![]() Nalan Ucak (BA) Graphic and Media Design Being a daughter of immigrant parents made me grow up within different cultures, beliefs, and political views. My mom, born and raised in communist Poland, where everything and everyone was regulated and controlled by the government, was seeking a better life when she escaped to Germany in the 1980s. My dad, born in Turkey, also grew up in a country that was full of government control and political violence, which made him flee the country and seek better opportunities in Germany. Having been influenced by my parents’ heritage and culture, it made me appreciate the life I had growing up in Germany. Not many kids realize how grateful they should be to grow up in a stable country, where it is safe and where basic human rights are being met. Sadly, in both Poland and Turkey, things have gotten worse again in the last years. The media is being controlled immensely, giving the people no right to voice their opinion against the politicians and the issues their countries are facing. People are being silenced and have no platform to express their concerns and beliefs. Throughout my DPS year, I learned and saw how creatives can impact cultures and communities, by highlighting political issues in their work, using their voice to create change. My photographic work is not focused on political issues however, the different cultures I grew up in influence me in many ways in my creative work. I fell in love with photography because it gives you the opportunity to express yourself, without limitations. I always wanted to use my photography to document people, showing them in their natural environment, capturing their stories. Knowing that you do not have that freedom in other countries has made me more appreciative of my privilege. The latest inspiration of mine is a publication called ‘Stuck in Here’ by Orianne Ciantar. The book consists of photographs of the youth stuck in war in Ukraine, portraying their everyday lives and thoughts. It is an amazing collection of intimate images, giving you an insight into how the war is affecting them. Projects like these show what a powerful tool photography is to shine light on challenging situations, and it is incredible how creatives continue to push boundaries during these tough times and are bringing the community together. I have not yet produced anything related to political issues within my work however, I started thinking of possible photography projects revolved around the communities I grew up in as a kid. I would like to explore more of my parents’ cultures by visiting the countries and creating a documentation of how the current political situation is developing and how it affects the community. Sources: 1. Polish government's media bill is latest move to silence its critics (2021) The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/11/polish-government-media-bill-latest-move-silence-critics (Accessed: April 27, 2023). 2. With photographs and testimony from Ukrainian youth, stuck in here explores new ways of Documenting War (no date) It's Nice That. Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/orianne-ciantar-olive-stuck-in-here-project-photography-020323 (Accessed: April 27, 2023). 3. Stuck in here (no date) Revers éditions. Available at: https://www.revers-editions.com/stuck-in-here (Accessed: April 27, 2023).
0 Comments
The field of digital design has come a long way in recent years, with designers using cutting-edge technologies to create engaging and compelling user experiences. However, along with these advances come concerns about how technology can be used to hijack our behavior and impact our well-being. I am switching to a UX design direction and am concerned about designing for sustainability. Designers have the responsibility to contribute to sustainable construction, and again this is something we have to deal with to compensate for the knock-on effects of consumerism. Especially when net zero is an urgent goal for most countries, companies, and institutions, reducing carbon emissions from all nodes is an inevitable design trend. Brainstorming my SIP, I look at the impact and carbon footprint of digital activities, which could be every action you did on your phone or computer, online or offline. I started to question: Do the users use this way to meet the demand? Are they forced to do something else to complete the task, or are they distracted? If minimizing the gap between what users must do (to complete a task) and what they need can, can we save carbon emissions from redundant activities? By understanding the psychological and emotional drivers that influence our behavior, designers can create products and services that are more intuitive, satisfying, and effective. However, this same power can also be used to manipulate users and coerce them into taking actions that are not in their best interest. For example, social media platforms use algorithms and personalized content to keep users engaged and coming back for more. This can lead to addictive behaviors and a loss of control over how we spend our time online. In some cases, this can even lead to negative mental health outcomes, such as anxiety and depression. Similarly, technology hijacks can occur when products and services are designed to exploit our cognitive biases and vulnerabilities. For example, notifications and alerts can be designed to trigger our fear of missing out (FOMO), leading us to check our phones compulsively and interrupt our work or personal time. To address these concerns, designers must reflect on the ethical implications of their work and consider the impact their designs have on users. This is especially important when it comes to the sustainability of digital design. By focusing on sustainability, designers can create products and services that are not only effective but also ethical and responsible. One approach to creating more sustainable digital designs is to adopt a human-centered design approach. This involves designing with empathy and understanding for the user's needs and desires, rather than focusing solely on business goals or technological capabilities. By involving users in the design process, designers can better understand their motivations, preferences, and pain points, and create products and services that are more responsive to their needs. Designers must also be mindful of the environmental impact of their work. Digital design has a significant carbon footprint, with data centers, servers, and devices consuming vast amounts of energy. By adopting sustainable design practices, such as reducing file sizes, using eco-friendly hosting providers, and designing for low-power devices, designers can minimize the environmental impact of their design. Reference: https://www.routledge.com/Product-Design-and-Sustainability-Strategies-Tools-and-Practice-1st/Penty/p/book/9781138301986 https://medium.com/thrive-global/how-technology-hijacks-peoples-minds-from-a-magician-and-google-s-design-ethicist-56d62ef5edf3#.qsgtv1l6b. https://startuptalky.com/gmail-business-model/ BA Design for Branded Space
Sian Chen Deborah Deekae - Graphic and Media Design The general conversation as of recent reflects an increased awareness of the climate crisis, overconsumption and consumerism. Especially in creative sectors there’s a flurry of articles and conversations covering how to do more meaningful work and develop sustainable practices. At the same time, the aftermath of covid and rise in living costs have made finding a fairly paid job within the industry even more difficult. It seems almost expected to spend your junior years grinding it out until you can have more input at a more senior level. Having just finished my internship I have been reflecting on how practical it really is to put politics and ethics first. Working everyday at my placement I came to realise that the really big clients were luxury goods, finance or alcohol. This was reinforced when I saw a job posting on LinkedIn which advertised that the agency didn’t work with any of these sectors which was “ rare ”. In fact, when taking a second look at some of the agencies that were on my target list to apply for I realised these sectors were a large share of their clients and at least in my anecdotal experience the money makers. There seemed to be an uneasy relationship because as a designer or agency you rely on income from client work, so how can you advocate for sustainability or ethical practices? A statistic from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation stated that, “ 80% of a product's related environmental impact is influenced by decisions made at the design stage ” (2022). Though this figure is not specifically about graphic design, I think it lends itself to demonstrating the impact graphic design can have. Common tasks like creating social media assets or brand guidelines can be viewed as not having a substantial consequences but within these roles designers often have an input on things like which printing process to use, what materials packaging should be made from, how to drive brand engagement and sales ( which influences levels of consumption ) etc. In these cases it is possible to have an input into the wider outcome of design work. But in my role I didn’t really have the autonomy to make drastic changes. I could suggest sustainable methods but there is no guarantee that the client would take it on and after a long while of working with the same clients I realised my job was that of an executor not an executive. Everything I made had to have the go-ahead from the client. As the intern or even as the creative team we couldn’t make executive decisions on the ethics of the client's business model… we could suggest colour palettes. In terms of the production line we were last. Whatever we were working on was first approved in concept by the client then sent to the copywriters then sent to us so by this point we just had to “ make it look pretty ”. Since finishing my placement and working more on my SIP I have had to think a lot more about what I want my next opportunity to look like and how to orient myself towards those aims. I came across an interview discussing design and ethical practices with the cofounder of the studio Partner and Partners. When asked how he finds clients that allow the studio to stay true to their principles he said, “ It’s hard, but really try to commit yourself to not working on something that you know sucks and is not going to benefit the world that you want to live in. Don’t reproduce yourself in a way that’s perpetuating something that you don’t agree with ” ( Mihalko, 2021 ). This is definitely a principle I want to follow going forward and I think the experiences I have gained so far have put me in a better position to make those decisions. Working as a designer whether for clients or myself my practice is political because it influences and engages with society; I think that’s inescapable. In light of that, I want to produce work that benefits the world and ( hopefully ) doesn’t suck. Bibliography
Bhatt, S. ( 2021) ' If "Labor Is Entitled to all it Creates," Where does that Leave Graphic Design? ', Eye on Design, 13 May. Available at: https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/if-labor-is-entitled-to-all-it-creates-where-does-that-leave-graphic-design Ellen MacArthur Foundation ( 2022 ) An introduction to circular design . Available at: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/news/an-introduction-to-circular-design @delahuntagram, Anyone Want A Logo!!!! [ Image ]. Emily Duong
BA Graphic Branding and Identity Design is often viewed as a tool for communication and problem-solving. Politics in design raises questions about the role of designers in influencing public opinion and societal change. There are some people that argue design should remain neutral, while others see design as inherently political, with the potential to be a powerful force for social justice. In this blog post, I will explore the topic of politics in design and its implications for designers, different perspectives and my own experience. Reading Ruben Pater's book, "The Politics of Design," provided me with insight into the various ways politics manifest in design. Politics can appear in language and typography, colour, image, symbols, icons, and information graphics. Ruben states, “Acknowledging that communication is not neutral puts everything in perspective. It is by realising that we are all culturally biased that we can understand why communication often fails.”(4). By reading his book, I realized the power of design as a communicative tool. In the early stages of my practice, politics in design did not cross my mind, and I was unaware of my work's relation to it. As I progressed in my BA course, I learned about brand activism and how designers attempt to create change. This was when I realized the power of design and what I can do with it. Now, I believe my practice is political. During a project, sustainability was an objective of my research, and I worked with old bamboo sticks from my garden, which we reuse each year to garden. I am increasingly becoming more aware of sustainable materials and trying to be more proactive in producing less waste and considering the lifecycle of my work. I am also mindful of where my work will go after the project ends. Recently, I was asked to produce a logo design via email for an organization not related to the company I worked for. I would be creating intellectual property for the organization, and with the time and effort I was going to pour into it, I did not feel it was right. I felt like I was being exploited as an intern, and I was not getting paid appropriately for the task. I tried to set up a meeting to discuss my concerns and in the end, I decided to turn it down and focus on other work. I sometimes have difficulties saying no as I don’t have the courage and my imposter syndrome kicks in, but this time I had support from my colleagues and I was able to say no comfortably. I read the conversation between Its Nice That and Jonathan Barnbrook, and this was a memorable quote from him “From a political point of view, felt that employing other people is exploitation. But I can’t justify it all myself and in the end, it was more practical. We don’t exploit the freelance culture though and all placements are paid – we treat people decently and help them enjoy their job.”(1) Why do some designers hate politics? According to author Scott Berkun, he explains designers hate politics because they are confused with the term’s meaning. Politics is used in two different ways: one describes politics as “the things self-serving, manipulative people do”(2), and the other is “the process of making decisions that apply to members of a group”(2) Designers would refer to the first definition and blame politics when they do not understand why they were rejected and not given authority. Additionally, some designers are in denial that “human nature is political.”(2) Whenever there is an activity needing people to converse and work together, each individual has their own opinion and preferences on how to do things and what tasks they like to do. Berkun writes, “Designers love to talk about their mastery of problem-solving skills, but politics is just another kind of problem-solving: people problems”(2). Do Politics matter in design? The rise of social media platforms like Instagram has not only revolutionized the way people build businesses and connect with others but has also created an environment for increased public discourse. In particular, designers now have a broader reach and more opportunities to share their political views. From the source Business of Home(3), Nashville-based designer Stephanie Sabbe's experience in posting political issues on Instagram highlights the potential consequences of being vocal about political beliefs, but also the importance of designers engaging with politics. She stated that her political posts have not affected the running of her business and still receive clients from both sides, Sabbe's experience portrays the new normal for designers where politics is more open and accepted in the industry. This suggests that designers can use their platform to promote positive change without sacrificing their professional relationships. In conclusion, politics in design is a complex topic that raises questions about the role of designers in influencing public opinion and societal change. While some argue that design should remain neutral, others see design as political. As Jonathan Barnbrook would say, “The absolute decision to be a graphic designer is a political decision”(1). Therefore, as a designer, my role is political; I have become increasingly aware of the power of design to effect change and influence society. I believe it is essential for designers to recognize the responsibility they have in shaping public opinion and to use their skills to promote positive change! Sources: Student Name: Manqing Zheng Major: Graphic and Media Design In fact, in my practice, I did not perceive any connection with politics. As far as I am concerned, the connection between politics and design, or the political nature of design, is sensitive and derogatory, which may arouse the aversion or resistance of some people in areas you do not know well. However, after reading about the politics of design and seeing relevant cases, I found that I have a shallow understanding of politics. In fact, politics is everywhere and even permeates the design. Through the politics of design, people with stereotypes or insufficient cognition may have a new understanding of the new culture. It can also make people aware of some problems in contemporary society. politics change people's stereotypes. There are still many ridiculous stereotypes that make people of all nationalities and different gender people upset. For example, In terms of gender and personality, Females are emotional and sensitive, Males are aggressive and so on, Arab Islam may conjure up images of terrorist extremism, the Chinese are good at math and love to eat dogs meat, and Americans are fat and full of diabetics... But the political design could change these phenomena. For example, in the design case, Sana Jammalieh and Haitham Haddad, two designers from Palestine, discovered that some people are afraid of hearing or seeing Arabic (because they associate Arabic with terrorism without a clear understanding of it). To make Tote bags with Arabic characters. The design makes people think that the Arabic language and all Arab countries are victims of terrorism and that it is a mistake to think of the two as victims of terrorism. another example, Of the gender stereotype political design.Caitlin Winner, design manager of facebook. She found something to be angry about in her company font kit and changed it. So, what had she found? In the middle of the photoshop file are two vectors representing people. The iconic man is symmetrical except for his spiky hairstyle, but another woman has a splinter on her shoulder. She change the icon of the female let her has two strong robust shoulder and in the same time, she found that in the old ‘groups’ icon featured two men and one woman, the woman sat in the back left behind the larger centered man. So, she change the sequence of the group icon.She placed the lady first. This also made me realize that design symbols are not just symbols, they also represent important meanings and may positively break the inherent impression and bring new cognition to people. Bring correct political concepts and attitudes.These cases and contents made me think and understand the significance of politics in design in multiple aspects, as well as the positive and negative influences it brings. ![]() Image01 from Website Example01 Ruth Stone BA Illustration and Visual Media " There is a fundamental affinity between the work of art and the act of resistance" - Gilles Deleuze. My practice is inherently political. It is a response to the political world around me. Every time I pick up a pen is an act of resistance in a world which has never asked me to do so. Everything I ever produce is an extension of me in the same way that I am a product of my environment. Even a small drawing of a cute animal is a call to change and a call for joy in a world that can be overwhelmingly grey. My tastes in film, colours and design styles come from my values. My values come from my life experiences. The hair on my body is political, the colour of my skin is political, the language I choose is political, my thoughts and feelings are political, my heritage is political - everything is. As a result, my practice is often more concerned with politics than with design, in the sense that the meaning and feeling of a work is for me more important its look. I have created works about culture, identity, the contraceptive pill, femicide, sustainability and immigration. I have also created work that is about nothing. But I don’t think that this type of work is enough to keep me creating and to keep me in the design industry. Designing about nothing makes me feel like a fraud. When I design solely for aesthetic purposes I often feel as though I am imitating someone else and someone else’s idea of design. This year on DPS, I have been forced to think about what is important to me about the place that I will work. I have also been forced to think about what makes me me- what makes me a designer, what my own personal skills and motivations are. I don't think I have a love for design or that design at its face value comes natural to me. Rather, I think I have a love for the culture, the people, the stories, the resistance, the representation, for the feeling seen and for the connection that is made possible through design. I want to care about what I am making and why. Deleuze says " Concepts do not just exist. Concepts do not just exist in the sky where they are waiting... Concepts must be fabricated. Of course they are not made just like that. One does not say to oneself 'Okay I am going to make a concept, I am going to invent a concept'. No more than a painter says to himself one day ' Okay I'm going to make a painting just like that. There must be a necessity. There must be a necessity. Otherwise there is nothing at all." At one point or another in my life I have felt othered, like an outsider, demotivated, depressed, dejected, furious, confused. But I have also felt community, welcomed, inspired, motivated, ecstatic, in love, certain and lucky beyond belief. Over the course of my DPS year, I have learnt an incredible amount. After a long long time of searching for opportunities, the first job offer I got was when I decided to put more of myself into my application. FIND YOUR NECESSITY. YOU AND YOUR VALUES AND BELIEFS MAKE YOU UNIQUE AND EMBRACING THEM IS AN RADICALLY UNAPOLOGETIC POLITICAL ACT. BONUS: A list of some art that made me feel something: (In no particular order) 1. Short Film WIFI RIDER by Rezvanny Reneé : https://youtu.be/3lSP6bQ0NDM 2. TV Show I MAY DESTROY YOU by Michaela Coel : https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m000jyxy/i-may-destroy- you 3. TV Show Giri/Haji available on Netflix : https://www.netflix.com/title/80190519 4. Drawings by Annalaura Sullivan @Annalaura_art on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/Cjlnexhu8Kn/ ![]()
Leyan Chen (Elza) Graphic and Media Design ![]() Design is often considered a subjective and emotional process. I believe this subjectivity and emotionality cannot be completely politicized. While subjectivity and politics can coexist in design, the emotional aspect can sometimes overshadow the work's objectivity, leading to a distortion or neglect of the political implications of the invention. Remarkably, even environmentalists and animal rights activists, who advocate for the protection of ecosystems and the achievement of sustainable development, ultimately do so intending to improve human survival. Therefore, our thoughts on non-human topics are inherently subjective, based on human-centered perspectives. As a result, design then considers to serve or subvert the status quo (Fry, 2009). It considers social issues such as capitalism and consumerism, cultural diversity, and gender issues. Due to our humanity and perspectives, we seek to communicate our political positions and values through our designs. Nevertheless, my current designs still need to be mature or political, as they are often emotional and need to consider environmental issues sufficiently. While I gradually realized the social responsibility of designers since I arrived in the UK. My designs started to explore themes such as the social landscape, artificial nature, etc. From my current internship in an urban renewal design studio, I notice that design can advocate for social justice by understanding social, economic, and cultural contexts to communicate with organizations. From my perspective, design works cannot directly change social phenomena but also draw attention and initiate discussions, creating the potential for change. The indispensability of communication is becoming increasingly distinct in this academic year. I can gain knowledge from different conversations and maintain an open and critical mindset from them. These efforts can make my work more objective, social, and political. Designers, therefore, have a social and political responsibility to advocate for positive change. Whereas the relationship between the subjective and political of work is still considered to be in conflict in some cases, thus how they can coexist in one project is worth exploring. David Carson's work can perfectly interpret these topics, like his expressive typography and designs that challenge conventional ideas. And Jessica Walsh, who studies gender roles and identities through her techniques. The political implications of their work exist alongside the emotional aspects, demonstrating that political messages can be conveyed through subjective and expressive designs. In conclusion, design's emotional and subjective aspects cannot be completely politicized. However, as designers, we are responsible for advocating for social and political change through our work. This can be achieved by understanding social, economic, and cultural contexts, maintaining an open and critical mindset, and creating emotionally and politically charged designs. Through this balance, designers can communicate important messages and initiate discussions that have the potential to create positive change in society. Smith Design. (n.d.). Women in Design: Jessica Walsh. Retrieved from https://smithdesign.com/blog/women-in-design-jessica-walsh/ Famous Graphic Designers. (n.d.). David Carson. Retrieved from https://www.famousgraphicdesigners.org/david-carson Serpa, B.O., van Amstel, F.M., Mazzarotto, M., Carvalho, R.A., Gonzatto, R.F., Batista e Silva, S., and da Silva Menezes, Y. (2022) Weaving design as a practice of freedom: Critical pedagogy in an insurgent network, in Lockton, D., Lenzi, S., Hekkert, P., Oak, A., Sádaba, J., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2022: Bilbao, 25 June - 3 July, Bilbao, Spain. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2022.707 19010659 Hyojae Jess Lee Graphic Branding and Identity The world is changing rapidly, and as diverse cultures come into closer proximity, graphic branding designers must be vigilant in monitoring shifting trends, observing their surroundings, and responding with sensitivity. One of the unique privileges that come with the responsibility of being a branding designer is the ability to create a visual voice for the public. Graphic branding design is a powerful tool that can support and communicate arguments effectively. It can also be a key element in changing social norms and even changing the world. In this report, I will introduce the ways in which branding designers can harness their power to create a positive impact and my current definition of a political designer. To communicate messages effectively, designers must understand the content and reconstruct it in a relevant form with the appropriate context. Failure to do so ignores the audience and diminishes the design's meaning. As visual communicators, branding designers manipulate the form to reshape the essential connection between the message and the audience. They must expand their abilities and take responsibility for the content's meaning. The Autonomous Design Group (ADG) is an anonymous collective founded by individuals primarily associated with left-wing activist groups. The group has created an impressive collection of political graphic posters that effectively communicate their messages to the world. One notable example is their self-initiated Rent Strike posters, which were created during the pandemic when housing issues and inequalities were brought to the fore. The posters feature colourful and engaging designs, such as "The Rent is too Damn High. RENT STRIKE," an artful collage piece using 1960s air France posters with a backdrop of brutalist buildings, palm trees, and retro type. (see fig.1) Another standout poster is "Landlords Need Us, We Don’t Need Landlords," featuring a deep blue body, brutalist buildings, and pink blossom flowers adorning the cracks. (see fig.2) These posters not only exude beauty but also instill feelings of hope and the possibility of a better future. ADG's work is a rare example of political posters that are both visually and anecdotally impactful. By effectively communicating their messages through striking designs, ADG's posters are an inspiring contribution to the field of political art. The Impact of Political Branding Design Branding design can be a powerful tool in changing social norms and political discourse. One impressive political branding design project is the gender equality campaign work of the Global branding agency Bulletproof. (see fig.3) Their 'Amsterdam' campaign highlighted the increasing gender gap in the Netherlands and demanded legislative action towards closing it. They designed six graphically striking posters to go live in 125 locations across the city, as well as “wildplak” locations. The agency also created street sign stickers that were placed over the names of the most famous canals. This campaign project exemplifies the power of political branding design to effect change. My current definition of a political designer is one who visualizes the narrative of social and political issues to create awareness and effect change. One of my social reflective projects, 'Secret Workers,' is an intersectional feminism campaign design created to increase awareness of employed women of colour who are not in the spotlight. (see fig.4) The campaign allows people to watch augmented reality animation of women workers’ stories and leads them to donate to women and girls in the coffee community. Visualizing the narrative of women’s work environment is my current and future definition as a political designer. As a graphic branding designer based in London, I feel responsible for expressing public opinion for the betterment of society. In today's fast-paced world, branding designers can shape societal norms and political discourse. I believe that it is our duty to harness this power to effect positive change and create a better future. We should use our skills to articulate the collective sentiments of society and contribute to positive change. In this way, we can make a meaningful impact on societal and political discourse, and be part of the movement towards a more just world. [References] Fig.1: Creative Commons(2020) Autonomous Design Group: Support the Strike Poster. Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/radical-poster-graphic-design-250522 (Accessed: 27 April 2023). Fig.2: Creative Commons(2020) Autonomous Design Group: Rent strike Poster. Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/radical-poster-graphic-design-250522 (Accessed: 27 April 2023). Fig.3: Bulletproof Targets(2023) Amsterdam. Available at: https://worldbranddesign.com/bulletproof-targets-dutch-gender-gap-in-amsterdame-campaign/ (Accessed: 27 April 2023). Fig.4: Jess Lee(2022) Secret Workers. [Bibliography] Peter, R. Politics of design. Amsterdam: Bispublishers. Bulletproof Targets Dutch Gender Gap In Amsterdame Campaign Available at: https://worldbranddesign.com/bulletproof-targets-dutch-gender-gap-in-amsterdame-campaign/ (Accessed: 27 April 2023). Costanza-Chock, S. (2020) ‘Everyday Things for Whom? The Distribution of Affordances and Disaffordances under the Matrix of Domination’. Design Values - Hard Coding Liberation?. Available at: https://design-justice.pubpub.org/pub/3h2zq86d/release/1 (Accessed: 27 April 2023). Design justice network. (2020) If We Want Design to be a Tool for Liberation, We’ll Need More Than Good Intentions. Available at: https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/for-design-to-truly-be-a-tool-for-liberation-were-going-to-need-more-than-just-good-intentions/ (Accessed: 27 April 2023) Holly Hamilton Branded Space Design Is my practice political? As a designer this is a broad and therefore difficult question to answer. For me many subsections fall under the category of ‘my practice, including both individual practice and the work I undertaken within the industry. As individual designers and artists we choose what we want to create and how we want to present it, we get to make all the decisions surrounding this version of our practise, however when we work under the name of a brand other than our own, can we truly express our practice in the same way we would as individuals? In modern day design, many brands are working towards the ideology of presenting themselves as ‘politically correct’, however how far into their brand does this statement really go? In recent years there has been an uprising in artificial intelligence design/artwork, one example of this is Shudu, the first ai black supermodel created by Cameron James Wilson in 2017. There was a lot of controversy surrounding this design for a multitude of reasons. One being that the first ai black supermodel with over 215,000 followers on instagram was created by a white British person. The model Shudu was a product of individual practice by the designer Cameron James Wilson created with inspiration from real life supermodels Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell. The persona Shudu was then shared on social media never with the intention to gain the following that it did. People started believing that Shudu was a real person and brands started hiring her for campaigns. This is when controversy started. When a design that was made as a personal practice enters into the world of society, industry branding, and economic gain, the whole prospects of the reasoning behind the creation gets questioned. When first hearing about this story my initial response was that a white British person was making economic gain from a black ethnic Ai design with no ties to real life communities of the same ethnic backgrounds. However because it was never the designers intention to profit off of the design, they put the design to good use and work alongside POC communities who also gain from the design’s success. This is why Shudu brought so much controversy to light. The design was created during individual practice, however was brought into industry practice by society and then questioned by the same society. The design was included in branding for multiple companies, who chose to represent their image with this ai design. Brands started to use Shudu but why? Yes there was a new face to show diversity in their campaigns but did these brands even care where the image came from? No. These brands simply saw the surface and looked no further. Why use an ai model to represent the minority when there are thousands of real life people who could be representing their own culture in the same way. I think this is evidence of how brands aim to present themselves as ‘politically correct’ however they don't always follow through thoroughly or know the full story behind their production line. Cameron James Wilson created the design never with the intent for it to become as big as it did. However the design got represented by media and advertising, turning to controversy. Obviously there is still controversy around this concept as many people ask the question why not just use real life people for these campaigns? However does that come back to the designer or the brands? As an individual designer I think you should always try your best to be political in what you create, thinking about your processes, what you are aiming to represent and why. However when you enter this practice into the professional working industry, your expression can get lost and you start to become a small cog in the bigger machine. Every practice is political but in industry practise most of the time it is not always presented in the way you would intend it to be. IMAGE ONE : Cameron James Wilson & Shudu
IMAGE TWO : Shudu modeling for Fenty Beauty IMAGE THREE : Shudu Wears Hyundai Lifestyle Reference link; Ted Talk by Cameron James Wilson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk_ZSxPH1Z4 Kamila Jaworska GMD Perhaps my most valuable achievement in DPS is the fact that I am starting to grow into my own practice, and all the nuances and quirks that my past work had are now falling into place to create an artistic persona I feel comfortable with. Working a 9-5 job on a predominantly digital interface has made me realise just how much I love making things manually. Although I am not entirely negating the advancements of technology in relation to graphic design, which are often really useful tools, I have always been drawn to things that are made by hand, and oftentimes throughout my education my tutors would tell me to not draw out my process so much and that there are simpler and more quick ways for me to reach my desired outcome. Sometimes I would stand my ground, and sometimes I would follow this advice. There are times when working in a down to earth way is not appropriate. But it is clear to me that the work that I am most satisfied with is work that is tactile, human, has taken time, and comes from a production process that I have had control over. Although this isn’t an overtly political stance, I believe that things that are made locally, by hand, without the outsourcing of labour to other humans or machines, is both environmentally and socially positive. This is not only a philosophy that I try to implement in my practice, but in my life in general. I love making things myself and I think that in a way this is a subtle act of resistance against the culture of fast-everything. In February I have had the great opportunity of creating a window display for Not Just A Shop, based off of a notebook that I have designed for a competition of theirs prior to starting DPS. From the get-go I knew that I wanted to make it by hand, as it would not only be the most interesting way to work, but also the most sustainable and consequently most cost-effective (another advantage of working by hand is the chance to reuse waste material, such as in the case of one of my favourite artists Mark Pawson, who creates beautiful publications out of interesting scraps and offcuts from his living room). It was suggested to me to make use of cut vinyl, as the shop has used it in the past and it is indeed a quick way of making a very slick outcome. However this convenience comes at a high price, and vinyl is made of a polymer that is impossible to recycle or reuse once it has been peeled off from its substrate. It was a hard no from me. I stood my ground and made a mock-arcade game artwork out of old cardboard, second-hand ball-pit balls, old cables and parts of a broken umbrella amongst other materials. I had so much fun sourcing materials and embracing my inner child when making this piece. Not only was the commissioner satisfied with it, but it is also an eye catching piece in the streets of High Holborn, and an incredibly low material cost. To go along with the artwork, NJAS has also started a giveaway 'lucky dip' to go along with the ballpit theme. They have told me that the artwork is already making people's ears perk up, which makes me very happy. However a human aspect to a work doesn't just manifest itself in the materials used. In October I have started a discussion with the Students' Union about a Guarantor Scheme at UAL, and since then I have started a mini campaign about it. I wouldn’t call myself an activist at all. I am too introverted to take to the streets and chant out my case, or stage a provocation. I can however, use my skills to create something that is much more convincing and attention grabbing than my own awkward persona alone. The lack of such scheme is something that has impacted my own life negatively, and because of this it is difficult for me to speak about it without becoming emotional and reserved. Therefore I felt that I was quite unconvincing by just talking about my issue. But I still wanted fellow students at UAL to hear me out, and upvote the idea on the students’ union website to help them in lobbying UAL. So, I have created a sort of identity to advertise the issue, using the urgent colour scheme of yellow and black, incorporating hand drawn illustrations to compliment the copy. These images for shared by many people on instagram, and although the campaign is still ongoing and I haven’t exhausted every medium I could, it has contributed a few more upvotes to the idea, and I have received many messages of support. This was the first time I have realised that I can use my skills to elevate my own voice, and although it sounds really simple and obvious, I realised that I can visually leverage any of my ideas. I think I am only realising this now because for the first time in my life I am campaigning for an issue that has had a very real and drastic negative impact on my life. It’s not an issue that is just happening somewhere, and hasn’t affected me yet, or an impending disaster that needs to be stopped. The harm has already been done and I am already being fuelled by my own real anger. This has really shown me that when designing for a specific social issue, it is vital to include the voices of people genuinely affected, as the outcome will be more genuine. The conclusive answer to the presented question is this; things made by humans with human intention behind it are an act of resistance in a culture that demands instancy in everything.
Wenbin Sun
Graphic Branding and Identity Race does not affect creativity and talent as a designer, but there are still challenges and barriers that designers of different races encounter in the industry. Over the past few decades, the design community has begun to realize the importance of embracing diversity and has attempted to break down racial barriers to allow more people to be included in the design community. I had the opportunity to join three design agencies during my DPS year, and I must say that each one gave me a sense of the benefits (in terms of race) that come from having a diverse team.Before I joined a design company in the UK, I was worried that I might not fit in because I was from China and there was a cultural gap. But later I found out that this was actually superfluous. Every company has colleagues from different countries, and people from different cultures are connected because they love design, which makes me very touched. From interacting with designers of different races, I have come to realize how important ethnic diversity is in a design firm. In some projects, clients make a point of not being too "European". That's when designers from Asia or the Americas are often needed to come up with ideas. This combination of design teams is, in my opinion, very effective. There is a high chance that you will come into contact with clients from all over the world in London, and as a designer coming from another race of your own, the advantages are obvious.Better representation means better communication, which means information is more equitably shared — and knowledge is power(Bobby C. Martin Jr.). When I was working at Saffron Brand Consultants, we had many clients from Spain or Japan, and naturally the clients preferred to communicate with designers from their home countries. I know that the graphic design industry is still facing the problem of "too white".According to the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, in 2013, the UK creative economy had 178,000 jobs in Design (product, graphic and fashion): 93.3 percent of those jobs were filled by those who are white, that means 6.7 percent were filled by all other ethnicities combined (Pathan, J., 2015). But this problem I think will be solved in the future. Most global agencies are already aware of the benefits of racial diversity and most successful agencies are made up of people of different colors. In summary, the racial barriers in the design industry are being broken down. More and more talented designers from different ethnic groups are emerging and being recognized. More companies need to realize from now on that they can no longer just hire white people if they want to take their company to the next level. The future of the design industry needs a more equal environment, more effective communication and more diverse ideas. References: Coles, S. (2020, July 8). The Black Experience in Graphic Design: 1968 and 2020. Letterform Archive. https://letterformarchive.org/news/the-black-experience-in-graphic-design-1968-and-2020/ Pathan, J. (2015, December 16). Is graphic design too white? Watb Creative. https://www.growfox.co.uk/blog/is-graphic-design-too-white Imogen Barnfield
Illustration and Visual Media It is said that there are five purposes for visual art: ceremonial, artistic expression, narrative, functional and persuasive. In my general practice, I tend to create art that fits into the artistic expression and narrative purpose category. I enjoy telling stories and conveying emotions and experiences. There was a time when I might have answered the question, “is your practice political?” differently. Most likely would have said something along the lines of, “My art doesn't have a greater purpose/meaning. It exists for the sake of existing.” or “It’s just what I like to make, I am not trying to make a point.” This is a very privileged expression. While existing for the sake of existing is certainly no crime, it does conveniently relieve the artist of reflecting on their own cultural standpoint and considering their political biases and is almost definitely untrue anyway. So, if that is the case, is it because of who I am that my work/self-expression is inherently political? My own self-expression and experiences as a woman, an LGBT+ person and as a person with a disability are demonstrated in my art work. For some people then, existing for the sake of existing is entirely political. When being yourself is seen as political, is all that comes from you, all you create, a political statement? Yes. Creatives do not live in a vacuum. Something never comes from nothing. What we create is a reflection of our own perspective. Currently I am working at the Natural History Museum, doing illustrations for one of the collections of free tours under the name, Highlighting Histories. These tours focus specifically on scientists that are under-represented in history as well as in modern day science. The tour that I am illustrating for is ‘Women in Science’, and features Miranda Lowe, the Museum's principal curator of crustaceans and one of the two co writers of the paper titled: ‘Nature Read in Black and White: decolonial approaches to interpreting natural history collections.’ As discussed in the paper, one example of the Natural History Museum’s colonial stories of the collections is that of Sir Hans Sloane (1660 - 1753) who collected over 800 plant specimens, in addition to shells, rocks and live animals from his travels to Jamaica, which were stored at the museum in 1881. Sloane worked as a plantation doctor in Jamaica and was complicit in slavery. All of which funded his medical and scientific career. He wrote of the knowledge he gained about local plants from enslaved Africans but did not value their medical traditions and believed they did not have the knowledge to use the plants beneficially. (Das & Lowe, 2018). “The example(s) above demonstrate that the current absence of decolonial interpretation in contemporary natural history museums is problematic. At best, it misrepresents historical fact; at worst, it alienates audiences.” (p. 11). Miranda Lowe, the Museum's principal curator of crustaceans and co-author of the paper, ‘Nature Read in Black and White: decolonial approaches to interpreting natural history collections,’ said about this; “If visitors feel alienated from museums because their own histories and stories are being misrepresented, the solution is simple: we, collectively as museum professionals, need to do better at acknowledging past wrongs for what they are, and telling the whole of the story of science.” Lowe and Das write. Proposing that one of the ways to tackle this is by the museum acknowledging the colonial past of the natural history museum collections and showing the history of the collections alongside the existing information. In conclusion, design and illustration is rarely, if ever, an apolitical practice. The work we produce as artists and designers are reflective of the society we live in and the beliefs we surround ourselves with. It is irresponsible to ignore the politics that influence and set the stage for design and illustration. References: beyond-social.org. (n.d.). Social Design as a Political Act - Beyond Social. [online] Available at: https://beyond-social.org/wiki/index.php/Social_Design_as_a_Political_Act [Accessed 16 Apr. 2023]. Das, S. and Lowe, M. (2018). Journal of Natural Science Collections Title: Nature Read in Black and White: decolonial approaches to interpreting natural history collections. Journal of Natural Science Collections, [online] 6, pp.4–14. Available at: https://natsca.org/sites/default/files/publications/JoNSC-Vol6-DasandLowe2018.pdf. www.nhm.ac.uk. (n.d.). Are natural history museums inherently racist? [online] Available at: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2019/july/are-natural-history-museums-inherently-racist.html. www.bluesci.co.uk. (n.d.). Decolonising Natural History Museums | Bluesci. [online] Available at: https://www.bluesci.co.uk/posts/natural-history-museums [Accessed 16 Apr. 2023]. www.nhm.ac.uk. (n.d.). Diversity and inclusion at the Museum | Natural History Museum. [online] Available at: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/diversity-and-inclusion.html. www.nhm.ac.uk. (n.d.). Miranda Lowe | Natural History Museum. [online] Available at: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/departments-and-staff/staff-directory/miranda-lowe.html [Accessed 20 Apr. 2023]. edit. DANIELA HERNÁNDEZ ROSALES GRAPHIC BRANDING & IDENTITY As designers we tend to focus on being rational, problem solvers or following the latest trends, I have been subject to this behaviour myself. These past months, I have been able to take a step outside of my comfort zone and work on projects with a holistic purpose. Throughout my experience, I came across aspects of our behaviour and attitudes that made me question our actions as designers. During my internship, I worked on the rebranding for Senlima, a clothing brand that advocates for equality, inclusion, and diversity for disabled people. It was the first time I felt my work had the power of change. My boss and I underwent a process of creative brainstorming, trying to give a twist to their slogan. Along the way, I came to understand first-hand the power of language. We are told to be the disruptors, to create change, and this is what my boss intended to do. A philosophy of being bold and aggressive to stand out from the crowd, is this the correct way of being political? Nowadays, words are more powerful than they have ever been. With the use of social media, being offensive is an easy mistake that we can all make. I came to question how we as designers should disrupt. Tibor Kalman's work was a point of reference during my whole internship. He is the perfect example of the disruptor attitude. His blunt work as editor-in-chief at Colors magazine left a mark on the fight for diversity, it was, “viewed with polite amusement or outraged horror”, such as his portrayal of Queen Elizabeth with black skin. This same issue was banned in New Zealand. His provocative work had its repercussions, with many communities feeling offended. However, I believe it’s essential to have work that shouts. It opened the audience's eyes to what it stood for. In the end, as Kalman points out, “Design is just language, and the real issue is what you use that language to do”. Many could consider that Colors language has become mainstream, losing the shock value. The normalisation of this language could lead to harsher outcomes. On the other hand, the current sensitisation of the public makes graphic designers stand on a thin line regarding the language they use. Should we as designers have to find the balance or find new ways to disrupt beyond the shock value? There are passive ways of being disruptors. Applied Design a creative studio known for its awarded type design for the Braille Institute, is a clear example of the power design has on change. With the collaboration of Braille Institute, an organisation for people who suffer from visual impairment. They were able to create a typeface which disrupts the norm. “The result is a typeface that “breaks the traditional typographic approach of uniformity”, and instead “focuses on letterform distinction” to make the characters more legible.” This was an element I felt was missing during the creation of the slogan for Senlima. It is essential to have an outsider perspective from someone who is the intended audience, for the language to be powerful, non-offensive and effective. Being passive doesn’t mean that it has less value on the effect it has on the world. There are many ways of being political. We must be the disruptors to create change. The sensitisation of society compromises the powerfulness of the disruptors. We could approach political design as George Lois states for advertising, “I think advertising should be like poison gas. It should grip you by the throat, it should bowl you over, it should knock you on your ass.” Or to work passively as Applied Design. We set our moral limits when it comes to being disruptors. It is in our own hands how we use language; we can take good things from both being fearless and fighting for what we wish to advocate but inform ourselves of what we want to say. As designers, our behaviour as disruptors is a pillar for progress in the continuously changing society, and we should stand by that.
Bibliography Pater, R. (2016) The Politics of Design: A (Not So) Global Manual for Visual Communication. London: Laurence King Publishing. United Colors Benetton. (ed.) (1993) 'Race', Colors, Issue 4, Spring/Summer https://www.eyemagazine.com/feature/article/reputations-tibor-kalman https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/may/27/mondaymediasection4 https://shop-colorsmagazine.com/pages/about-us https://www.itsnicethat.com/news/applied-design-braille-institute-atkinson-hyperlegible-graphic-design-050821 https://designobserver.com/feature/the-passion-of-george-lois/6767 To state that all Creators are, in some form, political should be pretty uncontroversial. As Designers, we use visuals to communicate messages. Similar to a poet or director, these messages are influenced by our background, which unconsciously shapes our ideas and morals. Should a designer be impartial and objective or should a designer be critical and opinionated?
Colour choice, size or even typography is correlated to certain political messages (eg: “make America great again”). In this essay, I want to tackle Diversity in Illustrations and how to incorporate that daily. Inclusive Design describes methodologies to create products that understand and enable people of all backgrounds and abilities. Inclusive Design should include differences in age, culture, economic situation, sexuality, education, gender, geographic location, language, and race. As creatives, we have a lot more influence and power than we think when it comes to showcasing diversity. Not by relying on stereotypes but by designing with a sensible approach while taking time to research and get to know other cultures. Doing more than just scratching the surface of various ethnicities is the key to fairly representing different groups of people. All around every other subject, the world is not fair, people don’t have equal voices. However, as messengers, it is in our hands to fight this. One has to be careful not to use stereotypes. There’s so much behind someone beyond their physical aspect such as emotional and cultural baggage, it is up to us to find ways to represent that. Addressing diversity requires attention and respect. Even if a project doesn’t revolve around race, politics or equality, we are responsible for doing a fair representation of the world and its people. The diversity issue in other subjects like cinema or fashion is starting to be solved by hiring more POC and disabled people. In the design world, we need to act like our own directors by choosing our characters accordingly. During my journey in DPS and day-to-day, I always try to be conscious of inclusivity and diversity. Most of the time when I’m drawing, I tend to picture people similar to me, with the same features, gender and expression in general. However, I have a responsibility to step out of my cultural bubble through representing an accurate depiction of reality. While doing a project for the Makeup store/ brand Kitchen Makeup I was asked to develop a face chart book. Face charts are used by MUAS all across the world so they can practice their designs on paper beforehand. While I was researching some examples I quickly noticed a gap in the market. All the images coming up depicted white female features. In a current world where the fashion world has never been more diverse, I could not find a logical reason for this. I contacted my manager asking her thoughts on an inclusive book of face charts with different faces and features and she loved it. I developed five illustrations with features from different races, genders and body types. Another example is the research for my SIPS project. I am creating a book called “Love Encyclopaedia” that depicts real and mythical love stories throughout history. I wanted these stories to represent diversity from different races and sexualities but found it rather hard to find research on that. I only found these results when searching for specific countries’ histories or when typing the word LGBT. The fact that these don’t come up on a more basic search should be worrying. In the end, we should understand why we need to take action. It’s not about being trendy or woke so other people can see and applaud us but how we should be about fighting systemic oppression. No one is born perfect, we all have our own biases, and most times it takes a while to get it right. Illustrators hold the responsibility to be aware of the lack of diversity within mainstream media and, as a creator, you are either part of the solution or part of the problem (Eldridge Cleaver). Zixuan Wu 20011150 BA Graphic & Media Design As a current design student, my work is political in some ways. I believe that design can convey social and political messages and values in addition to aesthetics and function. Design can influence viewers' perceptions and attitudes, and it can even cause societal changes. As a result, I believe we must be aware that our design is political in some ways and consider whether we want to convey a political message or position through our design. To begin, I believe that design is more than just a means of creating aesthetics; it is also a means of presenting an ideology. The designer's job is to provide targeted solutions that take into account not only the form of the product or space, but also people's psychological, cultural, and social factors. A designer's design can be a presentation of an opposing viewpoint or an expression of belief advocacy. In any case, the design appears to have political ramifications. In addition, I was fortunate enough to read a book called The Politics of Design(Ruben Pater) during my research, which was a collaborative project between journalism and graphic design. This book discusses the cultural and political contexts of typography, colour, photography, symbols, and the information graphics we use on a daily basis. By presenting visual examples from around the world, the book examines different cultural contexts and speaks to stereotypes in different cultures. I believe it contributes to readers' understanding of global cultural diversity and encourages them to learn more about various cultural contexts. Simultaneously, in today's society, many designers have begun to express their political views through their work. Many designers, for example, have prioritised environmental issues in their work, advocating for environmental protection through various forms of design. One of the most surprising designs to me was the Sky Planter, which differs from a normal growing plant in that it hangs upside down in the air, which Patrick Morris thought would not only be aesthetically pleasing and save space on the ground, but would also allow the original reservoir system inside the planter to keep the water firmly under control, thus solving the problem of drainage and breeding mosquitoes and avoiding water damage. Because it prevents water from evaporating into the air, it is more water efficient than a traditional planter. As a customer, I am drawn in by the unique way it is used and then curious to learn more about the principle and design concept. I learn about water conservation while doing this, and I pay attention to the details subconsciously. Sky Planter https://www.xjishu.com/new/51296.html As a result, as a designer, I believe that my work, whether political or not, will have an impact on people's lives. Design is inherently political, and as a designer, I will incorporate politics into my work. At the same time, I must be constantly aware of whether my designs are being politicised in order to avoid jeopardising the art and beauty of the designs themselves. A good designer must be fair and rational at heart. Only in this way can I maintain my design heart and use my designs to improve people's lives, culture, and society.
Reference: · Ruben Pater The Politics of Design http://thepoliticsofdesign.com/about-the-book · Patrick Morris (2009)Sky Planter https://www.designboom.com/design/patrick-morris-sky-planter/ Maria Lorena Ortega | Graphic Branding and Identity As a founder and editor of a blog that covers fashion, travel, lifestyle, arts, and culture, I strongly consider that my creative practice is political. These past months, I had the opportunity to work in a public relations company within the fashion industry. The public relations industry plays a crucial role in representing brands and shaping their relationship with the public, resulting one of the industries where political responsibility is extremely important. Consequently, working in this company has provided me valuable lessons on how to be a good communicator and its importance which has enriched my creative practice in content creation for my blog and public relations. The fashion industry holds a close relationship with the press as it relies a lot on advertising and media coverage to promote the new collections, products, and trends from the different brands. Therefore, throughout my experience in the company I had the opportunity to work closely with the press and develop a deeper understanding on how the media industry works and the immense role it holds nowadays in our society. ![]() The media has immense power to shape public perceptions, often through the use of framing, language, and imagery- Which they can either support or challenge. As founder and content creator of the blog, I am aware of my responsibility as a communicator. Every word or image that is posted has the potential to influence the way people think and behave, therefore I make sure that all content posted, not only by me but by other editors, is appropriate, inspiring and adds value. Being constantly commenting and giving an opinion over topics related to fashion, travel, lifestyle, arts, and culture, can be a challenge due to controversy, bias interpretations, and perceptions from the public, that is why it is vital to stay conscious. As Ruben Pater states, “As designers you could be tempted to create materials for somebody like yourself in mind, because you consider this to be ‘natural’. However, it is only natural to you, not to everyone else.” (Pater, 2015,p.7). Is exactly how publishing a blog is about; avoid the temptation of creating content only with ourselves in mind, as what is appropriate or relevant to us may not be to others In conclusion, my experience in the public relations industry has taught me the importance of being a responsible communicator and the power of words and images in shaping public discourse. In addition, I want to share something that one of my colleagues told me at my internship: “The skills and lessons that you learn in the PR agency are lifelong learnings that can be applied to any career, as the ability to communicate effectively and shape public perception, is critical for success.” Following that advise, I have applied all the knowledge acquired into my new project, the blog. Making sure I am always, aware, conscious, transparent, and willing to grow as a content provider always up to date and informed on what is happening around. But most importantly to stay aligned to my values, create content that adds value, inspire, and promote positive change in society, because on that instance I can make a meaningful impact. Reference
Pater, R. (2015). The Politics of Design: A (Not So) Global Manual for Visual Communication. BIS Publishers. Madeleine Balado Illustration and Visual Media Although I wouldn’t consider most of my own work directly political, I would say that political awareness enters my design process. Throughout my time at university, during DPS, through lectures, seminars and working in the industry it has taught me to consider, evaluate and criticise my work more effectively. I would consider that my work often focuses around sustainability and a consideration of the environmental impact in a physical sense, as opposed to actively designing for an environmental cause. The environmental impact of actions and activities is something which I try to stay aware of in my day-to-day life and so it is natural that I would subconsciously relay this in my work. During DPS I collaborated on a professional project which was environmentally focused, specifically to grow more trees on our planet; I was not part of the logistics or conception of the project but was supplying posters and graphics for the promotion of the project and events surrounding it. One of the first considerations I had was that it would be quite ironic and counterintuitive to print off loads of posters to promote an event all about planting more trees… so that was ruled out. I also thought about creating stickers to be handed out as it was a family friendly event and could be a good way to promote the event. However how environmentally friendly would that be, taking into consideration the printing process, shipping and then realistically the inevitable disposal of them after a day or two of handing them out (in addition to them falling off and ending up as litter). So, the ‘posters’ and promotional material stayed in digital form to be put on social media, but is this any better? It’s very easy to be seen as being considerate and conscientious by not printing out lots of paper because that seems fairly obvious. Could I be considered ‘green washing’ because I know (but never really acknowledged or researched properly) that emails, cloud storage, social media etc anything that uses any sort of energy will and does contribute negatively to the environment. I had to question if this use of energy was counteracted and therefore acceptable in this instance because the result of the project would potentially lead to better awareness of the need for planting more trees and in effect would have a larger positive outcome on the environment. Does the end justify the means…? And how avoidable is it in 2023? From ‘Global Citizen Life’- Defend The Planet article How Does Your Social Media Use Impact the Planet? “...145 minutes on TikTok every day for a year causes nearly 140kg of carbon emissions, which would be like driving a standard car for more than 350 miles. When you multiply that by billions of people around the world, the impact becomes clear.” https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/energy/features/social-carbon-footprint-calculator/ this is a link to a website where you can calculate your carbon emissions based on your social media use (I don’t know how accurate this can be, but it will give an approximate idea). I then investigated how many carbon emissions are released when manufacturing a single piece of paper in order to compare the emission figures but, unfortunately, couldn’t work out a concise figure to compare as also noted in this article I read Paper versus Digital Media – Environmental Impact by Linda Poppenheimer “Making an apples-to-apples comparison of the environmental impact of paper versus digital media is difficult, if not impossible.”. An additional factor to consider would be the cloud storage of all the files that I created during this project. In the article ‘The Cloud Is Material: On the Environmental Impacts of Computation and Data Storage’ by Steven Gonzalez Monserrate it states “In this way, the Cloud is not only material, but is also an ecological force….As it continues to expand, its environmental impact increases, even as the engineers, technicians, and executives behind its infrastructures strive to balance profitability with sustainability.” “the Cloud now has a greater carbon footprint than the airline industry undefined. A single data center can consume the equivalent electricity of fifty thousand homes.” Figure 1- Inside Google’s data centre So how far do I take it when considering environmental effects in a project, especially one that has a focus on improving our ecosystem? It is definitely important to learn and consider the many different environmental factors impacting in any project, as I often try to, but finding a balance between sustainability/environmental aspects and what the overall benefit will be as a result is also something to consider.
References Monserrate, S.G. (2022) The cloud is material: On the environmental impacts of computation and data storage, MIT Case Studies in Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing. MIT Schwarzman College of Computing. Available at: https://mit-serc.pubpub.org/pub/the-cloud-is-material/release/1 (Accessed: April 21, 2023). Social Carbon Footprint Calculator (no date) Social Carbon Footprint Calculator | Compare the Market. Available at: https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/energy/features/social-carbon-footprint-calculator/ (Accessed: April 21, 2023). How does your social media use impact the planet? use this calculator to find out. (no date) Global Citizen. Available at: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/social-media-emissions-carbon-footprint/#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20new%20analysis,emissions%20heat%20up%20the%20atmosphere. (Accessed: April 21, 2023). Poppenheimer, A.L. (2020) Paper versus Digital Media – Environmental Impact: Green Groundswell, Green Groundswell | Home of the Unlikely Environmentalist. Available at: https://greengroundswell.com/paper-versus-digital-media-environmental-impact/2017/04/10/ (Accessed: April 21, 2023). Fyona Seguin Design for Art Direction Working towards a sustainable future requires collective effort from all sectors of society to ensure long-term change. Affecting change in sustainability requires both bottom-up and top-down approaches. Bottom-up approaches consist of individuals such as activists, entrepreneurs and designers influencing policy through action on the ground level. As Viktor Papanek stated, ‘Design is only as good as the social and political systems within which it operates’. Throughout the development of my SIP, I have gained new perspectives on ethical decision-making and behaviour change within sustainable design. In this blog post I will touch on the controversies concerning sustainable design and ‘green branding’ from a bottom-up approach. The impact is only as good as the messaging “Almost all consumers associate plastic packaging with environmental pollution” (ScienceDirect). Yet we still see and buy it everywhere. Although most consumers are aware of the environmental impacts of single-use plastics, unless change is implemented through policy, we continue to turn a blind eye to these habits. B Corp is an example of an organisation striving to ensure sustainability within companies. In a chat with board member, Elizabeth Soubelet, we questioned designing with waste streams like single-use plastics and the impact on social behaviour. Could this practice be seen as a band-aid to the real issue, encouraging the consuming of single-use materials by implying that there are simple solutions? Brands working with upcycled materials profit from these waste streams, however, there are ways in which some also simultaneously advocate for green behaviours through brand messaging. At a panel discussion with BEEN London, founder Genia Mineeva openly tells her customers ‘We don’t want to exist in 100 years’ in hopes of waste being non-existent. Similarly, Patagonia’s Don’t Buy This Jacket campaign stated ‘It would be hypocritical for us to work for environmental change without encouraging customers to think before they buy’. With the challenge of tackling waste streams in a bottom-up approach while influencing behaviour change without avoiding the root of the issue, my SIP’s community plastics collection point would use similar messaging: ‘we don’t want your plastics, but, if you happen to have it ... drop it off here’. Are we looking at plastics wrong? In an eye-opening conversation with Elizabeth, I found myself following common belief: ‘we must turn off the plastic tap’. Elizabeth is also the founder of Squiz, a refillable packaging company, and strongly believes refill is the future. ‘Plastics is not the problem, it’s the way we use it’ – if everyone had refillable products, hence out with single-use plastics. Such systems need to be made accessible and inclusive in order to create demand. On the contrary, designers are moving away from plastics towards more regenerative materials like bio-based and biodegradable plastics. However, there is controversy around the ambiguity of such materials, making them seem more environmentally friendly than they are. For example, products branded as ‘biodegradable’ can be designed with a mix of bio-based and non-bio materials and end up contaminating other plastics recycling streams with microplastics, and can still take around three years to biodegrade. The production of these materials has increased drastically in the past few years with 2.61 million tons of bio-based plastics produced in 2018 (ifBB). Although Bioplastics do produce significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions than traditional plastics over their lifetime, these materials have unclear instructions and definitions in the public space resulting in unproper disposal, often ending up in landfills where, deprived of oxygen, they may release methane, a greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide (Columbia University). Making these materials and systems accessible is another issue, since they are currently too costly mainly due to small-scale and local production. Chris Baker, country manager of Algramo, is currently piloting refill stations in Lidl’s across the UK, in hopes of making refill more accessible and inclusive through scaling. Rethinking waste management with both a top-down and bottom-up approach is crucial so sustainable change. Designers play a crucial role in influencing policy and behaviour change through bottom-up approaches. The controversies around sustainable design, particularly regarding plastics, highlight the need for accessible, clearer and better communication of value differences, motivating consumers to make more sustainable decisions while increasing demand for such materials and systems. Citations 13, Renee Cho |December, et al. “The Truth about Bioplastics.” State of the Planet, 18 Oct. 2022. Bramston, David, and Neil Maycroft. “Designing with Waste.” Materials Experience, 2014, pp. 123–133., https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-08-099359-1.00009-6. “Design for the Sustainable World.” WDO Design for the Sustainable World Comments, 8 Dec. 2020, https://wdo.org/design-for-the-sustainable-world/. Patagonia We’re in business to save our home planet. “Don't Buy This Jacket, Black Friday and the New York Times.” Patagonia, 18 Nov. 2021, https://eu.patagonia.com/gb/en/stories/dont-buy-this-jacket-black-friday-and-the-new-york-times/story-18615.html. “Production Capacities, Processing Routes, Feedstock, Land and Water Use.” Biopolymers - Facts and Statistics 2019, 1 Jan. 1970, https://serwiss.bib.hs-hannover.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/1576. Sandrine Ceurstemont 14 May 2020, and Sandrine Ceurstemont. “Bio-Based? Recyclable? Biodegradable? Your Guide to Sustainable Plastics.” Journey to Zero, 16 Mar. 2023, https://journeytozerostories.neste.com/plastics/bio-based-recyclable-biodegradable-your-guide-sustainable-plastics. Wahl, Daniel Christian. “Visionaries of Regenerative Design V: Victor Papanek (1927–1998).” Medium, Medium, 28 Oct. 2017, https://designforsustainability.medium.com/visionaries-of-regenerative-design-v-victor-papanek-1927-1998-57019605997. Lina Caicedo - Graphic Branding and Identity Art is a form of expression that has been used throughout history to communicate one's inner thoughts, ideas, and feelings. It provides a way to release emotions and can serve as a coping mechanism in most ocassions. For instance, a ballerina can use her body to interpret a musical piece and convey a story, while a designer employs visual elements to communicate a message. Both forms of art have the potential to connect with the audience and elicit emotions. However, it is up to us as viewers to decide how we want to interpret that story or message. Symbolism and how brands are influenced by social movements A symbol is described as a ‘visually perceptible figure with a particular meaning used to transmit information independently of language’. Although symbolism started around 30,000 years ago in the Palaeolithic ice age of Europe, it wasn’t until 1920 when the Viennese philosopher Otto Neurath created a picture language called International System Of Typographic Picture Education (Isotype) whose aim was to use graphic symbols to communicate to a wider audience. During my DPS experience, I have encountered situations where brands choose to incorporate more diverse and inclusive visuals and graphic elements in their branding. This approach makes a statement about their commitment to equality and inclusivity, fostering trust and loyalty among consumers. During my DPS experience, I have encountered situations where brands choose to incorporate more diverse and inclusive visuals and graphic elements in their branding. This approach makes a statement about their commitment to equality and inclusivity, fostering trust and loyalty among consumers. Rainbow symbol The rainbow symbol for instance, wasn’t always viewed as the pride symbol. It has adopted different meanings and concepts throughout time. In religion it was viewed as a promise of better times to come (Christianity), a symbol of divine patience (in Judaism) and it also forms part of one of the four elements (Islam). Today it is the most prominent symbol for Pride and equal rights advocacy for all people identifying as LGBTQ+. As a result of this social movement brands started to show support in different ways:
While many popular brands are making efforts to end discrimination and promote inclusivity towards the LGBTQ+ community, some argue that showing support requires more than just a social media post or limited edition products. According to Rich Ferraro, the chief communications officer at GLAAD, "If a brand doesn’t have a 365-day-a-year plan for LGBTQ inclusion, they really need to prioritise that over prioritising a one-off Pride campaign." Ferraro believes that brands should use their political influence to educate people about anti-LGBTQ legislation and promote pro-LGBTQ legislation to make a real change. Whether brands are being genuine or not about their initiatives to a more inclusive and open-minded world it is up to us, the consumers, to believe. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a rainbow symbol emerged as a sign of hope and solidarity for the UK's National Health Service (NHS). It served as a reminder of the resilience and strength of the human spirit and a great way to express gratitude and appreciation for all key workers at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19. In conclusion, the rainbow has become a significant symbol in religion, the LGBTQ+ community, and among key workers, particularly NHS workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adapting the meaning of symbols is our responsibility, and art and design are powerful tools for expressing ideas and thoughts. Whether the design outcome is seen as a political response or not is up to the audience to decide. Ultimately, art is a way of expressing oneself and generating change. Sources:
Book: The Politics of Design by Ruben Pater https://different-level.com/how-art-and-politics-influence-and-shape-each-other/ https://uxplanet.org/what-does-design-have-to-do-with-politics-52ffcb992f4e https://www.paulrand.design/writing/articles/1985-the-politics-of-design.html https://medium.com/graphic-language/expressive-ideas-530e507d5866 https://newsroom.kelloggcompany.com/2021-05-20-Kellogg-Companys-Latest-Collaboration-with-GLAAD-Unwraps-Why-Boxes-Are-for-Cereal,-Not-For-People https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/20/the-right-way-for-brands-to-approach-pride-month-and-all-year-round.html https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/projects/pandemic-objects-rainbows Chloé Jones Graphic and Media Design “Actionable ethical guidance is crucial if we are to translate our most optimistic ideals into the sort of behaviour that can satisfy our moral selves without compromising our ability to buy lunch” – Kelly Small (2020) I have always considered myself a political person who speaks up for what they believe in, acts in ways that aligns with their values, and uses morality to drive their choices. Yet when posed with the question, ‘Is your practice political?’ I couldn’t help but feel disappointed I couldn’t immediately answer yes. My goal for DPS was to gain professional experience to enhance my skills and confidence as a designer. My internship criteria was, is the position paid, do I like the work they produce, and do I feel that I could benefit from working alongside them? As an unemployed student living in London when I got offered a paid position, at a studio creating beautifully crafted work I didn’t hesitate in accepting it. Truthfully, I didn’t consider their political involvement as I wasn’t in a position to turn down employment. Luckily on this occasion my experience was invaluable, I worked alongside a group of friendly, likeminded, and empathetic people who enhanced my skills and understanding of professional design. Did the studio design politically driven work? No, it was a commercial design job, but did the job broaden my understanding of design, enhance my skills, and enable me to pay my bills? Yes. I began to question whether it is possible in an industry that centralises around capitalism and a world where the cost of living is forever rising, to make a living whilst staying 100% true to your beliefs? (Fig 1) After all I worked within a small studio full of compassionate designers, but I still couldn’t help feel a disconnect between my personal values and professional practice. This led me to read Kelly Small’s ‘The Conscious Creative: Practical Ethics for Purposeful Work’. The book was eye opening. It provided an actionable guide to implementing ethics within my practice whilst still acknowledging my need to earn money. Not only did it highlight small daily changes I could make to better align my professional and personal values, but it also made me realise that my practice was already political, in keeping with Jonathan Barnbrook’s view that ‘Design is at the heart of capitalism’ (2020) Small also acknowledges the role designers play within the system and the positive and negative side effects of that. Small releases the reader of the pressure to ‘solve everything’. They acknowledge the complexity of the systemic problems and instead encourages personal changes we can make to ‘action towards deeply collaboratively incremental change’. (Small, 2020, p.51) Small argues that to be a conscious creative one must be an active community member; they quote Lucienne Roberts’ book ‘Good: An introduction to Ethics in Graphic Design’ writing; ‘The first step towards trying to be ethical is being socially aware’. (Roberts, 2006, p65) This encouraged me to reflect upon myself and made me realise that by engaging with political and social issues within my personal life; reading up on ethical practice and not being afraid to be ‘that person’ who calls out problematic behaviours, I was subconsciously bringing my professional practice into a political space already.
Furthermore, during the ‘Economic Actions’ chapter Small encourages designers to advocate for living wage. They specifically acknowledge the outdated practice of unpaid internships; something I also feel strongly about. I believe that unpaid internships are exploitative, they diminish the value of young designers and that companies have a responsibility to compensate people fairly for their work, regardless of their seniority. This is something I have prioritised within my job search and actively pursued within my own practice. I have turned down positions at studios (particularly big studios who could and should be paying their workers) and instead worked at studios who value their employees and don’t agree with this exploitative and elitist behaviour. Small’s book enabled me to notice the small ways in which I was already aligning my work to my beliefs, but it also encouraged me to think about how I would like to further bring my ethical beliefs into my practical work. Another one of Small’s suggestions was to ‘Seek out companies with shared values’. I was keen to gain a variety of experiences during my year in industry to ensure a broad outlook on the industry, but so far had only worked at one place. I used Small’s teaching as a catalyst to identify what I wanted from my next position and researched more into companies values and beliefs. I am now about to start a new internship at a B-corp Studio, who have a strong political stance and I am excited to see how having my personal and professional values aligned impacts my practice. Overall, I believe that we must be compassionate and mindful of the role privilege plays within ethical practice. We live in a capitalistic world where people need money to survive. This means that we can’t always prioritise ethics over income, but we should be conscious of the practical, ethical steps we can take to best align to our values. Small states that ‘The ability to make socially and environmentally conscious decisions can be steeped in a privilege not universally shared’ (Small, 2020, p.36) I think this acknowledges the importance of balance and how as designers we must be aware of the impact our choices have, but also be understanding to our individual situations and our need to make a living. References: Bourton, L. 'Graphic design is political: Jonathan Barnbrook on how we can build a better industry', It's Nice That, 10/10/20 Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/jonathan-barnbrook-in-conversation-graphic-design-100920 (Accessed: 20/04/23). Small, k. (2020) The Conscious Creative: Practical Ethics for Purposeful Work. Edition. Toronto: Ambrosia. Eliska Varilova - Illustration & Visual Media There are many examples of design being political. The ‘I Want YOU’ poster by James Montgomery is an example of how design was used by politicians to recruit people for the army. The Guerrilla Girls is a female group that makes very political feminist work. Is personal experience important in creating political design? What if the guerrilla girls’ works were made by men? Would they still have the same impact? UAL has established certain principles in its courses to ‘urge students to consider the social, racial, and environmental implications’ of their work. These ‘principles’ are there to make us, students be more aware of our impact as designers. The majority of the units on my course have been based on very political topics, in an attempt to make us more conscious of how our work can impact the people viewing it. Having these political projects made me question if it is still valuable for people to make very political work if they don’t feel connected to it. Many people on the IVM course found certain units difficult to do, when the subject wasn’t particularly interesting or important to them. I personally struggled with one of my units in my first year, despite it being something I was interested in. The unit was called ‘New Consciousness,’ and it was about making us conscious about social, ethical, and environmental issues. I did a project about racism, when ‘black lives matter’ was a huge political topic on social media. What I struggled with on this project was that I, a white person was making work on how it feels to be discriminated against. I found that designs coming from someone with first-hand experience of racism would be more impactful that anything I could ever make. This is mostly because no matter how much research I did, I still never experienced racism first-hand, and I just wouldn’t be able to convey the emotions people feel when they have been discriminated against. Looking back on the design I made, I think it completely missed the mark on what is important. This made me realize that designs have the biggest impact when they are coming from personal experience. On the other hand, making designs on topics that are outside my comfort zone, does help with getting new perspectives on my work. People with different experiences will view my work. By doing political work on things, I may not have considered, I have a better understanding of how my work may impact them. Although I see my project as unsuccessful, I did gain a lot of knowledge about both racism and how important context is to design. The most impactful work comes from people with personal experiences. It is still possible to make designs on topics, that don’t affect you first-hand, however the approach to making the design may have to change, when you’re telling a story that isn’t your own. If the works made by the guerrilla girls were made by men instead of women, their meaning would change. If a group of men were to make feminist work, their approach would have to be completely different to women making feminist works. It is important to let people affected by certain issues be heard. As a designer interested in topics that you haven’t experienced yourself, it is crucial to amplify the voices of those who do have personal experiences with those topics. In conclusion making political designs is valuable but making political designs from experiences or what you are passionate about is even more valuable. In designs where other people’s stories are being told it is essential for their voices to be heard. Through my experiences I have learnt the importance of communicating based on the subject matter. I have also gained an understanding of why certain topics are important to me, and how my voice as a designer can be valuable to telling those stories, as well as supporting people telling their own stories. References:
Aysha Janjua IVM I think to answer this question, I first need to dissect what it means to be a political designer. Is it that you create work with political means or are you a person with political thoughts that inspire your work? If it is the latter, then yes, I am a political designer and my work, as a British Pakistani illustrator, is inherently political. Art takes on the emotions of the creator whether it is deliberate or not. Art and design are naturally capable in capturing emotions therefore it makes sense that the design I make feels political even if it is to an audience of one. I paint with my emotions and use it as an outlet for whatever is bottled up from my day-to-day life. Furthermore, I believe that as a person from different cultures, I have a duty to represent the best parts of each. In some ways, this could be seen as propaganda as I paint my cultures in a better light than what they are usually seen in. BLM Posters from 2020 In my personal experience, I have spent most of my DPS year working on a project that is centred around my South Asian heritage and its history. I have found that through the colours I use and the joyful nature of the subject, I am able to create the best version of South Asian culture to represent. In my art, it is homely, loving and all that fills the air is laughter and joy. Meanwhile, from my own experiences this is not the reality; especially when you, like myself, are living on the fence of two different worlds (Asia and Britain). An internal fight becomes visual in the art that I create. However, creating design for a wide audience to digest harsh ideologies is the entire purpose of typical design. If the art is unpalatable, then it is seen as anti-design (small segue to our last blog post). In history, the use of design is plastered during every large political event. We recognise World War II through the “we can do it!” and “I want you for U.S. army” posters. Obamas infamous presidential candidacy can be summed up with a poster which features the patriotic red, white, and blue colour palette. Design has always been a major tool for political ideas. Propaganda has a “powerful history of intentionally manipulating visual art to express political sentiments” (Plocki, 2010). Furthermore, in the climate that we face the world in, I believe that it is a difficult challenge as a designer to roam the world without being conscious of our carbon footprint and how to be more eco conscious when we create work. Most of my recent work has been digital, and this was a deliberate choice in order to waste less paper, I only use paper when I think it is necessary. It is a choice to consume less and output less consumption. Moreover, designer can change the narrative in eco situations if the work we create was in favour of saving the Earth. It has been documented in the past that “the belief that designers follow, rather than lead, consumer demand” is just a myth. If we do not market materials that are not beneficial to the world, then there would be less of a demand for the product. Thus, proving that design, no matter the formatting can always be political.
Furthermore, in the climate that we face the world in, I believe that it is a difficult challenge as a designer to roam the world without being conscious of our carbon footprint and how to be more eco conscious when we create work. Most of my recent work has been digital, and this was a choice that I decided to waste less paper and only using paper when I thought it was necessary. Moreover, designer can change the narrative in eco situations if the work we create was in favour of saving the Earth. It has been documented in the past that “the belief that designers follow, rather than lead, consumer demand” (Birkeland, 2012) is just a myth. If we do not market materials that are not beneficial to the world, then there would be less of a demand for the product. Thus, proving that design, no matter the formatting can always be political. As a designer/creative artist, is your practice political? Discuss with reference to a critical incident you have encountered.
Maria Renner Illustration & Visual Media Generally, I don’t think that my practice as an artist is political. I do not create work with the intention to cause social change. There have been briefs at university that have encouraged this, and I complied. For instance, last year in second year, I had a project that asked me to select an environmental problem to create a video/animation about. The purpose of my video was to encourage viewers to rethink their choice in cosmetics, particularly with cosmetics that used palm oil. Whilst I enjoyed the process of making the video, i.e., with scripting, directing, filming and editing, I found making work with the intention of encouraging others to rethink their environmental position inauthentic. I appreciated the brief giving me a focus and purpose of having intention/point to my work as opposed to just making decorative artwork, or art for art’s sake. However, currently, promoting social action and change is not something I inherently want or feel the desire to do. This year, I’ve realised that I prefer to make work with more educational undertones. For example, earlier this academic year, I worked on preparing a children’s book and presentation to Walker Books on diet and nutrition. Conducting research by reading books and online sources was thoroughly enjoyable. Translating this research into visuals was difficult, but I did notice that this became easier once having a message/text to base my imagery around. More recent examples of my creative practice revolving around education include my SIP (self-initiated project) about the anatomy of a bar and mini-guide to spirits, as well as my collaborative project with fellow-DPS student on educating aspiring tattoo artists on the industry, in the form of a short-film/documentary. Therefore, I think my creative practice revolves more around topics that I naturally feel drawn to and subsequently want to share with others, as opposed to overt political messaging. I recognise from reading ‘The Politics of Design’, that a design’s medium can be used as a vessel for a political message. The book has demonstrated this through its use of chapters and categorisation, with its headings: Language & Typography; Colour & Contrast; Image & Photography; Symbols & Icons, and Information Graphics. The book was an interesting read, and an example that stood out to me was a poster about teaching Dutch to non-natives, despite the poster itself being in Dutch. The piece emphasised how audience should come at the forefront, and as such, the language, as well as imagery on the poster should have been more accessible and understandable for its intended audience. Reflecting on what I’ve read in the book, I can takeaway that with whatever work I make, audience should always be considered, by and large, with how I seem to enjoy making work educational in nature. Ensuring that my work is not too complicated and overworked would be done so by taking under consideration the number of typefaces, images, colours and icons used. Furthermore, carrying out market research from early iterations of my work would test whether my visuals work for the intended audience. It would ascertain whether my work indeed was being perceived how I envisioned and if not, what was going wrong. I understand that doing so would only elevate my practice, and would help me weed out any potential oversights, particularly when making work to inform. My name is Sarah Almoosa and I study Graphic and Media Design. As a designer myself I often think about my work and how it may affect others. I tend to consider people’s feelings instead of being ignorant while also acknowledging our privilege as designers to communicate certain messages. As designers we have the role to learn the subjectivity of our profession and how it may cater to some groups and disregard others. Designers are ethically responsible to communicate a message through collaborations with fellow designers that may be more educated in the idea. I personally have gone through trial and error to educate myself on what is acceptable and what is unacceptable through mistakes which has helped me expand the space for growth emphasizing the quote “Design is never neutral”(Fry, 2009). Graphic design has been used to emphasis racism in this world while also communicating and raising awareness on the harmfulness of this issue. During my DPS year, I have undergone a project which communicates a brief by D&AD to use Google Fonts to express a problem that affects you while determining change. My project uses tools of graphic design such typography and illustration to highlight the growing problem about the Arabic language disappearing from the UAE. Our beautiful language is being replaced by the English language in our beloved country for the foreigners convenience. The locals have become the minority struggling to go about their daily life without a form of translator. English is becoming the dominant language among locals which makes it difficult to communicate with the older generation leading it to distant relationships between families. I created two posters that express “ Do Not Erase our Language” in the Arabic language. It demonstrates an illustration of certain objects you find in the supermarket and converting it back into its original Arabic font. The use of the Arabic language instead of the English language is to emphasize the problem and to not give into and participate in the issue. A reflective source from the Homeland series displays graffiti expressing the racism encountered by sneaking it onto the set. The artists were asked to work on the set design for a Syrian refugee camp creating a horror fantasy with Arabic letters revealing their depiction of the Muslim world and they did so by adding humorous quotes onto the walls of the set. The quotes read “Homeland is a joke” making clear of the state of stereotypical racism that occurred on the set. This example shows how important it is to be a designer that is ethically responsible and educated to avoid disregarding certain groups. "Homeland is Racist" by Heba Amin. However, a reflective source that emphasis the racism within the marketing world is the existence of the Golliwog character which made it’s first appearance in the 1910’s deriving from Black Face Minstrel Shows in the US. The shows consisted of white people drawing on exaggerated black features while degrading them. The character was later used for advertisements and packaging by Robertson’s jam which then became the mascot of the brand appearing on many items. They received a lot of criticism behind the character however they used it to their advantage since it increased their advertisement and sales while refusing to disassociate it with the brand until 2001. The name “Gollywog” links to the racial slur “wog” which dehumanizes black people and treats them in an inhumane way. Black members of a certain anti racist group have come forward and shared their traumatic childhood experiences being called “jam jar kids” which emphasizes the racist nature of the character design and branding while labelling it as ignorant. In conclusion, design is being used in many different ways whether it is in a negative of positive way. However with the help of social media, designers like myself are being educated more everyday to raise our awareness to certain topics and to hold ourselves responsible to respond and expand the message. As designers we have to hold each other accountable to avoid the mistakes past designers have made. It is important for us to learn about how graphic design has contributed in emphasizing racism in order to learn from it and better ourselves for the future. source: unkown
Bibliography: Campaign (2015) History of advertising: No 131: Robertson's controversial brand mascot. Available at: https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/history-advertising-no-131-robertsons-controversial-brand-mascot/1345786 (Accessed: 10 April 2023) Politics of Design (2018) The Politics of Design. Available at: http://thepoliticsofdesign.com/ (Accessed: 8 April 2023) Anti-Racist Cumbria (2021) Are Gollywogs really so racist? Available at: https://antiracistcumbria.org/are-gollywogs-really-so-racist/ (Accessed: 10 April 2023) The Guardian (2015) 'Homeland is racist': artists sneak subversive graffiti on to TV show. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/oct/15/homeland-is-racist-artists-subversive-graffiti-tv-show (Accessed 13 April 2023) Yuqing Pan Graphic and Media Design During my time at DPS, I had the opportunity to work as a member of the Mother London team. One of the company's intriguing cultures is the internal competition they hold every few months, called "Mother Goods." The brief for this competition is based on the current top political issues, and all team members are encouraged to brainstorm freely during working hours to submit a product idea that advocates a certain point of view. The latest Mother Goods competition topic focused on global women's rights. While progress has been made in social justice in recent years, the harsh reality is that women's autonomy over their bodies is still being interfered with in every corner of the world. In Iran, for example, women who refuse to wear headscarves face the risk of death. Under a strict morality system, women are prohibited from dancing in public, traveling, and even hiking without the consent of their husbands. Even in countries that symbolize the light of human civilization, the situation is deteriorating. The winner from Mother Los Angeles created a guide to abstinence in a Kama Sutra book featuring anti-abortion politicians in nauseating positions. While the design was boldly offensive and clearly demonstrated disdain towards anti-abortion, it may not be the best approach when designing for a wider audience that needs to be accountable for organizational effectiveness and profitability. As Emily Gosling mentioned in her article in Creative Review, neutrality can be a more powerful tool for such situations. For example, Caoimhe Doyle, the designer of the Abortion Rights Campaign, chose purple, green, and yellow for the logo. These colours are colourful but not overly attention-grabbing, conveying a "welcoming, modern" feel that aims to target a broader spectrum of the population. Engine Creative also chose to be neutral under gender topic. Some unhealthy and controlling behaviours in a relationship are commonly perceived as romantic. Engine Creative ingeniously spread the message of coercive control offences through a series of illustrations referring to the classic "Love Story," although this time it tells a "risky" love story. The illustrations effectively conveyed information about mental abusiveness and grabbed the attention of their target female audience in a second. This approach is more powerful in the current climate, where people's attention is often limited due to information overload. Furthermore, the visual form campaign is more memorable than plain text on Wikipedia or Twitter. These examples show how designers can take different approaches to fight back against patriarchal societies. Some may choose to create a biting satire that ridicules misogyny, while others may prefer a more persuasive approach that seeks to incorporate as many people as possible into the feminism movement. Campaigns like the one launched by Women's Aids aim to bring courage and self-help to female allies who may be suffering alone and unconsciously. Designers adopt different strategies when addressing different audiences. When expressing personal views without needing to consider complex social norms, a bold and radical design can have a powerful impact. However, a moderate and inclusive approach can be more effective in engaging a wider audience and building long-term support for feminist activism.
Gosling, E. (2022) Why neutrality is a powerful tool for abortion campaign graphics, Creative Review. Creative Review. Available at: https://www.creativereview.co.uk/grassroots-abortion-graphics/ (Accessed: April 28, 2023). Williams, E. (2022) Women's aid subverts Valentine's day messaging to show what abuse can look like, Creative Review. Creative Review. Available at: https://www.creativereview.co.uk/womens-aid-valentines-day-love-isnt/ (Accessed: April 28, 2023). Puddifoot, J. E. (2019). Communicating Feminism: An Analysis of Digital Feminist Campaigns and their Effectiveness in Engaging Young Women. Journal of International Women's Studies, 20(5), 65-81. Andrew Shea (2016) Graphic Design for Social Change: Radical Graphics and Civic Engagement |
|