“What is this computer? It's a strange medium. It's not like print. It's not like a video. It lasts forever.” John Maeda
This
segment of my research found roots in the period where computers started to enter the design world not so long ago, during the 1980s – a period that
Churchward discussed in his interview. During this time there was an influx of people who were dedicated to either using the computer as a tool or avoiding it altogether, designers and otherwise.
I chose to briefly touch on John Maeda and a few of his innovative endeavours during this period and later.
I chose to briefly touch on John Maeda and a few of his innovative endeavours during this period and later.
_Who
is John Maeda?
Maeda
is a designer, artist, businessman and computer scientist. What resonates with me are his ideas behind design thinking. He advocates the necessity for its integration into technology, business, leadership and education.
Maeda brings wit and interest to often arduous and unexplored topics in the design and digital world(s).
Maeda brings wit and interest to often arduous and unexplored topics in the design and digital world(s).
_On Technology
From
the TED Talks video John Maeda on his journey in design (watch it here!), I learnt more about the aforementioned age when
computers were beginning to come into common usage. An interesting quote that I've pulled from the video was that of the late
influential graphic designer, Paul Rand:
“A student once said, I came here to learn how to design, not how to use a computer.”
It is interesting to compare the student's attitude with the attitudes of design students today.
“A student once said, I came here to learn how to design, not how to use a computer.”
It is interesting to compare the student's attitude with the attitudes of design students today.
In the video, Maeda also demonstrated computers' efficiency through an experiment using people as the parts in a computer
(Japan, 1993). He created a disk drive, CPU, graphics card, memory
system, and even a floppy disk reader out of human beings. The experiment puts into perspective the speed of the computer in contrast to the
efficiency of human capabilities without it.
_On Design
While on a book tour, Maeda became increasingly
analytical of the 'free food' he came across. These were mainly
condiments – ketchup, mustard, sugar – and he began to think of
food as a tool to paint with.
Maeda creating designs with cheetos and a scanner.
(Left) John Maeda's work from the "Wet Condiments" series. (6x48-inch Plexi-Sandwich Mounted Cibachrome Print.) (Right) Close-up view of the work.
Excerpt from John Maeda's "Rebirth". (30x20-inch Cibachrome Print.)
From
Maeda, I have learnt of the value in retrieving inspiration from our immediate environment: what we are presented with.
Something
to ponder for the future, as Maeda so eloquently puts it,
“It begins with art, design and you.”
Link
to sources: TED Talks video, AIGA biography on John Maeda and Catalogue for John Maeda exhibition entitled FOOD (written by Claudia Dreifus).
Names
of designers involved: John Maeda, Paul Rand
Date
found: 7 April 2013
Post by Caroline Konarkowska
Post by Caroline Konarkowska
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