The reviewed version of the manifesto is a much more refined and sentimental version of its predecessor. The second manifesto took a more subtle yet more comprehensive approach then the first. However, the manifesto did not escape the "authoritarian" tone of the first. No matter what side a person choses in regards to the Manifesto, it stills boils down to an opinionated discussion. Proposing designers to change their priorities is a dogmatic claim. What the supporters lay down as "more useful, lasting and democratic forms of communication" are only conceptual truths. Moral values and artistic values goes hand in hand and it seemed like these two important factors were thrown out the window in the manifesto or it was at least hanging out the window held by a single thread of rope. One simply cannot imply that education, cultural interventions, charity and what not are more important fields of work for a designer to splurge their artistic and creative energy than advertising or brand marketing.
Keeping priorities in mind, a designer have the choice of which company he or she will work for. A Graphic Designer / PETA activist may chose to work on a design project promoting the cat food "Meow Mix" or the famous chicken and poultry company "Perdue." As twisted as it may sound, a person who supports the ethical treatment of animals may still "chose" to work for companies with contrasting ethics. This is as such plainly because moral values and ethics are fragile in concept and are easily broken when finance falls in the picture. MORALLY, a person may favor working on a project addressing social and cultural crises over a project from a candy company. Now, down the line the big candy company "M&M" comes knocking at that designer's door requesting a new and revolutionary candy wrap design, or the like. The company makes it clear that they are willing to up the ante on the already massive price tag within their request. What will the designer do? Stick to the moral code or run towards the money? How do I look at being a designer, is designing a profession or a revolutionary alliance? That is something that every designer would answer differently.
At the end of the day designing, in this era, is mainly a profession. Advertising and brand marketing are mostly funded by money splurging companies; in contrast, "social betterment" projects are, most often, funded by low paying government agencies. In the context of where a designer should spend his energy, the manifesto brings only one thought to mind; Money or Moral Values?
Thursday, February 25, 2010
First Thing First 1964
Regardless of how one may look at it, design is art. At least that is what it always boils down to. It is no easy task to simply remove the "Art factor" from design. A quote from Designer Leeanne Lowe on creative.leeannelowe.com reads “Designers produce ideas. Then turn those ideas into visual communications. Art is also about ideas, and those ideas are also (mostly) turned into visual communications. The only difference being that artists do it to meet their personal needs and designers do it to meet the needs of others.” Her point matches well with my thoughts on the manifesto. Design have become a popular "job" in the modern era. Most Designers are doing their "job" whether they are promoting cat food or the next fuel-efficient toyota. In this light, designing is mainly a job.
As a worker in a pool full of other employers you must grab every opportunity that comes your way. This is even more true if a critic considers a designer's liking of a particular project. Designers get paid to attract the customers visually or create a design that meets company specifications and customer needs. If a designer is a cat lover why can't he or she design visuals for cat food posters, cans, boxes and the likes for the rest of her life? The manifesto was written in a very rough and authoritarian tone. No one except the employer have the right to tell a designer where to focus or what to prioritize in. Designers should be allowed to express themselves through their designs. After all they are simply doing their job, and hey if they get a kick out of it, so be it.
As a worker in a pool full of other employers you must grab every opportunity that comes your way. This is even more true if a critic considers a designer's liking of a particular project. Designers get paid to attract the customers visually or create a design that meets company specifications and customer needs. If a designer is a cat lover why can't he or she design visuals for cat food posters, cans, boxes and the likes for the rest of her life? The manifesto was written in a very rough and authoritarian tone. No one except the employer have the right to tell a designer where to focus or what to prioritize in. Designers should be allowed to express themselves through their designs. After all they are simply doing their job, and hey if they get a kick out of it, so be it.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Pioneer Modernism
Humans are self-improving beings. We always strive to make better of what we have. This was the internal focus of Pioneer-modernism. The movement began by embracing the idea that design can improve human consciousness. This thought emerged amidst the first world war, a period filled with inequalities and highly contrasting extremes. It was primarily driven by the thought of creating a peaceful world by means of unifying similarities and embracing internationalism.
Pioneers followed the idea of universal beauty through geometry. Many problems emerged during this movement. One such was their attempt to fuse technology with theosophy and purists ideals. They also tried to merge Romanticism with Rationalism. Those part of the movement incorporated a broad spectrum of ideas but did not possess the necessary material means to achieve their objectives. The utopia or ideal world of design that they envisioned could not be brought about because 'mass production' was a key factor, which the technology at the time did not have a thorough mastery of. This resulted in a wide void of space between their futuristic ideas and the current reality. The idea of internationalism also raised the question and concern of identity. If their is one distinctive design then how will individuals identify themselves? So rather then solving the problem of alienation, an international and universal design would only create 'self-alienation' amongst individual geographical groups.
In the end, Pioneers created an oxymoronic ideal "they believed that design could improve society by transforming mass consciousness, but they tended to accept also that before it could do this, society itself had to be improved. While they embraced universality they also failed to note (earlier on) that internationalism would only appear beautiful and efficient to those who were able to travel around the world and experience it: which just happened to be a very small percentage of the population.
Pioneers followed the idea of universal beauty through geometry. Many problems emerged during this movement. One such was their attempt to fuse technology with theosophy and purists ideals. They also tried to merge Romanticism with Rationalism. Those part of the movement incorporated a broad spectrum of ideas but did not possess the necessary material means to achieve their objectives. The utopia or ideal world of design that they envisioned could not be brought about because 'mass production' was a key factor, which the technology at the time did not have a thorough mastery of. This resulted in a wide void of space between their futuristic ideas and the current reality. The idea of internationalism also raised the question and concern of identity. If their is one distinctive design then how will individuals identify themselves? So rather then solving the problem of alienation, an international and universal design would only create 'self-alienation' amongst individual geographical groups.
In the end, Pioneers created an oxymoronic ideal "they believed that design could improve society by transforming mass consciousness, but they tended to accept also that before it could do this, society itself had to be improved. While they embraced universality they also failed to note (earlier on) that internationalism would only appear beautiful and efficient to those who were able to travel around the world and experience it: which just happened to be a very small percentage of the population.
NO LOGO
Successful businesses or corporations are built on a strong foundation. In the old days manufacturing was the foundation. The shift of the ideal foundation from manufacturing to branding is simply following the idea that 'a brand never dies.' As Hector Liang explained: "Machines wear out. Cars rust. People die, But what lives on are the brands." (202) Corporations have invested more into branding simply because, let's face, 'branding sells.' If a company wants more revenues then they have to focus on costumer satisfaction and the only way to keep a customer satisfied is to provide them with what is expected of the brand. The brand itself is an image of the company. Certain people only push for the image associated with that brand. I testify to this as I love the 'clean-cut couture' of H&M brand jackets and pants. Their apparels have a nice body-shape conforming feel. I hardly shop at any other stores because they do not provide me with the 'image' that I'm looking for.
I associate myself with this brand simply because of the 'fit or image' of the apparels. However, it's important to note that a majority of people who affiliate themselves to a brand do so only because of the logo. I know many of my friends who don't have a specific style of clothing that they wear. They simply wear whatever is '"hot" at the moment. Ed Hardy shirts, for example, cost more then the average shirt. Many customers wear those shirts because of the graphics and logo on the shirts. Be it a size small or extra large; $25 or $45, as long as its a Ed Hardy shirt they will buy it for the sake of "wearing the brand." I don't wear the brand I 'wear the fit.' Yes I am still stuck to a brand as a result, however if I were to find another store at the moment that had the same selection of clothing and affordable prices, I would have no second thoughts of shopping from there as well.
It is quite hard to detach yourself from a company if they continue to provide you with the style and functionality that you seek and expect of their products. In other words you become bonded to the brand. The more people adhered to the bran the higher the company's revenue. This is the main reason why companies have strained away from production in favor of branding.
I associate myself with this brand simply because of the 'fit or image' of the apparels. However, it's important to note that a majority of people who affiliate themselves to a brand do so only because of the logo. I know many of my friends who don't have a specific style of clothing that they wear. They simply wear whatever is '"hot" at the moment. Ed Hardy shirts, for example, cost more then the average shirt. Many customers wear those shirts because of the graphics and logo on the shirts. Be it a size small or extra large; $25 or $45, as long as its a Ed Hardy shirt they will buy it for the sake of "wearing the brand." I don't wear the brand I 'wear the fit.' Yes I am still stuck to a brand as a result, however if I were to find another store at the moment that had the same selection of clothing and affordable prices, I would have no second thoughts of shopping from there as well.
It is quite hard to detach yourself from a company if they continue to provide you with the style and functionality that you seek and expect of their products. In other words you become bonded to the brand. The more people adhered to the bran the higher the company's revenue. This is the main reason why companies have strained away from production in favor of branding.
Monday, February 22, 2010
NICOLAS BOURRIAUD, Relational Aesthetics
1- What is the "inter-human intercourse which is different to the 'zones of communication' that are forced upon us"?
2- In the near future how will machines effect "how much" of art is truly HUMANISTIC?
3- Is post-modernism "a branch of relational art"?
HENRI LEFEBVRE, Clearing the Ground
1- How does "history creates itself?" In this same sense would you say that "history creates everyday life?"
2- Do you agree with the quote "It is in everyday life and starting from everyday life that genuine creations are achieved".
3- Is the "EVERYDAY LIFE" merely "the performed activities which humans perceive as real and crucial to their survival".
2- Do you agree with the quote "It is in everyday life and starting from everyday life that genuine creations are achieved".
3- Is the "EVERYDAY LIFE" merely "the performed activities which humans perceive as real and crucial to their survival".
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Mind Self Portrait
This is a lil self portrait that I did. It basically represents a map of my mind.
My picture trail of, not my tuesday, but a day of painting.... It was long and annoying! :'(
Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Where I Catch My Zs
In the first day of class, I got lost finding my way to class in the civic square building; that night I went home and I got me some good sleep. For the "Follow the Trail" project I was hoping to get Kim lost, just as I was that day. Below is the info (email) that I sent her. :)
My full name is JAMES MORANTUS.
Each letter in my name has a an equivalent numerical value.
Except for the S which we will ignore, so you will only be working with the letters JAMES MORANTU.
--J is the 7th letter of the alphabet so its value is 7: M is the 13th letter so its value is 13 and so on.
--Make a list of all the letters of the alphabet and their corresponding numerical value.
--Keep this list with you as you will need it for your journey.
--This journey will take you into my world of letters and numbers as I am fascinated by language and mathematics.
--Once you have written all the letters down head to the civic square building downtown. (where our class meets)
--Once you get there use the chart and start searching for clues that i have left for you. The answer to the puzzle is "the place where i catch my Zs". That is also the first clue.
--Clue # 2------ Add the first 2 letters of my first name---- answer is 8.. head up to the second floor and start looking for all the room numbers that ends in 8. Next to the door you will find a piece of paper with the first letter of the answer to the puzzle. I might as well go ahead and tell you that the first letter to the answer is a "D"
When you find this 1st clue text me and i will give you the next clue.
GOOD LUCKZZZZZZZZZ...... lol get it Zs are part of the puzzle....
Okay ill agree it wasnt that funny....
My full name is JAMES MORANTUS.
Each letter in my name has a an equivalent numerical value.
Except for the S which we will ignore, so you will only be working with the letters JAMES MORANTU.
--J is the 7th letter of the alphabet so its value is 7: M is the 13th letter so its value is 13 and so on.
--Make a list of all the letters of the alphabet and their corresponding numerical value.
--Keep this list with you as you will need it for your journey.
--This journey will take you into my world of letters and numbers as I am fascinated by language and mathematics.
--Once you have written all the letters down head to the civic square building downtown. (where our class meets)
--Once you get there use the chart and start searching for clues that i have left for you. The answer to the puzzle is "the place where i catch my Zs". That is also the first clue.
--Clue # 2------ Add the first 2 letters of my first name---- answer is 8.. head up to the second floor and start looking for all the room numbers that ends in 8. Next to the door you will find a piece of paper with the first letter of the answer to the puzzle. I might as well go ahead and tell you that the first letter to the answer is a "D"
When you find this 1st clue text me and i will give you the next clue.
GOOD LUCKZZZZZZZZZ...... lol get it Zs are part of the puzzle....
Okay ill agree it wasnt that funny....
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