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  • Essay / Postmodernist Design in Present Times

    During the 20th century, a design movement surfaced, it was named postmodernism. The art movement began in the 1940s, then reached its peak in the 1960s and 1970s, and the term was then officially introduced in the 1970s, associated with the concepts of universal truths and objective reality. This essay will focus on whether postmodernist design has been resurrected or never died out in the current era (21st century) and will also attempt to uncover and understand the narratives behind some of the well-known and new revival designs . First, by looking at the definition of postmodernism in design and the type of artistic creation associated with the term postmodernism. Second, try to read and understand design as narratives, the connection between objects and stories, and how to view the design object as narratives and telling stories. Third, choose four examples between the well-known Memphis design and the new postmodernist design, try to compare the differences in narratives or stories that the designer or artist wants to achieve behind their work. Finally, give your opinion and think about whether postmodernist design has been resurrected at present or never left it, as well as the narratives behind the design objects. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Post-modernism is a late 20th century style and concept that encompasses a wide range of developments in the arts, architecture, philosophy, and culture. The art movement was initially a reaction against and challenge to the ideas and values ​​of modernism; the answer was based on idealism, society and a utopian vision of human life. While modernism supports or advocates clarity and simplicity, postmodernism embraces the whole complex and also contrasts the layers of meaning. The art movement also took various approaches to a different type of artistic creation, which began with "pop art" in the 1960s, and was then followed by "conceptual art, neo-expressionism, and art feminist”. Among the different types of artistic creation, Pop Art is an artistic movement that appeared in the 1950s and flourished in the 1960s, drawing inspiration from sources of popular and commercial culture. Conceptual art is an art movement of the 1960s and the term generally refers to art made between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s, for which the idea (or concept) behind the work is more important than the finished art object. The argument made by one architectural historian that "postmodern styles never left the architectural profession is stronger than ever." (Charles Jencks, 2017) Which means that the design approach no longer has borders or rules. From that moment on, designers could approach their design in their own way and, in the 1980s, this newfound freedom would influence others. Postmodernism is considered one of the most controversial movements in the history of art and design. In two decades, postmodernism shattered established ideas about design and art, bringing a new type of awareness of style itself. Magazines and music were also seen as essential mediums for spreading this new phase of the design movement. The most popular postmodern design style in the last twenty years will be the Memphis group. Throughout the 1980s, the influence was visible everywhere: from MTV to broadcast music videos; to the interior decoration ofTaco Bell restaurants and inside Baskin-Robbins where design had conquered all. During this period, Italian designer and architect Ettore Sottsass founded Memphis Group, where a group of artists and designers became known for their use of bright and bold designer furniture. The Memphis Group strived to design products that were more than just objects; but also an existential metaphor, visual poetry and political declarations. The Memphis group was an expert at communicating their ideas with asymmetrical and colorful decoration. Memphis style is heavily inspired by Art Deco and Pop Art. At the time, everyday objects were generally designed to be functional, not decorative. Memphis style had to change this with a more creative approach to design, where they made fun of everyday objects by designing them in an unusual way. In the abstract, “Design as Narrative: Objects, Stories and Negotiations” was an integrative and comprehensive way of making judgments about design objects and considering objects as narratives. From the beginning, design has been taught through a series of processes: specification, research, manufacturing, testing, refinement and evaluation. “As a form of explanation, narrative also worked by describing…until no gaps remained. » “Design as storytelling” was about telling stories in the context of design objects, and it also reflects culture on scales from local to global and at all levels of society. “The notion that design objects are a narrative implies that they can indeed tell a story. The story “wrapped” in the design object…detailed and complete” (Howe & Dillon, 2002). Which makes the design objects tell a journey from the research, the process to the separation of the pieces related to each other with the use of shape, color, texture, pattern and shape. In an integrative sense, reading “reading” an object involves both synthesis and analysis. It also allows us, as a reader or audience, to critique design objects as being a different type of form and to propose a narrative approach to the design object, when design used alongside functional approaches it must also provide an interpretation of design as a human. business. Appreciating design objects means reading these objects to understand them and give them meaning. "They develop 'personal constructs' that allow them to interact with and interpret..." (Neimeyer, RA, 1985) According to the statement, understanding the narrative behind the design objects was about appreciating and we, the readers, should have our thoughts interact and interpret about objects. After reading “Design as Narrative,” he introduced the idea of ​​designs where narratives and objects had power in social contexts: they offered an interpretation of the story of their existence; they bring back echoes of their past. The understanding that comes from this form of interpretation allows the reader to engage more realistically with the designer's works and to become creatively involved with the objects. When it comes to objects of design, the designer wants the reader or audience to look for and find the nuances and twists that went into making the objects and interpret them within their frames of reference. It is not the application of the designer's skills to the objects that gives meaning, and it should be the power of the reader to bring out what the designer is doing and to observe the objects of design in a relationship with deeper understanding. deep where it should promote a formof thought. open in the negotiated, relevant and personal sense. It should also be based on the reader's feelings and feelings when looking at the design objects. “With an emphasis on form…with an emphasis on meaning, the reader and personal interpretation.” » (Landau, M. 1984) From this it helps us to understand that we should not evaluate a design object only in terms of its suitability for its purpose, its form, but also the meaning of the design and how we, the reader or audience, should have our interpretation. .After reading the summary carefully, we have selected four examples of well-known postmodernist and renaissance design, and we will do some analysis, comparison, give our thinking about the design, and try to find out its narratives or stories behind the design. . The first example is a Keystone chair from Eindhoven studio OS & OOS, and fashion designer Raf Simons has made a lighter version using upholstered fabrics. From there, try to uncover the narrative behind the design and the story the designer is trying to tell. They made the chair for the Danish company Kvadrat. The chair was built around a wooden frame, which is a more practical version using its concrete and ceramic predecessors. There are three types of elements in the Keystone chair and these elements were found in Roman bridges which, according to designers Oskar Peet and Sophie Mensen, are "abstracted and reassembled", which is an interpretation of three elements. Oskar Peet and Sophie Mensen described them as: “keys – elements that connect the deck to the surface and ensure that that foot does not move or slip – the elementary building blocks, and the keystone, which is inserted, completes the fundamental shape of the arch. » The back of the chair is formed by a large angular element, representing the key, while another arc-shaped section formed the seat. Personally, the overall design of the Keystone chair is postmodern due to the use of a funky combination of shapes, colors and materials. The first impression on the design was the use of luxurious Raf Simons textiles and bright colors compared to the original version; Design objects function properly like a chair (since they have all the elements of a chair: the back, the seat and the leg). The story behind the design was to recreate the original Keystone chair with a new textile fabric by Raf Simons, which reused the postmodernist design and brought out the renaissance goal for today's times. The second example is the Super Lamp by a popular designer from the Memphis Group, Martine. At Bedin’s. From reading the objects, we will try to discover the story behind the design and the stories that Martine Bedin tries to tell with the super lamp. The Super Lamp was exhibited during the Memphis exhibition at the Milan gallery, in 1981. The Memphis art movement was an influential movement created by a group of Milanese designers. The design was a reaction against the fashion for monochrome functional objects using bright colors, playful shapes and visually outrageous, almost comical designs. This lamp was made from painted steel with single bulbs. Bedin was a founding member of Memphis in the 1980s and is one of the group's youngest designers. The art movement also became closely associated with postmodernism. Bedin said: “I was very interested in working in decoration through the structure and construction of objects. What gives pattern and decoration to my lamps…”. The first impression on the pieces was the use of bold shapes andbright colors on the design, and they work like a regular lamp; however, it might be more of a decorative work of art. Related words that come to mind are “playful”, “quirky”, “vivid” with style. The most used colors are white, blue, yellow and orange. The narrative behind the design was that Martin Bedin wanted to create a new design collective with a group of artists in December 1980; the group of designers came up with ideas under the name Memphis. The art movement has flourished since then, through the use of bizarre colors, geometric shapes and bold patterns, and designers have had to change the design approach to everyday objects and transform objects in an unusual way, this which made the collections meaningful. The third example is textile designer Camille Walala's home accessories collection with the use of bold patterned graphics, which was seen at the London Design Festival 2015. In her collection, she includes a range of cushions printed with a color palette of blue, green, red, white and black. In geometric designs, dashes and dots fill colored blocks, square grids as well as diagonal stripes. Home accessories are cube-shaped poufs with striped designs in various combinations. On the rear surfaces it features wall shelves with applied black edged frame designs. From a design perspective, the collection of home accessories with bold graphic patterns is influenced by the Memphis Group. The first impression of the collection was the use of playful and fun graphics, and the objects are a stronger interpretation of the Memphis influence. Related words that come to mind are “fun”, “colorful”, “shapes”, “lines” with style. The most commonly used colors in the collection would be white, black, blue and red. The narrative behind this design was that Camille Walala's work was heavily influenced by the Memphis Group, and she used the style as inspiration, which is easily seen in her famous textile work to encompass art direction and design indoor. His style shows that he translated the powerful message of using the inspiration from the Memphis group that she took and revived the postmodernist movement in the present day. She now works on a larger scale than ever before, with the overriding ambition of imbuing urban landscapes with her intense energy and vibrant colors. The last example is the Bel Air chair, which is also part of the Memphis group. , Peter Shire is also part of the Memphis design group, and he had created a signature object for the collective. Peter Shire had made several pieces of furniture for the Memphis group. The "Bel-Air" chair was considered one of his most important contributions to the collection, and the design was influenced by Art Deco and space-age architecture of 1950s California. South, the surfing and hot rodding culture of Los Angeles and America. mass culture. The first impression of the piece was quirky but sophisticated, playful but not exaggerated, the quarter-circle back and the ball-shaped “chair leg” for example. His creations on the chair are very creative reinterpretations of standard shapes. Design objects do indeed function like a chair (with all the elements of a chair: the back, the seat and the legs), but they could also fall into the category of works of art: the chair changes when you try to look at her. from a different type of angle. Nevertheless, the elements came together very well, like a harmonious explosion of colors and shapes. The words.