Tuesday, 9 April 2013

Shadow Play - Toni Nefdt

Anzac Tasker is a New Zealand award winning designer who graduatuated from Auckland University of Technology with first class honours in Graphic Design a major in Advertising.  

In his project "Shadow Play," he explores and experiments with typography using thin wire lettering, and photographing the end result in a low lit room which adds the shadowy effect. Do the shadows disrupt the read, or add to it?  





http://www.e-flux.com/announcements/no-order-art-in-a-post-fordist-society/

"Archive Books is pleased to announce the publication of the new art magazine: No Order. Art in a Post-Fordist Society. This editorial research and investigation project focuses on the relationships between contemporary art systems and capitalism’s production processes."

Basically what I've been "researching".

post by chris
http://www.werkermagazine.org/domesticwork/disappearing-work-into-living/

The Pinky Show.

Cats present radical news.

News separated from the politics and representational conditions workers face in "real" news and newspapers. 


name: pinky & bunny
age: 9 & 10
profession: cats
location: the desert, u.s.a.
weekday: sunday
reference: we are still working
category: livingroom, tags: cats, media, post-fordism, self-representation, working at home
post by chris

Surfing the Black - Toni Nefdt


"Surfing the Blackis a project that was initiated by Dubravka Sekulic, Pietro Bianchi, Ziga Testen and Gal Kirn. It is a project that intended to open up the discussion on the 'black wave', a term used for a film movement that spread across Yugoslavia during the 60's. The project investigates possible correlations and interpretations bridging various disciplines and contexts in a critical survey of the subject through various activities ranging from archival work to a poster project.

The 'Surfing the Black' exhibition was accompanied by a series of posters entitled 'Inflation of radical phrases as opposed to a lack of radical action'. The project asked a selection of graphic designers to make a poster for some of the 'black wave' classics.

The graphic designers who took part in this project were Åbäke, Ajdin Bašić, David Bennewith, Alexandre Bettler, Experimental Jetset, Jack Henrie Fisher, Kasia Korczak, Joris Kritis, Katarina Šoškić, Luisa Lorenza Corna and Amelia Noble, Metahaven, Neda Firfova, Nina Støttrup Larsen, Novi Kolektivizem, Our Polite Society, Paul Gangloff and Hilde Meeus, Rafaela Dražić, Sulki & Min, ŠKART.






Note that David Bennewith was a participant in this project, and that is what lead me to this article. David Bennewith is a New Zealand graphic designer who worked close with Joseph Churchward, and could even be seen in the images of the podcast we listened to. This project interested me because Joseph Churchward is ethnically diverse, having been born in Samoa and also having mixed ethnicities, then looking at David Bennewith and discovering his work that involves working with designers that come from all over the world, and him having to adapt to projects that focus on a completely different language and culture.Multiculturalism is important because it broadens our knowledge, techniques and understanding of culturally different designers and their work.


sources:
http://www.katarinasoskic.net/commisioned/surfing-the-black/ 



Lecture on post-fordism on youtube. 

selected comments:

"Gielen's lecture illuminates a new contemporary economy: an economy of ideas. In this new era of perpetual mediation and prolific production, the value of "things" is changing. We live in a highly mimetic landscape and in this complex territory there is a new economy to navigate. the post-Fordian labor structure proposes freedoms and issues, Gielen explores those concisely. One wonders how far this economy of ideas will take us, and how sustainable it is in a world crowded with concepts"

"Gielen ended his talk by saying that the art scene promotes post-fordist labor and a new spirit of capitalism, essentially saying that the art world is a product of the system and ok with reproducing it. Hardt is wondering whether there exists within this art world a critique that proposes something new, in the tradition of the ancient scandalous cynics. I wonder which artists have work that is both "scandalous", and proposes alternatives, rather than just doing one or the other."


post by chris

Mammoth and The Identity of 'Man' - Aaron Troy




I read an article in a ProDesign that addresses a recent trend in design and advertising in New Zealand to start targeting the traditional male role, focusing on the Mammoth Supply Co brand.  It says masculinity has always dominated the categories of power-tools and beer, where as things such as shaving cream that should be targeted at men are now targeted at women, saying “masculinity tends to be portrayed by hairless, tanned avatars..” However I believe this could be the new evolution  of what men aspire to, rather than targeting women.



The author believes the designers chanelled masculinity effectively by reverting back to the retro, nostalgia of the good old days.

This begs the question, what is masculinity today?  If we must revert back to the 70s for a masculine aesthetic, does that mean the traditional sense of masculinity is now different.  I believe so, the bridge between male and female fashion has already decreased significantly as shown With labels such as Stolen Girlfriends and now even the traditional forms of advertising that should be targeted at the ‘bloke’ such as beers like ‘Stella Artois’ are becoming more ‘metro’ (being also from European influence in this example).

        



I believe that in the age we are living currently the whole concept of the ‘mans’ man’ is completely redundant. Power and what we could call the ‘alpha male’ status is no longer decided by physical strength and brawn but more by intellect, appearance, wealth and sophistication.  Therefore these advertisements, while playful and humorous do not address a huge change in our culture.

Spomenik (Monument) abbey gould


Furthering the notion of form and different methods decaying, I broadened my research to find these sculptures titled Spomenik (Monument).  This brought about questions toward the definition of trend. If something is beautiful in a certain time period, why is it not eternally cast in this lighting? History has revoked every colour, every shape, then purging it back into fame; as the trend cycle goes.
But with these sculptures in particular, with their strong sense of form transposing then into an isolated beauty. These sculptures being so ahead of their time, I wonder to myself, why did the Slavic community let their physical presence disintegrate into an abandoned ideal supposedly standing for peace?
With the way society has become so virtual based, it is no wonder that Joseph Churchward’s handcrafting method is dying out. The allure for taking the easy route and going digital? No matter what medium, you cannot defy something truly beautiful and aesthetically, physically angelic.  I believe that time is the ultimate device for the resonance of beauty; time defines the difference between the fickle nature of a novelty movement.
Henceforward the fact that these Spomenik sculptures have just been revoked into my image bank, their beauty has risen again – History, on loop.
The act of being commissioned by your government to symbolize patriotism and strength as a nation? How do you resonate peace?


"These structures were commissioned by former Yugoslavian president Joseph Broz Tito in the 1960s and 70s to commemorate sites where WWII battles took place, or where concentration camps stood.

They were designed by different sculptors (Dušan Džamonja, Vojin Bakić, Miodrag Živković, Jordan and Iskra Grabul, to name a few) and architects (Bogdan Bogdanović, Gradimir Medaković...), conveying powerful visual impact to show the confidence and strength of the Socialist Republic. In the 1980s, these monuments attracted millions of visitors per year, especially young pioneers for their "patriotic education." After the Republic dissolved in early 1990s, they were completely abandoned, and their symbolic meanings were forever lost."

Photographed by Jan Kempenaers








Heres an article on the matter: http://grupaspomenik.wordpress.com


Grupa Spomenik
Between 2002 and 2006, the discussion group Discussion about Artwork has actively commented on the competitions for the “Monument dedicated to wars on the territory of former Yugoslavia” by Belgrade City Municipality. The group has also discussed the ideological trajectory of the changes of the title of the monument, in parallel with the changes of the state ideology in the field of public memory, which followed the serial of unsuccessful competition. These changes were actually indicative for the impossibility of the naming of the monument. Each new competition generated the new discussions on key issues connected to the impossibility to name and build such a monument, but also the very discussions generated conflicts among the participants, which resulted in the splits inside the group Discussion about Artwork.
The group called Spomenik (Monument) was formed as the result of this splits and differentiations. Through the political differentiations inside the Discussion about Artwork discussion group, where the whole debate started, as well as through conflicts with representatives of the State ideology, the Monument group persisted in the continuation of the public debate related to the issues, generated by competitions for the monument.
Grupa Spomenik asks the question: Is it possible to produce a monument that is dedicated to the wars and dissolution of Yugoslavia if its dissolution disputes the very context of the State that proclaims itself to be the keeper of the historical continuity and memory? Is it possible for the State to represent imperial wars, refugees, terrorized civilians and genocide on the citizens of the states that seceded from Yugoslavia without any insight into its own responsibility for these tragic events?
Grupa Spomenik has been active in the broadly conceived fields of art practice and theory, developing strategies and generating a political space to enable a discussion on the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s and the existence of the post-war collectivities in the region. In this space we aim to produce a monument that will neither follow the ossifying politics of monuments, nor the prevailing models of reconciliation. The monument in question is in the process of becoming — it consists of a collective in which each entity defines its own political position.
Grupa Spomenik exhibits an installation made out of “Politics of Memory” publications as a “participative object”, as to say “distributive monument”
In this way the publication that is a transcript of the (im)possibility of building a monument, becomes a public discussion, stays in the hands of the viewer, and the exhibited installation in the form of the monument disappears.
Grupa Spomenik (Nebojša Milikić Branimir Stojanović, Milica Tomić), Belgrade 2007/( Grupa Spomenik (Damir Arsenijevic, Ana Bezic, Jasmina Husanovic, Branimir Stojanović, Milica Tomić) Tuzla-Belgrade
2008



Design with Purpose - Dana Burrows





Leading off the articles Aaron, Melany and Laura have posted about propaganda about how graphic design is a powerful art-form; and how it can be very influential on an audience. As graphic designers, being able to connect with our audience is essential. To portray a message and the mood of a piece, we use colour, choose our layouts and images.  These are  used  to portray how the poster should feel to the audience.

This leaves us with such potential. Potential to do so much more than design pretty things for companies or events. There is nothing wrong with doing this, don't misunderstand me.  I'm merely stating that we have an opportunity to do make an impact; send a message; inspire thought and to encourage the audience to look at things from a a different perspective.

Whether it's a campaign we feel passionate about, or a brochure and flyer, it's about getting a point out there. Design is the way to connect to our audience. So why not use our expertise to make a difference or bring about change when given the chance?

In my research of design making a difference I found an interview with Jacqui Stuart who is the creative mind behind the 'Design with Purpose'. After only graduating in 2011 from Whanganui School of Design and despite being new to the industry, Stuart is already making a positive presence with this initiative.

'Design with Purpose' is a perfect example of no project being to small, no issue is not worth addressing. It is a local project with purpose. It comprises of 15 New Zealand designers, illustrators and artists collaborated to create a visual feast of custom illustrated playing cards to help support Forest and Bird NZ. One of the very unique things about this project is it was entirely organised through Facebook and started by Jaqcui Stuart.

You can find out more about this here.

When asked what led her to create 'Design with Purpose':
I have always been passionate about design and art as long as I can remember...The main thing that led me to create 'Design with Purpose' was a want to use design to change the world. I know its only a small step but it is in the right direction. Hopefully over time we can make a real difference, not just with the work but also with the way people see design. I want people to realise that design is a powerful tool.”

You can read Jacqui's full interview here.








I also came across this website with helping Designers make change conscience decisions when out in the industry if you are interested :








Found on 8th April
http://www.designassembly.org.nz/articles/design-with-social-purpose

Amazing Disabled Artists - Toni Nefdt


My response to the Joseph Churchward podcast was to research known artists who have minor, or major disabilities but continue to produce internationally recognized work. The podcast lead me to these artists because Joseph Churchward mentions that when he was in Wellington Technical College, he was chasing someone and he ran through a glass door, injuring his hand severely and leaving his fingers in a locked position. When asked if he thought he would lose his hand to the injury, he replies, "Well I thought I might, but I just completed 604 [typefaces] from a sick hand." 

I immediately thought of Chuck Close and his disabilities such as Prosopagnosia (or "face blindness", for the people like myself who couldn't pronounce prosopagnosia), severe dyslexia, and the spinal artery rupture that left him half paralyzed and wheelchair bound, which lead me to discover more artists with these kind of restrictions, both mental and physical conditions.

Click here to view a video of Chuck Close talking about his prosopagnosia and his "life changing" paralysis, along with his coping strategies. 

During further investigation, I came across an artist called Stephen Wiltshire, a world famous architectural artist who has autism savant. His most recent work features an intricate, eighteen foot wide panoramic landscape of the skyline of New York City, after only viewing it once during a 20 min helicopter ride. 



Peter Longstaff is an artist who is missing both arms so he paints with his feet.


Peter Longstaff's Christmas Card painting (I couldn't paint
this as beautifully even if I had 10 arms!  *sad face*)
MichaelMonaco is a quadriplegic who paints beautiful, vibrant and natural pieces of art with his mouth. He is a member of The Mouth and Foot Painters Association.


Through bad fortune, or fate, it is interesting how these artists continue to produce artwork fuelled by their passion. It makes me think about what would happen if I lost a limb, became sick or had to deal with any kind of hardship that disabled me from doing what I've worked hard for. What would you do? Would you give up your profession to pursue a false dream? Would you make things easier for yourself and just do what is expected of you? Or would you continue doing what you do best, despite the radical changes you've encountered?




sources:




Classic Colour - Dana Burrows




After reading Jason's article about acknowledging those who came before us to influence our work, it reminded me of an article I came across recently about designer Anna Kövecses.

Anna Kövecses is a Hungarian born graphic designer, illustrator, amateur photographer and videographer who is currently living and working in Cyprus in the Mediterranean.

Kövecses finds most of her inspiration from the 60's, Eastern Europe books, magazines, furniture and ceramics that filled her house from back when she was a child. She has a very strong Bauhaus influence about the pieces she creates.

She uses different elements in her work such as typography.   She mainly uses Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Albanian and Polish letters and words because she loves the look and sound of them.  I believe this helps with the Bauhaus emphasis that she gives to her  work.

After entering a number of design competitions she was able to create a substantial portfolio which eventually were selected and published in three different LogoLounge books.  She has worked with such brands as DISH, Kempinski, TAG Heuer, NESpresso and Reebok.

“Looking at the colour choices people made in the past really helps to improve my graphic design work. When choosing colours, I try to surprise myself with ones I certainly wouldn't think of immediately... I try to break my own rules and bring in some fresh combinations.”

Bizarre, poster design, 2012.

Mej'viz @ Szimpla, 2012.

Aritzia Reviews Issue 5, 2013.

DISH Installation Van Design,  2012.

Take That Step!

Poster design selected for Let's Be Brief's 'The Art of Winning' exhibition, 2012.
This is an example of tapping back into past designers to help us with our work today. There is little out there today that is completely original. In the design world we basicly build off past designs and alter and regenerate what is already there.   Personally I do not think that this is  a bad thing. Even if our completed work has been influenced from what we started with, it has still ended up being something that we have spent time over and has resulted having our imprint on it.  

Why Can't I Be You: Jessica Hische-Stephie Chen

I was found an interview of Jessica Hische.Jessica Hische is a designer, illustrator, and typographer living in Brooklyn, NY.

Talking art school, Wes Anderson, and the importance of working hard in your 20s with an award-winning illustrator and graphic designer.

Jessica, thank you for being so generous with your time! Once I discovered how to activate the Teen Girl mode on your website,* I knew you were one of us, and we really had to talk. So tell us: what is it, exactly, that you love about what you do?
I love almost everything about what I do. I get paid to draw all day, I get to read and respond to wonderful emails from aspiring designers, illustrators, and letterers and help them in any way I can, and I get to travel around the world talking at conferences and meeting people whose work I admire. I’m definitely a lucky girl, and every now and then I have to step away and remind myself just how lucky I am.
You created the film titles for Moonrise Kingdom. What was it like to work with Wes Anderson?
It was a dream, because Wes had his hand in every aspect of the visual process. I would get emails at 2 AM asking to make the R slightly smaller, or to make something else a little bit rounder. I didn’t expect that attention to detail.

Jessica’s lettering for Moonrise Kingdom.
What is your stance on attending design school—is it necessary for the type of work that you do?
I think attending art school is an awesome and wonderful experience whether or not you know for sure if you want to be a fine artist. College in general is really just a wonderful way to transition into adulthood, as long as you don’t treat it like a massive excuse to party and drink your brain cells away. I worked incredibly hard in school, and because of that my professors gave me opportunities that other students didn’t have. School is what you make of it, and you could go to any college and get a great education as long as there are a couple of professors there who are willing to put the time in and that you, in turn, are willing to give 110%. There are people out there that say college isn’t necessary, but I definitely wasn’t mature enough to enter the workforce at 18, and I feel like I really found myself in art school. Plus, there are very few other opportunities to be surrounded by so many like-minded people having intense discussions about your work. I miss art school like crazy because those kind of critiques are hard to come by, and no matter how many artsy friends I have, nothing compares to being surrounded by 100 peers, all working 24 hours a day, exhausted but excited.
What advice do you have about getting internships, making connections, and getting your foot in the door? Also, please tell us how you got my dream job working with Louise Fili!
For anyone out there looking for an internship, the best advice I can give is: meet with everyone in person if possible. You’re far more likely to be hired if people get to know you a bit, and I’ve definitely come across a number of young designers that I would probably hire before even looking at their portfolio just because I think they’d be fun to have around the office, and they have the right attitude about learning and working for someone else. You might be the most talented person out there, but if you’re not pleasant to be around or have an ego bigger than Michigan, you will have a much harder time finding a really excellent job with someone willing to mentor you.
I ended up working for Louise almost by accident—I was a huge admirer of her work, and so I sent her a little gift in the mail. I didn’t expect anything in return, I just wanted to show her some of what I was making and tell her how much I loved her work. She called me up for a portfolio review and that day offered me a job. It completely floored me that reaching out to someone personally could make such a difference, and that you didn’t necessarily have to send over a résumé and cover letter to get someone to peek through your portfolio.

Jessica’s entirely new font, Buttermilk.
You grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania. We get comments from Rookies all the time saying, “My town is so boring—what do I do?” How did you beat boredom and keep yourself creatively satisfied?
I think the biggest challenge anyone from a small town has to face is how to defeat small-mindedness and not get caught up in the drama that can happen in an insular community. Once I was able to gain perspective and feel more connected with the world through traveling and by attending a university fairly far from home, it was a lot easier to overcome any obstacles that might have existed before. But I’ve always loved to make art, and I think I would have pursued it whether I came from a small town or a big city. I’m happy that I’ve had the opportunities to avoid being a big fish in a very small pond.
You’ve certainly expanded your pond, from having spent most of your professional life up to now between Brooklyn and San Francisco. I’m curious if you’ve observed any major differences in the professional and social environments of the two coasts.
The main difference I’ve seen in San Francisco is, because the community is smaller and more tech-focused, people are incredibly hungry for more design events, workshops, and community-related activities. In New York, there is always so much going on that by starting up another event you don’t feel like you’re making a huge difference, but in San Francisco you do. I think it’s a great place for me to be for now. I miss Brooklyn terribly, but I love all the people I’ve met in San Francisco, and I definitely love my studio situation here so much.
Your studio is kind of amazing. You work independently, in your own office, which you share with another designer. What kind of person succeeds and enjoys this type of work situation?
I think people that have the most success in any career are those that can remain a bit humble—or at least empathetic—no matter what their career status. If you love people—love interacting with them, working with them—you’ll have success in your career. To have success as an independent designer or creative type, you have to be driven, you have to at least try to be organized, and you have to be pleasant to work with. Art directors will come back to you over and over again if you make the experience of working together a pleasant one. If you ask them, they will tell you that the number-one thing that turns them off from working with a person again is if that person was disrespectful, unkind, or seemed “above” the project. Freelancing is all about forming short partnerships with art directors and clients and making them feel that you’re as excited about it as they are.

A day planner designed by Jessica with full-page typographical illustrations.
So many creative people I meet—fellow students, design teachers, work colleagues—have a hard time saying no to projects, and get overwhelmed by committing too much. I love your “Should I Work for Free?” flow chart, because sometimes it’s OK to take a break from saying yes! Do you have any advice for the chronically nice?
It’s OK to do work for free if it’s for a cause you believe in, but know when you’re being taken advantage of and when you’re not. I think one of the best ways to work for free or cheap is to actually invoice the client for what they should be paying, and then outline the discount that you’re giving them for whatever reason, like “I love what your non-profit does!” And let them know that if they come back to you for more work, the same discount might not apply. In this way, they treat you as if they’ve hired you as an expensive designer, with respect and as a partner, even if they aren’t actually paying you like one. This also prevents you from doing cheap work for them or others forever.
Also, forgive yourself for occasionally doing free work just because you want to, as long as you don’t think that doing so will injure others in your industry. If a giant corporation asks you to do something for free, and you accept it, you’re actually helping to devalue ALL designers’ work, but if a friend asks you to design an album cover for free, you’re just doing a favor for a friend. There is definitely a distinction.
How much time and devotion did it take to be as accomplished as you are at such a young age? I’m planning on never sleeping during my 20s, and I wonder if I will make it out alive.
I think most people that have a lot of success early in their careers don’t see what they do as “work”—I would make art whether or not anyone was paying me to do it. If you can see your career as your calling more than your job, it’s easy to devote your life to it. There is a very blurry line between “life” and “work” for me, and because of that I’ve been able to put a lot of time into it, but I love every minute of it. It’s easier to put more hours in when you’re young, so why not be a little sleep-deprived if you’re excited about everything you’re making? It’s been a little harder to find work/life balance now that I’m in my late 20s, mostly because there is a definite difference in how much your body can handle as a 22-year-old versus as a 28-year-old. It’s only a few years, but I have to make sure that no matter how hard I’m working, I’m not letting my work get in the way of my health. I definitely had a few unhealthy years in my early 20s, but I wouldn’t take them back now. I loved working long hours, and throwing myself headfirst into projects. Just do what you feel capable of doing. You can work hard and get a lot done without getting yourself hospitalized. 

Jessica Hische is one of my favourite designer.she try to diversify my knowledge and skill set beyond lettering—she think it’s impossible to be a well rounded designer if you’re not at least reading up on related industries. “The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life.” — Jessica Hische.I love the way she was doing in her typography.I love her work.Typography has always fascinated me.
The lettering industry operates very much like the illustration industry—generally she start with pencil sketches to present to clients (three options being the norm, sometimes less if they have a very clear idea of what they want and just need me to execute it), the client then approves one of the pencil sketches to go to final.  I love her aesthetic and use of typography.

sources:
http://www.jhische.com/type.html
http://rookiemag.com/2012/11/why-cant-i-be-you-jessica-hische/