Design Criticism

Evaluating

2006-06-29T00:20:00.000+10:00

Part D, my confession

It was useful to have 2 comments from colleagues because they make my aware of blind points I didn’t care. Contrasting my first review with the second one, I can say that in the last one I got more involved emotionally in the writing making the review not so rigid and easier to understand. I think that I did an insightful criticism in the cultural aspect on how this piece works in the world, but I miss some research about designing magazines (the graphic designer discipline). I consider I did a very good work besides the references, and maybe the writing structure and grammar that I can’t promise is perfect.

Task 2 Part C

2006-06-28T23:57:00.000+10:00

Design Criticism Applying Changes

Consumer Magazines are those one that you can be obtained in retail stores and its content can be into a wide variety of topics. Different from periodicals, ancestor of magazine, that used to contain few or none advertisements.

Australian Ok! is another consumer magazine within the pop culture that could be found in any place of the western consumer world. Presenting more impudent every time his intentions that I will explain later. With striking colours and big typefaces, the magazine tries to gather our attention in the bookshelf competing with magazines like People and imitating others like Hello. Is like a shout with that exclamation mark on the title, congested of images and bullets that suggest the content. This feminine magazine talks like a gossipy to the ear of the medium and lower class all the news of their favourites and not so favourites celebrities, entertainment reviews, and shopping wishes.

A lot of people are involved producing this complex publication, between the journalist and the photographer is the designer. This is an industry that gives employment to many people including the ones that are interviewed. It is a harm that gives employment and sense to many people.

But what is inside this magazine that is so controversial? More than the design, is the content that answers this question. It is important to say that the content is mostly visually as it is full of images and layouts full of colours; text is just only a secondary element that decorates the pictures.

The articled founded in Australian Ok! magazine can be read randomly in brief lapses of time anywhere given that articles and notes are very short. The mood within its pages is glamorous and exciting created by the bright colours used in the spreads and the large photographs of celebrities who are always smiling. It has a high percentage of advertisements that is carefully allocated at the beginning with full spreads for the most expensive products and at the end as a catalogue and table of comparison.

Culturally I think that this kind of magazines is a result of an excess of information and a frustration of a society that wants a relief, so it starts to fantasize and aspire to climb up into a better and successful life (move from low class to high class). They feel frustrated because they are not happy with what they are and have, and they cannot change it. The society in which we live moves so fast that they cannot afford having luxury life style as shown in the magazine, however they can aspire eventually to the products advertised inside. Also is a reflection on the western culture to remain forever young, resisting to get old and eventually die.

As a designer I can say that is visual noise and physically contaminates our environment and why not? our minds too. Having a closer look to the content, the context, and the audience who read or look at this publication I believe the meanings and interpretations people give to this product are different. Some could find it glamorous since they don not have the aesthetic background of what is good style trying to aspire to it and in some cases even imitate what they see following the magazine as an archetype. Gossipy people like gossips because they want to know about celebrities’ life and this activity gives some sense to their lives since theirs are empty and bored. The social benefit is for those who use the information they read to socialize while gossips can be use as topic of conversation and eventually they will have the feeling of belonging to a group. The consumers, who love shopping, find a cosmetic and fashion catalogue where the can practice their power over choices (brands). And for the rest of the people, is an escape of the busy world where they only want not to think, relax, and release the stress of the day.

It is so tempting for both sexes not trying to avoid having a look to the pages. But why is this feeling? I admit that I hate this publication but I confess I am tempted to take a look inside the pages to see the beautiful people and their successful life. It is so simple to understand and fast to get engage, just in a blink. What is this magic that make it so attractive? I believe is sex: nice bodies, beauty appearance, cosmetics, everything has a connection with sex. And sex sells everything.

It is true the phrase “do not believe in what you see”. I have to tell my experience as a designer when I used to work in a cosmetic company, images might differ from the original. In my experience I had participated in plastic surgeries through the computer, human beings are not so perfect. It is just a matter to make a google, go to the bookstore, or take a course to get some Photoshop tips for retouching.

All these lies provoke in people low self-esteem where they cannot reach and achieve the beauty aesthetics proposed by the industries. People with weak values or in formation of them, like teenagers, are the ones who absorb this unreality as a reality. They believe that anorexia for example is a fashion to follow.

As a conclusion I might say that today’s world is moving every day more into a superficial side where a good looking is the scale for evaluating how successful and happy we are. The marketing strategies now rule our lives and behaviours. Besides these problems I think there is a divorce of body and soul where interior beauty and spiritualism are not valuable anymore. I agree with Cronk “The public fetishistically substitutes consumer ideals for the lost acculturating experiences of art, religion and family.” I think that the magazine is a double sided weapon where it relief some pain and provokes more pain like an alcoholic in a circle addiction trying to forget who is it.

http://www.okmagazine.com.au/
http://www.hola.com/
http://people.aol.com/people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magazine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_culture
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/archetype
http://www.globalaware.org/Artlicles_eng/greatexpectations.htm
http://www.westland.net/venice/art/cronk/consumer.htm

Design Criticism

2006-06-26T16:55:00.000+10:00

Design Criticism
Magazine Australian Ok!

Consumer Magazines are those one that you can be obtained in retail stores and its content can be into a wide variety of topics. Different from periodicals, ancestor of magazine, that used to contain few or none advertisements.

Australian Ok! is another consumer magazine within the pop culture that could be found in any newsagency. With striking colours and big typefaces, the magazine tries to gather our attention in the bookshelf competing with magazines like People and imitating others like Hello. Is like a shout with that exclamation mark on the title, congested of images and bullets that suggest the content. This magazine is targeted to women and its content is about celebrities’ gossips, product reviews, and paparazzi shots.
The main disciplines involved in the development of this product are publishing design, communications, journalism, marketing, and photography. Mostly I could say that this magazine is visual rather than textual, its content is full of images and the layouts are full of colours. Text is almost a heading or footnote of the pictures.

Culturally I think that this kind of magazines is a result of an excess of bombarding information and a frustration of a society that wants a relief so it starts to fantasize and aspire to climb up into a better and successful life. The society in which we live moves very fast and cannot afford a living as shown in the magazine where fashion last so little however they can aspire eventually to the products advertised inside.

Australian Ok! is a magazine that can be read randomly in brief lapses of time anywhere. The glamorous and exciting atmosphere is created thanks to the bright colours used in the spreads and the big photographs of celebrities who are always smiling. It contains many advertisements at the beginning and at the end it converts into a catalogue that compare many products such as cosmetics, clothes, movies, or celebrities’ popularity.

As a designer I can say that is visual and physically rubbish in our environment, but having a closer look to the content, the context, and the audience who read or look at this product I have some theories about different meanings that the magazine may have for different people. For some could be glamorous since they don not have neither a fancy nor exciting life so they might try to aspire to it and in other cases imitate what they see following the magazine as an archetype; for others could be gossips because they want to know about celebrities’ life, but zooming in, there is a social benefit for knowing these gossips, it’s a tool to socialize as gossips can be a topic of conversation and eventually the person will have the feeling of belonging to a group; for consumer people is a cosmetic and fashion catalogue where they can see choices and compare them; and for other people is an escape of the busy world where you only want not to think, relax, and release the stress.

All of us can fit in any of these options even men. It’s so tempting not having a look to this magazine to see the latest in fashion, to see how pretty or ugly has become and actress, or to know about the new mansion of a famous singer. It offers entertainment even we do not want to admit it. It’s so easy to experience some leisure because is simple visual information. One element that I consider crucial in this temptation is sex; nice bodies, beauty appearance, cosmetics, everything has a connection with sex.

On the other hand it encourages the self-esteem in the way of promoting a healthy and good-looking life, but moreover it destroys self-esteem by creating the aesthetics of beauty that most of the readers will never be able to achieve. In the last case the most vulnerable people are the ones with weak values and difficulty in discerning reality from unreality e.g. being into bones is not sane.

As a conclusion I might say that today’s world is moving into a superficial side where a good looking is the scale for evaluating how successful and happy we are. The marketing strategies now rule our lives and behaviours. I dare to say that my main concern is the divorce of body and soul where interior beauty and spiritualism has not any value anymore. I think that the magazine is a double sided weapon where it relief some pain and provokes more pain like an alcoholic in a circle addiction trying to forget who is it.

http://www.okmagazine.com.au/
http://www.hola.com/
http://people.aol.com/people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magazine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_culture
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/archetype

Blog review

2006-06-26T11:17:00.000+10:00

Blog Review 1

Jeff Fisher review of the book Graphic Design Portfolio Builder

In his first paragraph he assumes to who is best this book: the designers. He evidences this claim with the statement that it includes exercises very useful. Moreover, he makes an evaluation that it is excellent for new designers. At this state he is being pre-reflective where his statement “can be obtained with absolute certainty through direct observation” is written without any risks making the reading easy to any person as the language used is simple. His review is very similar to the one Amazon.com agreeing with most of the comments.1. He does not go further reflecting or analysing why this exercise makes the book so good for designers.

Then his review turns into a descriptive criticism, helping people to see what is there. Talking about what is about, what the content is, and some safe positive judgments.

At the end of his brief review he turns quasi-reflective because there is a certain uncertainty in how valuable and useful the book will be in the context (work environment). He focuses that the knowledge is contextual.

In sum, I believe his review has a qualifying tone within a positive field.

1
Patricia King and Karen Kitchener’s
“Levels of Reflective Judgement”
http://www.missouri.edu/~wood/rjstages/rjstages.html

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321336585/sr=8-1/qid=1151471070/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-7857056-8796030?ie=UTF8

Wayne Attoe
“Methods of Criticism and Response to Criticism”
http://www.jstor.org/view/01492993/ap05a00090/0

http://blog-omotives.blogspot.com/2006/04/review-graphic-design-portfolio.html

Blog Review 2

Decoding Coldplay’s X & Y is an appropriate title for Adrian Shaughnessy’s review of this cover album band. He makes a very good introduction to set the reader in the mood of behind the cover.

At the beginning he makes a quasi-reflective statement where he writes about how the viewer might see the sleeve of the album: enigmatic as a puzzle rather than a design.

Most of his review is supported and referenced with others people point of views such as journalist and mathematicians. Addressing one of this people we have Jonathan Jones, journalist from the Guardian, who makes a very insightful critique that I consider almost reflective reasoning as it presents some evidence about what is the meaning and inspiration of the sleeve and he constructs some options where the truth of his evidence might be. In contrast the mathematician, Du Sautoy, gives an interpretation more personal “since there is no source of certainty” referring to the meaning of the cover “…beliefs are justified by giving reason that are often idiosyncratic, such as choosing evidence that fits an established belief.”1 Sautoy analyse the design from a mathematic point of view.

At the end of the review Shaughnessy finishes with his own point of view about what he guess and thinks is going to happen with the record industry. Using Coldplay’s cover, he makes a statement about the end of the design for records since these ones, as physically objects, will disappear. Making this analogy not very coherent that physical format for music will disappear, visual components that join these formats will too.

Based on the end of his review I could say that the tone he uses is interpretive criticism, “he molds others visions to make them see as he does”2 the vision of killing the visual music culture. It is too soon to say what is going to happen but we have to remember that virtual spaces also uses images and in the other hand we have to consider that not all people in the world have access to them.

1
Patricia King and Karen Kitchener’s
“Levels of Reflective Judgement”
http://www.missouri.edu/~wood/rjstages/rjstages.html

2
Wayne Attoe
“Methods of Criticism and Response to Criticism”
http://www.jstor.org/view/01492993/ap05a00090/0

http://www.designobserver.com/archives/003459.html

2006-06-25T12:10:00.000+10:00

Interpretive Review The Asian Field By Antony Gormley

Gormley in his Asian Field work shows thousands of mouth less self-portrait figures form Asian people that are looking to the spectator in silence. This artwork achieve success in what Gormley tries to say, the idea of the people form the micro point of view: the portrait; and the idea of the people from the macro point of view: the world. Different from other works like the Angel of the North or the Iron: Man, The Field combines three aspects: the individual, the group, and the audience as part of the artwork.

He pretends that the audience completes and participates in the artwork as he said in one of his text Extracts from Salvatore Ala catalogue, 1984 “The spectator completes and in a sense becomes the work, by a reflective action of relinking the work with the world.” Observing the installation one can reflect in the consciousness of the individual through the self-portrait shown in the photographs where you can understand that each figure is and reflects a human being. Observing the other side of the installation, the thousands of figures, you can reflect in the consciousness of the collective as a society, city, or even the world.

The fact that each figure is mouth less gives the sense of anonymity and as Gromley say “…seem to be asking or judging us, the moving talking ones” referring to the spectator.

http://www.antonygormley.com
http://www.bos2006.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Gormley

2006-06-25T10:35:00.000+10:00

Evaluative Review
The Asian Field By Antony Gormley

The Asian Field is a monumental installation where the spectator is only allowed to glimpse through the frame of a gate to see thousands of clay statues. From this point of view the spectator can distinguish a few meters of the figures after there he only sees a pattern that mixes with the elements of the space in which is settled. At this point the observer has to trust, believe, and make an act of faith in the artwork that the figures at the bottom of the room are unique and not industrial copies.

In one way the different elements inside the space including the exit in the floor, contribute to reinforce the topic of the Biennale “zones of contact” where the figures merge with the space giving the idea of cities, settlements, and life in which I call a fortunate coincidence. In another way these are accidental distractions that might confuse the observer distorting the original meaning of the work. In the last case I found that the problem is not within the artwork, is in the space where it is presented that might not be the appropriate.

The second part of the artwork is the 600 photographs that are presented in the adjacent space. Those photographs are placed around the space leaving the space empty. What I found important and interesting is how this empty space where the observers walk and move around interact with this crowded and static space. With such an impressive gate full of figures, people get amused with quantity but do not analysed neither realised the photograph gate and its emptiness in which they become part of the artwork filling the space. I think Gormley should emphasis this second aspect of this work if that’s the purpose since other works of his like “The Mexican Field” or “The European Field” does not contain the photograph section.

http://www.bos2006.com.au
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Gormley
http://mocoloco.com/art/archives/001040.php
http://www.antonygormley.com/full_list/283x1_european_field.htm

Taste Profile Response

2006-06-24T21:36:00.000+10:00

Taste Profile Response

In response to the guesses, Janina made the most successes taking my answers from my interests in the news and art. I'’m international student from Mexico and I don't believe and trust my government because is very corrupted and don'’t look after the people, so based in this statement I don't like politics but I still believe that any government should spend more money in the environment. About the arts I would like that my government besides spending more money in this issue would support this area with more facilities, resources, and reinforcing the education about this subject. I'’m not familiar with what is happening here in Australia but I'’m learning.

I like the arts and I like doing paintings and art stuff because I like to create rather than recreate. I don'’t play any instrument because I don'’t like to recreate others work and the idea of creating music through an instrument is not my favourite since I am not familiar with it. I like the sound guitars produce but is not the kind of instrument I would identify with. I haven'’t tried to play the guitar and I haven'’t thought about it but I'’m open at least to try. If you should ask me with which instrument I identify with, I would say maybe the piano or composing through a computer.

I know there is a strong stereotype toward Mexicans created mostly from Americans, some of these are the '“sombrero'”, tacos, a cactus, and laziness among others. It is true that Mexicans like tacos and there is a big fanatism for football, by the way I like to eat tacos and see the World Cup but I'm not fanatic neither a football player. Mexicans sometimes are disintegrated but there are three aspects that always join us and reinforce the sense of belong to this nation and are: tragedy events like earthquakes, being abroad, and the football (just see at the stadiums in the World Cup). I do not get upset about Justin comments, for me is an interesting point of view of what he might imagine and know about my culture.

Not answered questions

2006-06-21T20:45:00.000+10:00

1. Do you play a musical instrument? Which?

2. What is your favourite sport or game to play? What is your favourite sport or game to watch?

3. Should the government be spending more or less funding on: tax relief, sport, the arts, the environment.

Taste Profile Questions

2006-06-19T22:03:00.000+10:00

1. Favourite Television Show in the last 2 years.
How many hours television do you watch a week?
The Simpsons.
20 hours approximately per week.

2. What sort of camera do you have? What do you take pictures of: events, friends and relatives, things I find interesting, beautiful things?
Sony Cyber-shot for events and friends. Minolta reflex for interesting and beautiful things.

3. What sort of car would you like to drive? How often would you get under the bonnet of that car?
Renault Megané, I used to drive it daily in Mexico but not anymore for the last 5 months that I have been here in Australia.

4 List your most favourite and least favourite type of music?
My favourite type of music is alternative (Radiohead, Bjork, Coldplay, etc) and the least favourite is tex-mex band (northern mexican music).

5. Which of the following would you visit or attend at least twice a year: art galleries, museums, public lectures, public libraries, political meetings, demonstrations or rallies?
Art galleries and museums for contemporary art exhibitions. I go more than twice a year.

6. List 4 films you have seen in the last year, from favourite to least favourite, and indicate how you saw them (cinema, video/dvd rental, video/dvd owned, pay TV, free-to-air TV)?
1. What the #$! Do we know?!
Liked very much and saw it on the cinema
2. American Beauty
Liked very much and saw it on pay TV
3. Poseidon
Neither like it nor dislike it and saw it on the cinema
4. Date Movie
I hate it and saw it on the cinema

7. Where would like to travel to (apart from to friends or relatives)?
Different countries in Europe such as France, UK, and Germany.

8. What is your primary source of news? To what extent to do you take an interest in the news?
Television. If the news is relevant or important I compare it with other sources in the internet, newspaper, or television programs.

9. Which country are you from? Could you live in a country other than where you were raised for the rest of your life?
I’m from Mexico and I think I can live in another country for the rest of my life.

10. Where do you tend to meet your friends: at each other’s homes, shopping centres, pubs or clubs, cafes and restaurants, parks or exercising?
I use to meet them in their homes, cafes, or restaurants most of the times. In some cases in Mexico is more common to meet your friends in a café or restaurant in a middle point because the distances are so large and because of the traffic.