171 Assignment 10

The image above is an artwork by Alex Pardee called "Urkel Jerk". The image is based on a character called "Steve Urkel" from the TV show "Family Matters", but depicted in a completely different way than in the show. The interesting way that Alex remixes this classic character is by creating a monster out of him. The artist, I think, is trying to change how we perceive iconic characters, that when it comes down to it, we do not know who iconic people really are, we only know the image that they choose to show on television. By taking this character and changing it completely, I think that the artist remixed this classic character so much, that it makes people realise that the characters that they are familiar could be, for all they know, monsters. The artist also creates an interesting image, with the contrast of a familiar character in an unfamiliar light.

171 Assignment 8

I believe that at the time of the creation of Bauhaus, function x economy was the most important way to design at the time. This is because at the time, Germany was having a housing shortage crisis. Bauhaus design was to design something in the most functional way, using the most appropriate materials. This was the most appropriate way to design at the time. Although, in modern day, in areas such as New Zealand and other wealthy countries, where we have disposable income and have no special design needs, having the  most efficient design and cheap design can be exchanged for one that is more artistic than functional. Depending on the needs of a country or person, I think a design can be either functional and not artistic, or functional and artistic or even more artistic than functional, depending on how functional that person needs that object to be.

171 Assignment 7

A type of symbolic universe that has been created recently is that of the future of Christchurch. Just how the World's Fair of 1939 served as a way of creating hope for the future of America after the War with the use of new and exciting design concepts, New Zealand has also used ways to ensure hope for the people that live in Christchurch and New Zealand. Through media such as the news on television and in the newspaper, ways in which Christchurch will be rebuilt in to an even better city is shared with all of New Zealand, giving hope to people affected by the earthquake. One of the ways design is helping to create this symbolic universe is creating new design ideas to earthquake proof buildings or to use the earthquake as a chance to recreate the city as a "green city". Recently a 48 hour competition was held to design the buildings on 5 earthquake damaged sites.

This winning design team was "NZ Wood":
"Their winning concept included retail and office space, affordable housing, a covered market and community rooms. They also opened up 8000m² space for people to enjoy, including a path through to Latimer Square and the river.
The team re-used the existing concrete car park by turning it into an office building and affordable housing. They then created two new buildings using ‘damage avoidance technology’ similar to that seen in the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) Art and Media building."

This is just one example of how New Zealand is changing the Christchurch earthquake from a terrible event in to one with an optimistic future, creating a symbolic universe for New Zealand with the use of design to create a better city and media to spread this message of hope.

NZ Wood (2011, July 5). NZ WOOD WINS supreme award in 48 Hour Christchurch Rebuild design competition [Press Release] Retrieved from http://www.nzwood.co.nz/industry-news/2011/07/05/nz-wood-wins-supreme-award-in-48-hour-christchurch-rebuild-design-competition/

171 Assignment 6

It is true that in the age we live in, more and more things are produced on a mass scale and are not authentic. This makes things much easier to acquire because it is not "authentic" or one of a kind. When it comes to art, most pieces are authentic. But the difference in price between art that is authentic and one that is reproduced is very large. Yes, you cannot ask for the authentic print of a photo, but if you could, this authenticity would make it much more expensive and less available. The fact that a photo can be reproduced again and again means that a lot of people can experience what the photographer has created. The "aura" can still be felt I think, not because it is one of a kind but because of what it is and what it is trying to express. I believe that it is not important to have something that is authentic, that no one else has, but to make it authentic to yourself by the relationship that you develop with it. When it comes down to it, nothing is authentic, it is what we do with that thing that makes it one of a kind and special to us.  Maybe authenticity is important to some in the age of digital design and manufacture, but if it was more important to than that of the ease of mass manufacture and availability, this change to art that is made for reproducibility would not be so prevalent as it is today.

171 assignment 4

Adolf believed that ornamenting an object would only hasten the time that the object would eventually become unfashionable and would have to be replaced, therefore wasting the crafters time and consumers money. Adolf was against ornamenting; so much so that I think his idea of what ornamenting actually was, was blurred. His style was very minimalist but he had his own style, meaning that he designed things with not only a purpose, but to have a certain look as well. This, in a way, is ornamenting, and just how he does not like very unnecessary decoration, other people might not like his own style. I believe that people have evolved to express themselves visually, through different styles and I therefore disagree that “The evolution of culture is synonymous with the removal of ornament from objects of daily use.” Ornamenting, I think, is a crucial part of design. A designer must design an object that does a certain task well, but also to look appealing. This is because people want an object that suits them, one that suits their style, just like the way Adolf liked his own style. But just because his style was more simplistic, does not mean that it wouldn’t go out of fashion and be replaced. Humans are always changing and developing different tastes, this is why ornamenting is necessary in design.