OUGD501 / Context Of Practice / Rationale

Rationale - A discourse

As the practical element of the COP2 Module I am to create a work that relates to my essay title ‘To what extent has Modernism influenced Contemporary Graphic Deisgn?’.

I intend to illustrate the points I have made this essay:

Questioning the idea of ‘good design’ – How this does not exist, it is a agreed construct that can be destroyed through Derrida’s theory of deconstruction.

By re-designing a publication highly regarded in the field in Modernism (The New Typography by Jan Tschichold) I am making a comment on my disagreement with its principles through a critical, informed re-design.

Just as publications such as the early issues of i-D magazine, SUPER SUPER and SLEAZENATION have questioned the possible commercial position for Postmodern design, I intend to do so.

This publication is not created with the intent of commercial viability, I am to disregard all commercial considerations as the intent of this project is to communicate my disagreement; illustrating my essay.

I am to show the influence Modernism, Technology, the current social, political and ethical concerns of design have had on contemporary design. I am to embrace these factors and apply them.

I am to embrace Contemporary Graphic Design, placing it in a context in which I can demonstrate my own comment on Modernist Principles; In re-designing the Modernist publication in a contemporary manner, it can be seen as a questioning of principles of the book.

A practice in Deconstruction, I am to show the result of questioning signifiers we take for certain in Graphic Design; a statement on the discourse between reader and designer.

I want the reader to view the publication, not read it, the intent is for the publication to be consumed, to challenge the viewers existing visual language, to illustrate deconstruction of ‘The New Typography’.

A practice in my own design, just as Postmodern principle dictated, I don’t intend to be invisible, I desire to express my own thoughts through the work.

I want to challenge your idea of ‘good design’, deconstruct your ideas of such a thing. The desire of this book is to create discourse with the reader, to communicate through the copy itself, not simply the words as Modernist would dictate.

The physicality of the type itself is to communicate, the alterations to the typography within, you may view as ‘ugly’, are intended to disagree with Modernist principles. It is a question I’d like to create, why is such design considered ‘Ugly’ is it merely because it isn’t the normal tangent of Modernism that is saturated in a contemporary market?

With the application of Deconstruction, ‘Ugly’ does not exist, it is based upon an infinite amount of layers of signification, peeling away these layers, Ugly is based on its binary, ‘Attractiveness’. Based upon a cultural oppression, Attractiveness is defined by cultural acceptance; which is incredibly subjective.

Is beauty within the eye of the beholder or within the perceived idea in itself?

Is beauty derived from aesthetic (signifier) or the signified?