Is this art o design? And a more complex question even: Is design art? These are questions that designers usually make themselves and that are very difficult to solve, because of the inner ambiguity of the concepts art and design.
The society's general point of view says "Yes, design is art" –the same opinion that they have about the architecture- although our personal vision as a designer about this matter is that art and design are different things. There's one definition that we think that leaves the question quite clear, it says: when you design you always think in an objective or a purpose: to sit, to rest, to practice, to enjoy, etc. -we can summarize all of this in "to use"-, and the only objective when you make art is the art itself.
At this point we have to recognize that in some aspects both disciplines are taking convergent ways, as we can see every day a bigger group of designers and artists that have a work line difficult to classify in one of these two categories.
We don't want to insist in this complicated discussion –there are lots of books that speak about that- but, in this series of articles we are going to emphasize the work of these professionals that we are talking about, that are moving between these fields, while we observe and criticize their designs. Although they don't solve the briefing in a practical way, they insist in the expressive and communicative aspects of the object, and we can say that maybe they work functionality in this particular optic.
It's quite clear that this trend started at the second half of the last century. From one side the appearance of the artistic movement of the minimalism –extended to architecture and design- supposed an unreal interior and product design that worked the expression and sensation fields more than other aspects. We only have to see the work of people like Donald Judd, Scott Burton, Richard Tuttle or Sol Lewitt to feel this strange sensation that is caused by the great domain of the space of the minimalists.
From the other side –with and opposite point of view and more background with any doubt- we have the look at the Italian postmodern designers from the Memphis movement like Etore Sotsass, to perceive how they work in a brilliant way that tries to achieve that their objects would go further than a strict functionality. Many of these objects aimed communication, symbolism, irony, criticism, and of course, an enormous sense of humour. Today all these movements have been exceeded, or maybe only adapted to the new times. Only the perspective that few years give us would clarify in which exact point we are now. We will try to study deeper the work of many of these designers to clarify a little more the relationship between art and design.
Hope you enjoy it!
Àlex J. Higueras
How many times have you visited a studio, and have noticed that mostly anyone was really working? Have you ever felt it?
Even yourself... do you consider your person a hard worker, or just a bystander with lot of time to spare?
Of course there are very good designers who work really tough, but somehow, there are others that just like showing off nothing more than their disgusting fashion wear and their absurd speech.
drawings by juan crespo
To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to design The objects and things of outrageous future Or to take thoughts against a sea of troubles And by opposing, end them.
(Shakespeare revisited)
Here I am sitting on a really-well-valorated chair designed by Konstantin Grcic. as you can see, i´m not very pleased about it, all the edges were sticking all over my back, and that´s quite tough. Can you imagine my face 15 min later? actually i couldn't stay that long... although we love some other items from this man, this chair, despite its beauty, is unconfortable.
Is konstantin a bit masochistic? or he just wanted to sculpt a chair?
DARE TO TRY IT IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE US!! (and let us know your experience...or your medical report)
P.S.: Don't let us be missunderstood. We could have chosen many other more designers instead of K...
