1. Research Question - (initially)
What can graphic design learn from architecture in relation to social and aesthetic issues?
What are the continuities of architecture and design in principles and practice?
What is there to study? - De stijl, Modernism, the ideologies of architects and architecture, Ideologies of graphics, form follows function.
Looking at ways of working, branding, exhibition design.
How can we know about it? - In the architecture, in critical writings on both graphics and architecture, museum branding (closer links with architecture). The history of architecture and design. The classics of design and architecture (Mies Van de Rohe, Walter Gropious, Le Corbuiser)
How do we study it?
Through first and second-hand observation, theory, principles, ideas and theories.
2. Defining the design problem -
What role does architecture have in influencing the modern day graphic design?
What can graphic design learn from the principles of architecture?
3. "Client" needs or requirements -
The design community? Architects?
4. Audience -
As the project looks at the theory and principles of architecture and design then, designs are architects are the audience.
5. Mandatory requirements
Work with the theories and principles of architecture, be recognisable as architectural influenced graphics, Exhibition branding, Stedlijk Museum.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Sunday, October 30, 2016
OUGD501 - Essay question thoughts and ideas
Question
Architecture and Graphics, after thinking about what to pick for an essay questions as I feel COP is something I feel I need to improve and really try and enjoy in level five picking a question will be key in my engagement with the work. Architecture is a subject that has always been an interest and there are many connections with the ideologies of architecture and graphic design and design more broadly. The connection of lack of connection with architecture and graphics is a area that could have many interesting and critically engaging enough to formulate research and and essay. Outlining possibilities for this question was something key to highlight for the initial steps of this project. Using the planning and structuring and essay document on estudio as a basic guide I listed the following ideas and themes.
Initial broad question. - To what extent does architecture influence graphic design?
- This question not specific enough and needs refinement. Identifying this overarching theme first would allow me to break it down. The next questions are refinements that are more sepcfific of the orginal quesition.
How has architectural ideas of the Bauhaus influenced modern and postmodern graphics?
What role does contemporary architecture have in influencing graphics and typography?
What do I aim to argue? - Graphics and Architecture... areas of interest and connections between them.
Possible research points -
Architecture and Graphics, after thinking about what to pick for an essay questions as I feel COP is something I feel I need to improve and really try and enjoy in level five picking a question will be key in my engagement with the work. Architecture is a subject that has always been an interest and there are many connections with the ideologies of architecture and graphic design and design more broadly. The connection of lack of connection with architecture and graphics is a area that could have many interesting and critically engaging enough to formulate research and and essay. Outlining possibilities for this question was something key to highlight for the initial steps of this project. Using the planning and structuring and essay document on estudio as a basic guide I listed the following ideas and themes.
Initial broad question. - To what extent does architecture influence graphic design?
- This question not specific enough and needs refinement. Identifying this overarching theme first would allow me to break it down. The next questions are refinements that are more sepcfific of the orginal quesition.
How has architectural ideas of the Bauhaus influenced modern and postmodern graphics?
What role does contemporary architecture have in influencing graphics and typography?
What do I aim to argue? - Graphics and Architecture... areas of interest and connections between them.
- What are the links between?
- Differences in practice?
- How regimented the structure is?
- How rules are followed and broken?
- Social Obligations?
- Shaping the future?
- Links with space and atmosphere?
- The common connection of way-finding?
- Building a landscape?
- Following trends?
- Use of the grid systems?
- Cultural Changes?
- The art of simplicity?
Possible research points -
- Dutch Design and the Netherlands
- Ben Bos, Wim Crouell (Total Design)
- De Stijl
- Piet Mondrian
- Theo Van Doesburg
- Rietvield Schroder
- Modernism
- Experimental Jetset
- Le Corbusier
- Walter Gropious (Bauhaus)
- Form follows function
- Brutalism
- Mies van de Rohe
- Engineering
- Dieter Rams
- Gregory Hodkinson
- Humanistic architecture.
- Oase Magazine
OUGD501 - Postmodern
Frederic Jameson
What is this about? An analysis and critique of postmodernism as 'blank parody' without political bite. A mix match of history and culture. Constantly looking back through parody's. Parody is emphasised for style.
- De historical
- The past as code
- Modernism is king
- postmodernism is capitalist
What is Jameson's definitions of parody and pastiche? Quote? -
Parody ---- 'Pastiche is, like parody, the imitation of a peculiar or unique, idiosyncratic style, the wearing of a linguistic mask, speech in a dead language.'
Pastiche ---- 'But is is a neutral practice of such mimicry, without any of parody's ulterior motives, amputated of the satiric impulse, devoid of laughter and of any conviction that alongside the abnormal tongue you have momentarily borrowed, some healthy linguistic normality still exists.'
Examples?
Parody - "the Faulknerian long sentence, for example, with its breathless gerundives; Lawrentian nature imagery punctuated by testy colloquialism; Wallace Stevens's inveterate hypostasis of nonsubstantive parts of speech ('the intricate evasions of as')"
Pastiche - "randomly and without principle but with gusto cannibalizes all the architectural styles of the past and combines them in overstimulating ensembles"
Parody - This historical novel can no longer set out to represent the historical past; it can only 'represent' our ideas and stereotypes about that past (which thereby at once becomes 'pop history we are condemned to seek History by way of our own pop images and simulacra of that history, which itself remains forever out of reach"
Linda Hutcheon
What is this about?
Parody is Pastiche in her view.
Re-reading of the past
The past incorporated
Post modernism is king
modernism is capitalist
In the defense of postmodernism.
What is her definition of parody?
- Parody—"often called ironic quotation, pastiche, appropriation, or intertextuality—is usually considered central to postmodernism, both by its detractors and its defenders"
How does this relate to pastiche?
"an internalised investigation of the nature, the limits, and the possibilities of the language or discourse of art."
"takes the form of self-conscious, self-contradictory, self-undermining statement"
On the surface, postmodernism's main interest might seem to be in the processes of its own production and reception, as well as in its own parodic relation to the art of the past. But I want to argue that it is precisely parody - that seemingly introverted formalism - that paradoxically brings about a direct confrontation with the problem of the relation of the aesthetic to a world of significance external"
How does she criticise Jameson?
"the paradox of postmodernist parody is that it is not essentially depthless, trivial kitsch, as Eagleton and Jameson both believe."
In 'Postmodernism or the cultural logic of late capitalism' by Fredric Jameson he giving his views on postmodernism, parody and pastiche suggesting 'Pastiche is, like parody, the imitation of a peculiar or unique, idiosyncratic style, the wearing of a linguistic mask, speech in a dead language.' and parody as 'B a neutral practice of such mimicry, without any of parody's ulterior motives, amputated of the satiric impulse, devoid of laughter and of any conviction that alongside the abnormal tongue you have momentarily borrowed, some healthy linguistic normality still exists.' In terms of postmoderist architecture Jamerson explains how through parody 'randomly and without principle but with gusto cannibalises all the architectural styles of the past and combines them in overstimulating ensembles'. Linda Hutchton however disagree with Jamerson's views on postmodernism and pastiche suggesting parody is the same as pastiche On the surface, postmodernism's main interest might seem to be in the processes of its own production and reception, as well as in its own parodic relation to the art of the past. But I want to argue that it is precisely parody - that seemingly introverted formalism - that paradoxically brings about a direct confrontation with the problem of the relation of the aesthetic to a world of significance external" . Hutchton also critiques Jamersons views on postmodern architecture explaining "the paradox of postmodernist parody is that it is not essentially depthless, trivial kitsch, as Eagleton and Jameson both believe." and that "On the surface, postmodernism's main interest might seem to be in the processes of its own production and reception, as well as in its own parodic relation to the art of the past. But I want to argue that it is precisely parody - that seemingly introverted formalism - that paradoxically brings about a direct confrontation with the problem of the relation of the aesthetic to a world of significance external".
OUGD501 Pastiche * Parody
L Mulvey - Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema. Primary Document, A critical essay on 'the male gaze'. Established British feminist film theorist, professor of film and media studies at Birkbeck University London.
Woman are seen as the spectacle of sexual attraction not the narrative.
Refers to the woman as a heroine as an Alien presence. Supported by 'Buddy Movie' point on homosexual eroticism of the central male figures can cary the story without distraction.
The visual presentation of women in a film works against story line.
J Storey - Cultural Theory and Popular Culture.
1. Agrees with Mulvey
R Dyer - Stars. men and women are both objectified but it is less obvious and the cinema mainly tries to keep away from this.
1. The moviegoer is positioned according to the pleasures of male heterosexual desire. - L Mulvey's point.
2. Dyer argues that the film continually ok at the male body
3. Steve Neale argues that the looks towards the male are there to divert the erotic potential
4. Dyer agrees with Neale through his explanation on how on how male models look away from the spectator.
5. Dyers point on male pin-up models is parallel to Holden/Hal's role in Picnic. How the male models divert their sexuality through their gaze is equivalent to how Holden's acting and anecdotes distract the viewer from the 'reality' of his objectification.
After highlighting the key points views and other important information I have written up this sumary.
Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema written by L Mulvey gives an insight into how women are perceived in narrative cinema in this case in 1940 - 1950 Hollywood. L Mulvey introduces us to the theme of the 'male gaze' and the idea that in mainstream films the role of the female within this has no significance but to be displayed as sexual objects. L Mulvey explains woman are seen as the spectacle of sexual attraction not the narrative, 'The presence of women is an indispensable element of spectacle in normal narrative film, yet her visual presence tends to work against the development of a story line'. L Mulvey described the woman as a heroine as an 'Alien' presence. Supported by 'Buddy Movie', 'homosexual eroticism of the central male figures can carry the story without distraction'.
R Dyer, on the other hand suggests that men are also objectified in cinema, it is the way they are presented in the film that diverts this objectification. In the text R Dyer references Steve Neale 'that looks between male characters on film are made obviously threatening and aggressive in order to divert their erotic potential'. R Dyer explains how male objectification is avoided through cinematic techniques 'male pin-ups appear in the image to be looking in ways which suggest they are not an erotic object. This can involve looking off as if disinterested in the viewer, glancing upwards to appear lost in a higher spiritual form of thinking'. Dyers point on male pin-up models is parallel to Holden/Hal's role in Picnic. How the male models divert their sexuality through their gaze is equivalent to how Holden's acting and anecdotes distract the viewer from the 'reality' of his objectification. 'Holden's star image as 'a red-blooded American boy', his ambivalent attitude to acting and anecdotes about his reckless stunts when showing off to acquaintances are read by Cohan as constructing a star profile which attempts to counteract Holden's objectification and authenticate the 'reality' of his masculinity'.
J Storey's Cultural Theory and Popular Culture gives an explanation of Mulvey's longer essay, offering no real new information to the argument or discussion rather just highlighting the key themes and points. J Storey paraphrases Mulvey 'she suggests that it is always more than just the please of looking: scopophilia involves 'taking other people as objects, subjecting them to a controlling gaze'. The notion of the controlling gaze is crucial to her argument.'
Comparing the thoughts of both R Dyer and L Mulvey both agree that women are objectified through the male gaze using the example of 1940's and 50's Hollywood. 'The presence of women is an indispensable element of spectacle in normal narrative film, yet her visual presence tends to work against the development of a story line' - L Mulvey. R Dyer's point though is that not just women are subjects of this objectification. Explaining when the male actor in the film Picnic removes his t-shirt the female cast 'each register their erotic recognition of the objectified male body.' However R Dyer does suggest that 'that looks between male characters on film are made obviously threatening and aggressive in order to divert their erotic potential' and 'male pin-ups appear in the image to be looking in ways which suggest they are not an erotic object. This can involve looking off as if disinterested in the viewer, glancing upwards to appear lost in a higher spiritual form of thinking'. In the writings of J Storey's Cultural Theory and Popular Culture, Storey explains 'Visual pleasure and narrative cinema' is perhaps the classic statement on popular film from the perspective of feminist psychoanalysis' outlining that Mulvey's views could be bias. As R Dyer is homosexual this could be seen as similarly bias. Both opinions are written from two contrasting perspectives so may not give the most rounded views. As R Dyer acknowledges the idea that men and woman can be subject to the idea of objectification 'Studlar's account of masochism suggest how the image of the female star can represent a power found in performance which transforms the pleasure anf control of the male gaze' his argument can be seen as more balanced.
Woman are seen as the spectacle of sexual attraction not the narrative.
Refers to the woman as a heroine as an Alien presence. Supported by 'Buddy Movie' point on homosexual eroticism of the central male figures can cary the story without distraction.
The visual presentation of women in a film works against story line.
J Storey - Cultural Theory and Popular Culture.
1. Agrees with Mulvey
R Dyer - Stars. men and women are both objectified but it is less obvious and the cinema mainly tries to keep away from this.
1. The moviegoer is positioned according to the pleasures of male heterosexual desire. - L Mulvey's point.
2. Dyer argues that the film continually ok at the male body
3. Steve Neale argues that the looks towards the male are there to divert the erotic potential
4. Dyer agrees with Neale through his explanation on how on how male models look away from the spectator.
5. Dyers point on male pin-up models is parallel to Holden/Hal's role in Picnic. How the male models divert their sexuality through their gaze is equivalent to how Holden's acting and anecdotes distract the viewer from the 'reality' of his objectification.
After highlighting the key points views and other important information I have written up this sumary.
Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema written by L Mulvey gives an insight into how women are perceived in narrative cinema in this case in 1940 - 1950 Hollywood. L Mulvey introduces us to the theme of the 'male gaze' and the idea that in mainstream films the role of the female within this has no significance but to be displayed as sexual objects. L Mulvey explains woman are seen as the spectacle of sexual attraction not the narrative, 'The presence of women is an indispensable element of spectacle in normal narrative film, yet her visual presence tends to work against the development of a story line'. L Mulvey described the woman as a heroine as an 'Alien' presence. Supported by 'Buddy Movie', 'homosexual eroticism of the central male figures can carry the story without distraction'.
R Dyer, on the other hand suggests that men are also objectified in cinema, it is the way they are presented in the film that diverts this objectification. In the text R Dyer references Steve Neale 'that looks between male characters on film are made obviously threatening and aggressive in order to divert their erotic potential'. R Dyer explains how male objectification is avoided through cinematic techniques 'male pin-ups appear in the image to be looking in ways which suggest they are not an erotic object. This can involve looking off as if disinterested in the viewer, glancing upwards to appear lost in a higher spiritual form of thinking'. Dyers point on male pin-up models is parallel to Holden/Hal's role in Picnic. How the male models divert their sexuality through their gaze is equivalent to how Holden's acting and anecdotes distract the viewer from the 'reality' of his objectification. 'Holden's star image as 'a red-blooded American boy', his ambivalent attitude to acting and anecdotes about his reckless stunts when showing off to acquaintances are read by Cohan as constructing a star profile which attempts to counteract Holden's objectification and authenticate the 'reality' of his masculinity'.
J Storey's Cultural Theory and Popular Culture gives an explanation of Mulvey's longer essay, offering no real new information to the argument or discussion rather just highlighting the key themes and points. J Storey paraphrases Mulvey 'she suggests that it is always more than just the please of looking: scopophilia involves 'taking other people as objects, subjecting them to a controlling gaze'. The notion of the controlling gaze is crucial to her argument.'
Comparing the thoughts of both R Dyer and L Mulvey both agree that women are objectified through the male gaze using the example of 1940's and 50's Hollywood. 'The presence of women is an indispensable element of spectacle in normal narrative film, yet her visual presence tends to work against the development of a story line' - L Mulvey. R Dyer's point though is that not just women are subjects of this objectification. Explaining when the male actor in the film Picnic removes his t-shirt the female cast 'each register their erotic recognition of the objectified male body.' However R Dyer does suggest that 'that looks between male characters on film are made obviously threatening and aggressive in order to divert their erotic potential' and 'male pin-ups appear in the image to be looking in ways which suggest they are not an erotic object. This can involve looking off as if disinterested in the viewer, glancing upwards to appear lost in a higher spiritual form of thinking'. In the writings of J Storey's Cultural Theory and Popular Culture, Storey explains 'Visual pleasure and narrative cinema' is perhaps the classic statement on popular film from the perspective of feminist psychoanalysis' outlining that Mulvey's views could be bias. As R Dyer is homosexual this could be seen as similarly bias. Both opinions are written from two contrasting perspectives so may not give the most rounded views. As R Dyer acknowledges the idea that men and woman can be subject to the idea of objectification 'Studlar's account of masochism suggest how the image of the female star can represent a power found in performance which transforms the pleasure anf control of the male gaze' his argument can be seen as more balanced.
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