Project 3 topic

The essay I read was in the New York Times Special Edition Museum section. It essentially explored issues surrounding the current politics overcoming the museum world where I intend to make a career. It’s also interesting to me as a producer of cultural property.

Who owns art? Art being defined as cultural (intellectual) property, otherwise known as patrimony. Is it private citizens, which were perhaps descendents of the artist? Does the National Government of the artist, or of the source country (where the art was found)? Or is it the museum that owns the work that they (their patrons) paid for, or entrusted to their care by donors? Which brings about a second question. Whose responsibility is it to protect cultural property for future generations? While just that is the mission of many museums, the destruction of art is the mission of some governments. China is attempting to extinguish the Tibetan culture by systematically destroying their import religious art. Whose job is it to protect Iraqi cultural property in their current embattled state?

In today’s context specifically, the art in question is that which may have been obtained illegally by today’s standards. Art that is not attributed to any particular artist in most cases, and often many generations old if not ancient. This includes work found during unapproved archeological excavations, and art taken from peoples during colonial occupation. Art was always collected by imperial powers as a display of wealth and power. And art is proving to be at the heart of the complex political struggle for superiority today.

It is of utmost importance that the international laws regarding the ownership of cultural property be solidified so property can be dispersed accordingly, and the party responsible for its care and protection clearly named. Only then can the museum world and governments concentrate on diminishing the black market for such property, which is not only jeopardizing the preservation of the property for the future, but the ability for professionals to learned about the cultural contexts within which the art was created.

The Culture Bank is one institution attempting to reconcile issues of art ownership and protection. Started by Todd Vincent Crosby, a Peace Corps Member serving in Mali, the Culture Bank is a museum that lies within the borders of the community from which the art came from. Member of the village can lend their precious family artifacts to the museum for safe keeping in exchange for small monetary loans. Additional loans can be taken out over time as long as the art remains in the museum. They can choose to reclaim the piece if they repay any loans in full. The art essentially becomes collateral for loans much needed to proper in the 3rd world.

corporate sauce

Woe is me! Tom’s of Maine has sold out to the man. I am going to have to find a new brand of toothpaste – what a hassle. Now every time I brush my teeth, I will be facing an ethical dilemma. I love my toothpaste, but do I love it enough to stroke the man’s pocket with my hard earned cash, or should I begin a search for a socially responsible toothpaste and stick it to the Colgate corporate giant. I even went to the Tom’s of Maine website to check out just how they justified their decision – they claim their small company cannot supply the growing demand for natural products, but I think Tom and his wife are getting older and wanted to lubricate their pockets with a little extra golfing cash. Does that make me jaded and cynical? Perhaps. But Tom should know better.

Sorry for the frivolous blog – but I had to vent my frustration.

GoGuerilla

While I was in Philadelphia my new found awareness of all the ads I'm seeing, and wanting to know where they come from led me to this company. Visit www.goguerilla.com to visit the GoGuerilla site or their niche counterpart GoCards. EVERYTHING that I picked up in Philly these people had made into incognito, or conversely loud and obnoxious advertising space. The GoCards are mounted in stores and restaurants on neat little racks for you to take for free... but during my stay I encountered GoToothpicks in restaurants, GoGlasses (advertising cheap airline tickets), GoCoaters, napkins, matches in bars, GoModels on the street, and probably more that I couldn't absorb. It's particularly interesting to read the sections where they try to explain what guerilla media is, and why it would help your business. There is also a casestudy section.
Check it out.

become a dezigner over night!

check out this link that relates to our discussion about design training:

http://www.thedesignerslife.com/lh/mef2/

Hmmm...

I could see how this conversation could get unproductive quickly. So here are my most objective two cents I can bring myself to contribute on why it is that I am here:

I have been hanging out with both Tibor Kalman and J. Abbott Miller while researching for my DP. Both agree, as do I, that design/graphic design are "media" not "professions." In other words, a means to communication rather than a job. Somewhere within the subjective act of writing design/art history, (cough: Modernist Elitists) decided that design was really very separate from fine art, and graphic design particulary was pigeon-holed as a lower-art/applied craft.

This misconception is still common today, mainly because there hasn't been a whole lot of writing to its contrary by designers or otherwise, at least not that I have found. This myth or mentality is also perpetuated by the plethora of trade schools, and at least the community college that I've attended the during the summers). These institutions are most concerned with giving people job skills. What interested me about coming to the KCAI was that the major was medium.... "design" just like "painting" or "sculpture." Not the "visual communications" or whatever else that it was twisted into at nearly all the other art schools I applied to. It was design in the context of art. If that makes sense.

Okay... that's it. I hope it makes sense.

Poor and jobless with no portfolio

I actually value the findings and experiences I have accumulated over the years both within the institution and in the broader community. I look back at how I was (as artist and person) and evaluate how I have changed and grown in regards to both. The good and bad changes I have experienced through this trip are invaluable, ultimately making me better. Connections were made and a bridge or two were burned.

I fell into art as profession immediately after high school expecting to major in painting or illustration. Obviously I made the choice towards design. I changed and adapted. This pattern is one that will happen all throughout life, nothing stays forever and things change. The passions we have towards this field shouldn't be dictated or skewed by the inevitable consumerism and commerece. I still have passion and conviction (both rational and even unexplainable) for everything that I do and to be honest, i immoderately enjoy seeing my work within the community. It's self-indulgence at its best. Choose your battles and take on certain projects how you will; serious or light-hearted.

In the end, it's a way of life. Working is a component of that (capitalist society). High School gets you Hardees. College gets you shift manager at Hardees..just kidding. I mean, the idea of higher education is to improve our stations in life. I don't know about you but if I could create art (both dog biscuit ads and the occasional great project) I would certainly be content.

Design, as it applies to commercial use is odd at best...considering how we as students have approached our own projects within the last few years. I think there are ways to change and still keep your dignity in this industry. Through close direct client relationships and clear communication. I don't nessesarily think that EVERY client is after the $$$. We as designers have power to improve, enlighten, and inspire. These things are not disconnected with commerece. These often coexist.

"novices"

“I think I should have gone to community college”

… after today’s discussion, I wonder how many of use were thinking that,

Or “crap! The world of design has deceived me.”

Maybe I came into the world of art a bit naïve. I decided to study design initially because it was the logical course of study to satisfy my interests, which were form and typography. I wanted to make art using those elements to communicate beautiful ideas. It wasn’t until later in my education that I realized this world of design has an entirely different element involved that I wouldn’t willingly engage with. Commerce. Yuck! Why are we required to bow to the corporate machine and crank out work that can “yield profit”? Is this what we thought we were getting into when we had the dream of graduating with a degree in design?

Don’t get me wrong, I am happy that attending a school of design has taught me to think conceptually and visually solve problems, it is an exceptional skill to possess, but I am really disillusioned about the commercial applications of our craft and how we will choose to engage with the inevitable questions that will arise as we are sent into the world. I wonder how many of us will stick to our guns. I certainly hope I do.

no convictions

wow.

it was pretty amazing to sit in class on monday and hear just how few convictions we have. i wonder if we are just a particularly apathetic group of people, or if we are a particularly apathetic generation. have we been taught to keep quiet because of the political-correctness campaign that has been thrown at us since a young age, or is it a response to the "tolerant" postmodern culture we are living in. it seems like everywhere we turn, we are told that tolerance is the most important quality - that no matter what our personal convictions are regarding a particularly controversial subject, we cannot voice our opinion for fear of being labeled “intolerant”. i hope my generation will be able to stand up one day and express our true convictions without fear of being labeled politically incorrect. my grandmother always said “the chicken that sticks its neck out gets served for dinner. i think it was in an attempt to quell my strong chutzpah – obviously it was a failure…

let’s think deeply about who we are, what we stand for, and what we can do with the power we have been given.

Design LAW

I found the Business and Ethical Expectations for Professional Designers to be quite interesting on a good level and also on a bad level as well. I feel as though it is very important that we as designers have something like this to fall back on when things get bad and also something to look up to as for expectations for ourselves. But should it be so business oriented, so to the book, so corporate? Does this make us more like business men and less like artists? Does this tie us down and eliminate the free spirits we have it in us to be? I feel as though there needs to be more of a happy medium. A little less business and a little more spirit...a mullet if you will...business in the front...party in the back kinda thing! We have the strong design compentencies now comes the time we promote ourselves as designers with the power to back it up!