Postmodernism:
- pomo is cliche of post-modernism
- function and materials are modernist structures
- a lot of modernist structures didn't work
- postmodernism can be theoretical approach, embrace different things
- wrestling with dualities, mixing of cultures, high and low
- postmodernism seen in art, design, literature, architecture
- emphasis on feel rather than rationale
- emphasis on surface, texture and materials
- self-consciousness or self-referencing
- mixes high and low, historical references, vernacular
- Banksy is example, street artist, making lots of money off work
- emphasis on form over function
- direct confrontation to sterile office modernist aesthetic
- playing with design, putting text block at angle, expanding parameters
- in the 60s people reacting to modernism, others pushing boundaries
- language of poster, untraditional use of space and rags
- playing with logo, putting it on its side, bending it, maintains structure
- Wolfgang Weingart 1969 working with lead type, experimenting
- Weingart uses open systems, playful elements
- teacher at Basel School of Design, gets bored with international style
- starts experimenting and breaking from confines
- key proponent because he is a teacher at important school
- had very important students who became influential designers
- Weingart was teacher of Lee Willett (sp)
- experimenting with sans serif, letter spacing, stair-stepping rules
- uses diagonal type, reversing type out of bars, variations within word
- still underpinning of structure, but less conformity
- his student Dan Freedman uses variety of letterforms, float in space
- studied at Basel 60s and 70s and then taught at Yale
- tradition of Basel students teaching at prestigious US schools
- taking simple bit of text and saying what if, pushing variation
- mentality of having basis in theory and logic and pushing it farther
- 1980 ad for china club, elements of Lissitsky, contemporary
- Cal Institute of Arts lots of floating objects, texture orgy
- Memphis Design Group, based out of Milan
- want to erase International design, pull all textures and colors together
- pull from ancient, popular, function is secondary to style
- 70s artwork reflected arena rock music epicness of time
- the 80s is completely reactionary, saturation, objectification
- other reaction is punk, Sex Pistols and Buzzcocks
- Beatles transition reminiscent of aesthetics changing at time
- cliches of these musicians from their eras, iconic looks
- The Situationists modern group of Dadaists
- Situationists reacting to modernism, things have no meaning
- create situations, art that doesn't make sense, art poking fun
- absurdism in art, causing a reaction amongst people
- Sex Pistols form in 1976, first album in 1977
- Buzzcocks were poor kids from Manchester, just wanted to make band
- Charles Anderson appropriating cultural language and repackaging it
- up until this point in mid-80s, packaging didn't look like this
- Anderson uses illustration reminiscent of classical, changes language
- appropriating vernacular, not clean or modern, but rustic
- realized that historical vernacular affects customer more
- Peter Seville involved with music posters and graphics
- creates an aesthetic through industrial inspired graphics in The Factory
- creates famous Joy Division wave/mountain pattern
- Vaughn Olliver is another English designer, 4AD Records
- designers still using traditional means, shift happens with Mac in 80s
- Mac changes technology and therefore the way people design
- first uses were more about type setting than designing
- Layering, pixels, very digital looking due to computer
- Emigre was underground design magazine at time of formation
- Katherine McCoy was Cranbrook student, theoretical look at design
- student Jeff Keating? looking at French literature, deconstructive theory
- Ed Fella does everything by hand, creating expressive typography
- look for copies of Raygun or Beach Culture and buy them
- Dave Carson does same lecture every time, hide if he ever comes here
- post-modernists create work that shocks, readability not important
- active engagement becomes better form of communication
- the fact that it has become a more effective form in a way makes it modernist
- writing the type, doing it yourself, mixing high and low
- Sagmeister very charismatic, sincere German artist, hero worship
- lots of clean, competent work, with good clients
I've never really thought of myself in terms of modernist or postmodernist, but I guess if I had to choose then I'd say I'm a postmodernist. Even though technology is in many ways unavoidable in today's society, I would never really say I'm a proponent of technological growth. I think I'm too much of a romantic for that. I think there's so much to be valued in handcraft and using what's available, that I can't imagine a world run by technology. I think in many ways it takes away from the original idea or thought process behind the designer, unless your intention was perfection I guess. It's almost scary to me that there are these underlying rules or restrictions in the modern design aesthetic that I feel at times I am being forced to follow. Experimentation is so important to me and in many ways I feel I fail at even that..which is ridiculous to say because it's an experiment..there is no right or wrong. But I often feel like I can't make things that are unclean and random, and it frustrates me all the time. Vectors are frighteningly abundant and I just want someone to write in dirt and get away with it..even better if that person is me. One thing I will say about the negatives of postmodernism is that I think it can often cross the line into gaudy and overly cliche. I remember when I first saw Las Vegas..now I knew it was supposed to be disgustingly cheesy and bright, but I still held on to this idea that there would be this air of old glamour or that it would provide me with this sort of wave of nostalgia..but instead I just found it to be horribly fake and touristy..just so run down that it was no longer funny, but sad. So while I love the eccentricity and freedom of postmodernism and concept of dualities, I feel that form cannot always replace function.