers in graphic design to create book covers and posters.
Her work was simple, and could be seen in the free your mind campaign for MTV.
of postmodernism was born to express a climate of cultural change.
Precursors to Postmodern Design
Supermannerism and supergraphics were terms coined to discuss anything that broke
away from the modern style. These styles featured bold geographic shapes and colors.
And could be seen in design not only for print but in architecture as well.
Robert Venturi was the most controversial and the original architect behind the
supermannerist label. He proposed a radical design for the American Football Hall of
fame in 1967. It featured a electronic light display that could be seen form the interstate.
Early Swiss Postmodern Design
A lot of the postmodern push came out of Switzerland. They aimed for playful,
unexpected, neutral and disorganized layouts. Rosemarie Tissi, and Siegfried Odermatt
opened a firm together and along side of Steff Geissbuhler produced work that was like
nothing else seen before. (page 468). They used space and angles in new ways and
experimented with color.
Bruno Monguzzi was another artist interested in bending the traditions of design. He was
a designer, typographer and teacher.
A revolt and students in the International Typographic Style sought to re-invent
typographic design. New-wave typography was born.
New-Wave
Wolfgang Weingart taught at Basel school of design, he essentially pioneered the new
wave movement. He traveled to America and lectured and American design schools
where he was praised. He did work with photography and experimented with half tones
and work that broke away form typical grid systems. Weingart and his students…Dan
Friedman, April Greiman, and Willi Kunz…introduced such ideas as letter spaced sansseriff
type, stair-step fonts, ruled lines that punctuated space, diagonal type, italic type,
and reversed type.
Dan Friedman was perhaps one of them ore successful of Weingarts studies. His work
were paradigms of the emerging postmodern currents and he explored texture, surface,
layering, spacing, and geometric forms.
April Greiman helped establish this new wave in LA, and Willi Kunz brought it to New
York where his work was hailed as “quintessential examples” of postmodern design. He
did not use grids and could be called an information architecht who uses visual hierarchy
and syntax to bring order and clarity to messages.
The Memphis and San Francisco Schools
When the 70’s went out..the 80’s brought about more change. Function in design became
secondary to pattern, texture, and color.
These groups used pastel colors, exaggerated geometric forms, and laminates to convey
their messages. Form no longer followed function- it became the reason for design to
exist. The work was minimalist and predominant designers were Michael Graves,
Christopher Radl, Valentina Grego, Michael Vanderbyl, and Michael Cronin.
San Francisco postmodern design emerged quickly in the 80’s earning it a reputation as a
major center for creative design. In bay area design, elements are given symbolic roles
and become part of the content. (Remember the Beethoven work by Michael Cronin with
all the crazy colors and lines? Page 480)
Retro and Vernacular Design
The retro obsession was based off a history of graphic design now being taught at design
schools. Designers were learning respect for work from the 20’s and 30’s and wanted to
emulate it in their own work.
Vernacular work refers to artistic and technical expression broadly characteristic of a
local or historical period. This work paid homage to earlier commonplace designs such as
baseball cards and matchbook covers.
These styles thrived in book jacket designs and posters and were reminiscence of earlier
art deco work. This style even influenced corporate identity.
Charles Anderson developed the Classico pasta sauce bottles that were reminiscent of old
style mason jars with elegant typography.
Joe Duffy also helped developed key identity programs including work for Ralph Lauren.
Neville Brody emerged in London producing graphics and album covers. His works
developed from a vision to reveal not conceal, yet provide a logical approach to design.
He has stated that he never learned the correct rules of typography, leaving him free to
invent his own working methods. He did much of his work for “the Face” publication
inclusing work focusing on Andy Warhol.
Finally Paula Scher used a hand made style that went against what everyone was heading
towards with the use of computers in graphic design to create book covers and posters.
Her work was simple, and could be seen in the free your mind campaign for MTV.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Benetton United Colors exercise 4.2
The core principles through which the Foundation operates are:
- the fight against hate and discrimination in all its forms;
- the support of new generations, where youth are the main actors and beneficiaries of concrete projects, communication campaigns and education activities;
- the dissemination of the social impact of Art, as the key tool of the Foundation in its activities against hate and discrimination.
The social impact of art projects, developed in close partnership with Fabrica, is at the heart of all the activities of the Foundation.
Hate is one of the causes of the lack of social and economic development of new generations:
- UNHATE communication campaigns, with their strong message promoting human rights, aim to engage the attention of the public and promote positive actions, where anyone can become a player in the fight against intolerance, from the global scenario to everyday life.
- UNHATE Projects support concrete actions in local communities to promote dialogue and the acceptance of diversity, and are implemented by associations and organizations whose beneficiaries are young people. These actions are selected for their capacity to bring long lasting and rooted positive effects in the target communities.
UNHATE Foundation is another important step in Benetton Group’s corporate responsibility strategy: a contribution that will have a real impact in the international community, involving a variety of stakeholders: the new generations, institutions, international organizations and NGOs, civil society and the general public.
- the fight against hate and discrimination in all its forms;
- the support of new generations, where youth are the main actors and beneficiaries of concrete projects, communication campaigns and education activities;
- the dissemination of the social impact of Art, as the key tool of the Foundation in its activities against hate and discrimination.
The social impact of art projects, developed in close partnership with Fabrica, is at the heart of all the activities of the Foundation.
Hate is one of the causes of the lack of social and economic development of new generations:
- UNHATE communication campaigns, with their strong message promoting human rights, aim to engage the attention of the public and promote positive actions, where anyone can become a player in the fight against intolerance, from the global scenario to everyday life.
- UNHATE Projects support concrete actions in local communities to promote dialogue and the acceptance of diversity, and are implemented by associations and organizations whose beneficiaries are young people. These actions are selected for their capacity to bring long lasting and rooted positive effects in the target communities.
UNHATE Foundation is another important step in Benetton Group’s corporate responsibility strategy: a contribution that will have a real impact in the international community, involving a variety of stakeholders: the new generations, institutions, international organizations and NGOs, civil society and the general public.
http://www.benettongroup.com/40years-press/img_our_campaigns.html
http://imgur.com/CJLOF
http://sweetfashionkerosene.blogspot.com/2012/09/ads-and-fascination.html
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Post Modern VS Modern Design - excercise 5
POSTMODERN DESIGN
By the 70’s the modern era of art was seen to be drawing to a close. With that a new idea
of postmodernism was born to express a climate of cultural change.
Precursors to Postmodern Design
Supermannerism and supergraphics were terms coined to discuss anything that broke
away from the modern style. These styles featured bold geographic shapes and colors.
And could be seen in design not only for print but in architecture as well.
Robert Venturi was the most controversial and the original architect behind the
supermannerist label. He proposed a radical design for the American Football Hall of
fame in 1967. It featured a electronic light display that could be seen form the interstate.
Early Swiss Postmodern Design
A lot of the postmodern push came out of Switzerland. They aimed for playful,
unexpected, neutral and disorganized layouts. Rosemarie Tissi, and Siegfried Odermatt
opened a firm together and along side of Steff Geissbuhler produced work that was like
nothing else seen before. (page 468). They used space and angles in new ways and
experimented with color.
Bruno Monguzzi was another artist interested in bending the traditions of design. He was
a designer, typographer and teacher.
A revolt and students in the International Typographic Style sought to re-invent
typographic design. New-wave typography was born.
New-Wave
Wolfgang Weingart taught at Basel school of design, he essentially pioneered the new
wave movement. He traveled to America and lectured and American design schools
where he was praised. He did work with photography and experimented with half tones
and work that broke away form typical grid systems. Weingart and his students…Dan
Friedman, April Greiman, and Willi Kunz…introduced such ideas as letter spaced sansseriff
type, stair-step fonts, ruled lines that punctuated space, diagonal type, italic type,
and reversed type.
Dan Friedman was perhaps one of them ore successful of Weingarts studies. His work
were paradigms of the emerging postmodern currents and he explored texture, surface,
layering, spacing, and geometric forms.
April Greiman helped establish this new wave in LA, and Willi Kunz brought it to New
York where his work was hailed as “quintessential examples” of postmodern design. He
did not use grids and could be called an information architecht who uses visual hierarchy
and syntax to bring order and clarity to messages.
The Memphis and San Francisco Schools
When the 70’s went out..the 80’s brought about more change. Function in design became
secondary to pattern, texture, and color.
These groups used pastel colors, exaggerated geometric forms, and laminates to convey
their messages. Form no longer followed function- it became the reason for design to
exist. The work was minimalist and predominant designers were Michael Graves,
Christopher Radl, Valentina Grego, Michael Vanderbyl, and Michael Cronin.
San Francisco postmodern design emerged quickly in the 80’s earning it a reputation as a
major center for creative design. In bay area design, elements are given symbolic roles
and become part of the content. (Remember the Beethoven work by Michael Cronin with
all the crazy colors and lines? Page 480)
Retro and Vernacular Design
The retro obsession was based off a history of graphic design now being taught at design
schools. Designers were learning respect for work from the 20’s and 30’s and wanted to
emulate it in their own work.
Vernacular work refers to artistic and technical expression broadly characteristic of a
local or historical period. This work paid homage to earlier commonplace designs such as
baseball cards and matchbook covers.
These styles thrived in book jacket designs and posters and were reminiscence of earlier
art deco work. This style even influenced corporate identity.
Charles Anderson developed the Classico pasta sauce bottles that were reminiscent of old
style mason jars with elegant typography.
Joe Duffy also helped developed key identity programs including work for Ralph Lauren.
Neville Brody emerged in London producing graphics and album covers. His works
developed from a vision to reveal not conceal, yet provide a logical approach to design.
He has stated that he never learned the correct rules of typography, leaving him free to
invent his own working methods. He did much of his work for “the Face” publication
inclusing work focusing on Andy Warhol.
Finally Paula Scher used a handmade style that went against what everyone was heading
towards with the use of computers in graphic design to create book covers and posters.
Her work was simple, and could be seen in the free your mind campaign for MTV.
By the 70’s the modern era of art was seen to be drawing to a close. With that a new idea
of postmodernism was born to express a climate of cultural change.
Precursors to Postmodern Design
Supermannerism and supergraphics were terms coined to discuss anything that broke
away from the modern style. These styles featured bold geographic shapes and colors.
And could be seen in design not only for print but in architecture as well.
Robert Venturi was the most controversial and the original architect behind the
supermannerist label. He proposed a radical design for the American Football Hall of
fame in 1967. It featured a electronic light display that could be seen form the interstate.
Early Swiss Postmodern Design
A lot of the postmodern push came out of Switzerland. They aimed for playful,
unexpected, neutral and disorganized layouts. Rosemarie Tissi, and Siegfried Odermatt
opened a firm together and along side of Steff Geissbuhler produced work that was like
nothing else seen before. (page 468). They used space and angles in new ways and
experimented with color.
Bruno Monguzzi was another artist interested in bending the traditions of design. He was
a designer, typographer and teacher.
A revolt and students in the International Typographic Style sought to re-invent
typographic design. New-wave typography was born.
New-Wave
Wolfgang Weingart taught at Basel school of design, he essentially pioneered the new
wave movement. He traveled to America and lectured and American design schools
where he was praised. He did work with photography and experimented with half tones
and work that broke away form typical grid systems. Weingart and his students…Dan
Friedman, April Greiman, and Willi Kunz…introduced such ideas as letter spaced sansseriff
type, stair-step fonts, ruled lines that punctuated space, diagonal type, italic type,
and reversed type.
Dan Friedman was perhaps one of them ore successful of Weingarts studies. His work
were paradigms of the emerging postmodern currents and he explored texture, surface,
layering, spacing, and geometric forms.
April Greiman helped establish this new wave in LA, and Willi Kunz brought it to New
York where his work was hailed as “quintessential examples” of postmodern design. He
did not use grids and could be called an information architecht who uses visual hierarchy
and syntax to bring order and clarity to messages.
The Memphis and San Francisco Schools
When the 70’s went out..the 80’s brought about more change. Function in design became
secondary to pattern, texture, and color.
These groups used pastel colors, exaggerated geometric forms, and laminates to convey
their messages. Form no longer followed function- it became the reason for design to
exist. The work was minimalist and predominant designers were Michael Graves,
Christopher Radl, Valentina Grego, Michael Vanderbyl, and Michael Cronin.
San Francisco postmodern design emerged quickly in the 80’s earning it a reputation as a
major center for creative design. In bay area design, elements are given symbolic roles
and become part of the content. (Remember the Beethoven work by Michael Cronin with
all the crazy colors and lines? Page 480)
Retro and Vernacular Design
The retro obsession was based off a history of graphic design now being taught at design
schools. Designers were learning respect for work from the 20’s and 30’s and wanted to
emulate it in their own work.
Vernacular work refers to artistic and technical expression broadly characteristic of a
local or historical period. This work paid homage to earlier commonplace designs such as
baseball cards and matchbook covers.
These styles thrived in book jacket designs and posters and were reminiscence of earlier
art deco work. This style even influenced corporate identity.
Charles Anderson developed the Classico pasta sauce bottles that were reminiscent of old
style mason jars with elegant typography.
Joe Duffy also helped developed key identity programs including work for Ralph Lauren.
Neville Brody emerged in London producing graphics and album covers. His works
developed from a vision to reveal not conceal, yet provide a logical approach to design.
He has stated that he never learned the correct rules of typography, leaving him free to
invent his own working methods. He did much of his work for “the Face” publication
inclusing work focusing on Andy Warhol.
Finally Paula Scher used a handmade style that went against what everyone was heading
towards with the use of computers in graphic design to create book covers and posters.
Her work was simple, and could be seen in the free your mind campaign for MTV.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Benetton Campaign - exercise 4
Food for life
This photo is the symbol of the Food for life campaign, that tells the true story of individual human beings; women, children and men whose only chance of escaping from violence, ostracism or poverty depends on their possibility of finding food. Food aid thus becomes "Food for peace", "Food for education", "Food for work", "Food to go home", "Food for protection" and "Food for stability".
Ponzano, 13th February, 2003 - The global communication campaign for 2003, co-developed by United Colors of Benetton and the World Food Programme, the United Nations frontline agency in the fight against global hunger, re-establishes hunger as the world’s most fundamental problem, since it is largely overlooked by both media and public opinion.
The images, taken by James Mollison, Fabrica’s young photographer, in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, show crisis and poverty. They demonstrate how food becomes a catalyst for reconciliation and development, a tool capable of revolutionising the lives of hungry individuals.
“The problem of hunger can be solved because the world produces enough food to feed everyone,” says James T. Morris, WFP Executive Director. “Yet a person dies of hunger or its related causes every five seconds. As we see a surge in the numbers of people on the brink of starvation, we need to draw attention in every way we can to prevent this terrible tragedy from continuing. We hope this initiative will form the basis of a substantive public discussion about hunger and put it back at the top of the international agenda where it belongs,” Morris added.
“We chose to work with WFP because we share their commitment and their tangible initiatives. We are supporting them – just as we have supported other humanitarian organisations in the past – with a campaign in which we believe absolutely because it encompasses a number of social issues – war, disease, marginalisation – which we have already addressed in our previous communication projects,” said Luciano Benetton.
Setting the scene is the symbol of the Food for Life campaign: a man with a mutilated arm, whose metal prosthesis is a spoon. Other images (on billboards and in newspapers all over the world) tell true, individual stories - of women, children and men - whose only chances of escaping violence, marginalisation and poverty depend on them finding food.
In Sierra Leone, for example, former soldiers from the various factions receive food if they renounce their weapons; they are trained in jobs so they no longer have to fight. In Afghanistan, women are paid in food rations for work which sustains them; they are encouraged to become involved and to rebuild their lives. Of major importance is the school feeding programme, under which WFP provides hot meals and nourishing snacks as an incentive to children to go to school and receive an education. Food aid thus becomes “Food for peace”, “Food for work”, “Food to go home”, “Food for education” and Food for protection”. Far from creating dependence, it helps create new possibilities for building self reliance in the lives of those who receive it.
All the stories and themes of the WFP-United Colors of Benetton 2003 Campaign are gathered together and developed in a special supplement to Colors 54 Food entitled “Hunger”.
Benetton is investing more than 15 million euro in over 30 countries for its 2003 campaign. This is part of a wider communication project on food, conceived and produced by Fabrica, including two other initiatives. Colors 54 Food presents the dietary habits, the rites and time devoted to eating, drinking and preparing food in various parts of the world (with a supplement developing the 2003 United Colors of Benetton campaign). Food - as a means of communication, artistic expression and design - is the subject of a book entitled 2398 g (the actual weight of the book itself) produced by Fabrica and published by Electa. Young artists from the Benetton centre, together with others of international acclaim, were invited to represent food, each in their own personal way – as a fetish, ritual, excess, dependence, celebration, emotion, reflection, contradiction, oppression and obsession.
For more information:
Benetton
www.benetton.com/press
Tel +39-0422-519036
World Food Programme
www.wfp.org
Tel: +39-06-65132602
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Conceptual Design - excercise 3
Conceptual design is a type of art which gives precedence to hypothetical function, it is the creation and exploration of new ideas. It is distinguished from conceptual art by closely relating to function; it is distinguished from design in general by not necessarily being actually functional but as illustrating a design that may show an idea that may potentially be functional. Conceptual design is a subset of concept art, wherein a novel idea or product is created instead of a visual representation—which would directly be used in a final product, e.g. a film, animation or video game.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
The Conceptual Image
After WW2 conceptual image in graphic design was introduced
-mental content joined perceived content as design
-new breed of image-maker that was concerned with the totally design of the space and
the integration of the word with the image
-graphic designers had greater opportunity for self-expression (personal images,
individual styles and techniques)
-conceptual image became a significant design approach in Poland, the US, Germany and
even Cuba
-Italian designer Armando Testa, was an abstract painter who conveyed elemental truths
about the subject
-did campaigns for Pirelli tires (elephant with tire coming out of face, brand name
underneath, surrealist technique), this ad became an easily recognizable symbol
-he reduced the verbal content to a few words or just the product name, subtle
contradictions, images made of artificial materials
The Polish Poster
-graphic designers joined filmmakers, writers and fine artists in the polish union of artists
(establishing standards and set fees)
-the 1st polish poster artist after the war was Tadeusz Trepkowski, expressed tragic
memories and aspirations for the future that were deeply fixed in the national psyche
-his approach involved reducing the imagery and words until the content was distilled
into its simplest statement (ie. his famous antiwar poster, used few shapes to symbolize a
devastated city and superimposed silhouette of a falling bomb)
-Henryk Tomaszewski became the spiritual head of polish design after Trepkowski’s
death
-the poster became a source of great national pride in Poland
-posters served as communication (Muzeum Plakatu- a museum devoted to posters)
- Tomaszewski led the trend toward developing remembrance in wks (with light,
decorative world of colour and shape)
-designs were created from torn and cut pieces of coloured paper, and then printed by the
silkscreen process
-typical of this style is the film poster for Rzeczpospolita Babska (also circus posters)
-the next design trend: surrealism (darker, more somber side)
-Jan Lenica-began using flowing, stylized contour lines that weave through the space and
divide into coloured zones that form and image
-Waldewmar Swierzy is best known for his poster of American rock musician Jimmi
Hendrix (seen in lecture).. Animated large portrait, washed in blue
-polish poster artist Roman Cieslewicz would take a poster and transform it using
techniques like enlarging collage, halftone images, dots into texture
-Jerzy Janiszewski’s Solidarity labour union logo (*talked about& viewed in lecture)
became an international symbol of the struggle against oppression. Poster addressed a #
of issues for country (banning of Solidarity). Graffiti style, crowded letters (metaphor for
people standing solidly together in street)
American conceptual image
-New York graphic designers: Milton Glaser, Seymour Chwast, Reynolds Ruffins and
Edward Sorel
-freelance assignments were request ed through the joint publication, the Push Pin
Almanack (published bimonthly, featured editorial material from old almanacs illustrated
by the group
-once Glaser returned from Europe, Push Pin Studio was formed
-Push Pin Almanack became the Push Pin Graphic (a magazine forum for presenting new
ideas, imagery and techniques)
-push pin artiusts freely paraphrased and incorporated a multiplicity of ideas into their
work
-Glaser was able to re-invent himself over and over again
-during the 60’s he created images using flat shapes formed by thin-black-ink contour
lines, adding colour by applying adhesive colour films (ie. his Sound of Harlem album
cover) ..(drawing style was echoed in comic books)
-Glaser began to making gestured silhouette drawings (ie. like his Bob Dylan record
cover, blk silhouette with coloured hair patterns)
-also created ‘Uncle Sam’ as a graphic icon and created the I heart (symbol) NY
-‘Dada and Surrealism’ poster (viewed in lect.) dada text pressed into smaller table..
smaller table isolates the word real within the longer word surrealism
-Chwast uses line drawings overlaid with adhesive colour films, flatness in work. (ie.
Elektra Productions piece, each letter in title is a form of transportation)
-Push Pin style was referred to as being open about trying new forms, reinterpreting work
from earlier periods, and integrating word and image into a conceptual whole
-Barry Zaid (a Canadian) joined the Push Pin studios, his work was prominently a
revival of art deco, he also created a cover for Australian Vogue (seen in lect.)
-James McMullan revived watercolour, began making fluid lettering an important part of
his images (ie. Anna Christie play poster, girl sitting at table by ocean is in the backdrop,
viewed in lecture)
-Paul Davis (like McMullen became involved in integration of word and image).. ie. as
viewed in lecture the poster For Colored Girls, graffiti-like title, subway mosaic (blk girl
in forefront of poster)
-push pin school of graphic illustration presented an alternative to the narrative of the past
-projected vitality with lush colour and unashamed allusions to other art
-Arnold Varga reinvented the retail newspaper ad. (made the connection between
memorable images and building communication) fusing images together
-connection between art and music (expression and experience)
-CBS records was at the forefront of graphic design in the music industry
-Woody Pirtle, logo for Mr.& Mrs. Aubrey Hair (comb, with text ‘hair’ in comb’s teeth),
Knoll ‘hot seat’ poster, hot pepper posed in a way to make it look like it is a chair
-1980’s saw graphic design get recognized as being a true profession in US
The poster mania
-contrast to postwar polish posters, the US’s poster craze was more about grassroots
affairs fostered by social activism
-posters made statement about social viewpoints rather than spreading commercial
messages (ie, hippie subculture, Haight-Ashbury area in San Fran)
-psychedelic posters
-artists were self-taught
-Robert Wesley (Wes Wilson), was the innovator for psychedelic poster-style, used
swirling lines and letter forms (ie. concert poster for the Association, viewed in lecture,
green background, red flame like font)
-movement included Kelly/Mouse Studios and Victor Moscoso
-Moscoso was the only major artist in this period who has formal art training
-Peter Max, combined art nouv. Aspects of psychedelic art with more accessible
images/softer colours , ie. ‘Love’ poster
European visual poets
-poetic approach to graphic design based on imagery through collage, montage and both
photographic and photomechanical techn.
-German master of this movement: Gunther Kieser.. brought images together with new
arrangement
-began to construct fictitious objects that are convincingly real
-Gunter Rambow, manipulated photography (black and white documentary styled
images)
-uses collages and montages as a means of creating a new graphic reality
-designer Robert Massin.. Learnt graphic design under typographic designer Faucheux
-Massin’s work has affinities with futurist and Dadaist typography (but his intensification
of both narrative literary content and visual form into a cohesive unity expressing
uniqueness (ie. La cantatrice chauve)
-Pieree Bernard, Francois Miehe and Gerard Paris-Clavel came together to create Grapus
studio (1970). Grapus favoured universal symbols with readily understood meanings, ie.
sun, mood.
-motivated by the dual goals of achieving social and political change while striving to
realize creative artistic impulses
The third-world poster
-poster served as a major vehicle for spreading social and political stuggles (ideas were
known as weapons)
-poster medium was very effective, posters became vehicles for challenging authority
-Cuba became a major center for poster design after the revolutionary force led by Castro
-Myth and reality have been unified in a powerful and graphic symbol based on the
image and Che Guevara (leader of Cuban revolution).. Elena Serrano’s ‘Day of the
Heroic Guerrilla’ (viewed in lecture) Che’s image transforming into a map of South
America
-the important conceptual images in the 2nd half of the 20th C. developed in response to
many factors, and ideas and forms from modern art have filtered into pop culture
-mental content joined perceived content as design
-new breed of image-maker that was concerned with the totally design of the space and
the integration of the word with the image
-graphic designers had greater opportunity for self-expression (personal images,
individual styles and techniques)
-conceptual image became a significant design approach in Poland, the US, Germany and
even Cuba
-Italian designer Armando Testa, was an abstract painter who conveyed elemental truths
about the subject
-did campaigns for Pirelli tires (elephant with tire coming out of face, brand name
underneath, surrealist technique), this ad became an easily recognizable symbol
-he reduced the verbal content to a few words or just the product name, subtle
contradictions, images made of artificial materials
The Polish Poster
-graphic designers joined filmmakers, writers and fine artists in the polish union of artists
(establishing standards and set fees)
-the 1st polish poster artist after the war was Tadeusz Trepkowski, expressed tragic
memories and aspirations for the future that were deeply fixed in the national psyche
-his approach involved reducing the imagery and words until the content was distilled
into its simplest statement (ie. his famous antiwar poster, used few shapes to symbolize a
devastated city and superimposed silhouette of a falling bomb)
-Henryk Tomaszewski became the spiritual head of polish design after Trepkowski’s
death
-the poster became a source of great national pride in Poland
-posters served as communication (Muzeum Plakatu- a museum devoted to posters)
- Tomaszewski led the trend toward developing remembrance in wks (with light,
decorative world of colour and shape)
-designs were created from torn and cut pieces of coloured paper, and then printed by the
silkscreen process
-typical of this style is the film poster for Rzeczpospolita Babska (also circus posters)
-the next design trend: surrealism (darker, more somber side)
-Jan Lenica-began using flowing, stylized contour lines that weave through the space and
divide into coloured zones that form and image
-Waldewmar Swierzy is best known for his poster of American rock musician Jimmi
Hendrix (seen in lecture).. Animated large portrait, washed in blue
-polish poster artist Roman Cieslewicz would take a poster and transform it using
techniques like enlarging collage, halftone images, dots into texture
-Jerzy Janiszewski’s Solidarity labour union logo (*talked about& viewed in lecture)
became an international symbol of the struggle against oppression. Poster addressed a #
of issues for country (banning of Solidarity). Graffiti style, crowded letters (metaphor for
people standing solidly together in street)
American conceptual image
-New York graphic designers: Milton Glaser, Seymour Chwast, Reynolds Ruffins and
Edward Sorel
-freelance assignments were request ed through the joint publication, the Push Pin
Almanack (published bimonthly, featured editorial material from old almanacs illustrated
by the group
-once Glaser returned from Europe, Push Pin Studio was formed
-Push Pin Almanack became the Push Pin Graphic (a magazine forum for presenting new
ideas, imagery and techniques)
-push pin artiusts freely paraphrased and incorporated a multiplicity of ideas into their
work
-Glaser was able to re-invent himself over and over again
-during the 60’s he created images using flat shapes formed by thin-black-ink contour
lines, adding colour by applying adhesive colour films (ie. his Sound of Harlem album
cover) ..(drawing style was echoed in comic books)
-Glaser began to making gestured silhouette drawings (ie. like his Bob Dylan record
cover, blk silhouette with coloured hair patterns)
-also created ‘Uncle Sam’ as a graphic icon and created the I heart (symbol) NY
-‘Dada and Surrealism’ poster (viewed in lect.) dada text pressed into smaller table..
smaller table isolates the word real within the longer word surrealism
-Chwast uses line drawings overlaid with adhesive colour films, flatness in work. (ie.
Elektra Productions piece, each letter in title is a form of transportation)
-Push Pin style was referred to as being open about trying new forms, reinterpreting work
from earlier periods, and integrating word and image into a conceptual whole
-Barry Zaid (a Canadian) joined the Push Pin studios, his work was prominently a
revival of art deco, he also created a cover for Australian Vogue (seen in lect.)
-James McMullan revived watercolour, began making fluid lettering an important part of
his images (ie. Anna Christie play poster, girl sitting at table by ocean is in the backdrop,
viewed in lecture)
-Paul Davis (like McMullen became involved in integration of word and image).. ie. as
viewed in lecture the poster For Colored Girls, graffiti-like title, subway mosaic (blk girl
in forefront of poster)
-push pin school of graphic illustration presented an alternative to the narrative of the past
-projected vitality with lush colour and unashamed allusions to other art
-Arnold Varga reinvented the retail newspaper ad. (made the connection between
memorable images and building communication) fusing images together
-connection between art and music (expression and experience)
-CBS records was at the forefront of graphic design in the music industry
-Woody Pirtle, logo for Mr.& Mrs. Aubrey Hair (comb, with text ‘hair’ in comb’s teeth),
Knoll ‘hot seat’ poster, hot pepper posed in a way to make it look like it is a chair
-1980’s saw graphic design get recognized as being a true profession in US
The poster mania
-contrast to postwar polish posters, the US’s poster craze was more about grassroots
affairs fostered by social activism
-posters made statement about social viewpoints rather than spreading commercial
messages (ie, hippie subculture, Haight-Ashbury area in San Fran)
-psychedelic posters
-artists were self-taught
-Robert Wesley (Wes Wilson), was the innovator for psychedelic poster-style, used
swirling lines and letter forms (ie. concert poster for the Association, viewed in lecture,
green background, red flame like font)
-movement included Kelly/Mouse Studios and Victor Moscoso
-Moscoso was the only major artist in this period who has formal art training
-Peter Max, combined art nouv. Aspects of psychedelic art with more accessible
images/softer colours , ie. ‘Love’ poster
European visual poets
-poetic approach to graphic design based on imagery through collage, montage and both
photographic and photomechanical techn.
-German master of this movement: Gunther Kieser.. brought images together with new
arrangement
-began to construct fictitious objects that are convincingly real
-Gunter Rambow, manipulated photography (black and white documentary styled
images)
-uses collages and montages as a means of creating a new graphic reality
-designer Robert Massin.. Learnt graphic design under typographic designer Faucheux
-Massin’s work has affinities with futurist and Dadaist typography (but his intensification
of both narrative literary content and visual form into a cohesive unity expressing
uniqueness (ie. La cantatrice chauve)
-Pieree Bernard, Francois Miehe and Gerard Paris-Clavel came together to create Grapus
studio (1970). Grapus favoured universal symbols with readily understood meanings, ie.
sun, mood.
-motivated by the dual goals of achieving social and political change while striving to
realize creative artistic impulses
The third-world poster
-poster served as a major vehicle for spreading social and political stuggles (ideas were
known as weapons)
-poster medium was very effective, posters became vehicles for challenging authority
-Cuba became a major center for poster design after the revolutionary force led by Castro
-Myth and reality have been unified in a powerful and graphic symbol based on the
image and Che Guevara (leader of Cuban revolution).. Elena Serrano’s ‘Day of the
Heroic Guerrilla’ (viewed in lecture) Che’s image transforming into a map of South
America
-the important conceptual images in the 2nd half of the 20th C. developed in response to
many factors, and ideas and forms from modern art have filtered into pop culture
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Supermannerism and supergraphics
Supermannerism. American
style of interior decoration dating from the 1960s employing odd optical
tricks, synthetic materials that were either shiny and mirror-like, or
transparent, and over-sized elements, so it was referred to as
‘mega-decoration’, and owed more to images in ‘Superman’ comics than to Mannerism. The term
was applied in the 1970s to some large buildings falling into the category of Post-Modernism.
Supergraphics
- as the name hints - are graphics on a big scale. Which is fitting since they
were also a big - even revolutionary - concept, cooked up by some of the most
radical post-modern architects of the 1960s. The idea? To apply paint and
graphics to both the interior and exterior of buildings in a defiant act that
would 'remove solidity, gravity, even history' - and certainly cause some alarm
to those more reverential modernists. According to architect Robert Venturi:
'One does not paint on Mies.' The only thing small about the architectural
movement was its time frame; supergraphics abided by the decade's mantra to
'live fast, die young'. 
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