Wiktoria Miszczuk, 20023942 BA Graphic and Media Design Question: As a designer/creative artist, is your practice political? As a designer and creative artist, I believe that my practice is inherently political. The design choices I make have the potential to shape and influence people's perceptions, whether it's through a visual identity, a website, or social media content. This power and responsibility is something I take seriously, and I strive to use my skills to create positive change and challenge harmful norms and stereotypes. During my time as an intern, I gained first-hand experience in political design. While the company I worked for was not explicitly political, I quickly realized that my work as a designer had political implications. The content we created and shared on social media had the potential to influence how people perceived the company, and by extension, the industry as a whole. This made me acutely aware of the importance of being mindful and intentional in my design choices. One of the most significant ways in which my internship allowed me to experience political design was through the use of language. As a financial services company, it was important for the content we shared on social media to be accurate and professional. However, I also realized that the language we used had the potential to reinforce harmful stereotypes or to promote diversity and inclusion. For example, when creating posts about our services, I made sure to use gender-neutral language and avoid using language that could be perceived as exclusionary or discriminatory. This may seem like a small detail, but I believe that it can have a significant impact on how people perceive the company and its values. As a digital creator, I believe that designers should not be impartial and objective. In fact, I believe that designers should be critical and opinionated. The design has the power to shape culture and society, and designers have a responsibility to use their skills to create positive change. This means being willing to challenge the status quo and advocate for marginalized communities. Designers should not be afraid to take a stand and use their work as a means of expressing their values and beliefs. In terms of cultural and professional references, I would like to point to the work of Barbara Kruger and Ai Weiwei. Barbara Kruger is a conceptual artist who uses text and imagery to challenge stereotypes and societal norms. Her work often features bold statements and questions that challenge the viewer's assumptions and beliefs. Similarly, Ai Weiwei is a Chinese artist and activist who uses his work to highlight social and political issues in China. His work often includes installations, sculptures, and photographs that address issues such as government censorship and human rights violations. Both Kruger and Ai Weiwei are examples of designers who use their work as a means of expressing their political beliefs and challenging harmful norms. In conclusion, I believe that design is inherently political and that designers have a responsibility to use their work to effect positive change. My internship allowed me to experience political design first-hand, and I believe that designers should be critical and opinionated in their work. While there are certainly examples of designers who take a more impartial and objective approach, I believe that designers have a responsibility to use their work as a means of expressing their values and beliefs and creating positive change in society. Bibliography
Petit, Z. (2022) How Magazine Covers Became the Political Posters of Our Times -Four Leading Art Directors Discuss. Eye on Design. Available at: https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/how-magazine-covers-became-political-posters-four-leading-art-directors-discuss/ (Accessed: 27 April 2023) Piejko, J. (2022) Your body is a battleground: The work of Barbara Kruger is more poignant than ever. Art Basel. Available at: https://www.artbasel.com/stories/barbara-kruger-your-body-is-a-battleground?lang=en (Accessed: 27 April 2023) Beam, Ch. (2015) Beyond Ai Weiwei: How China’s Artists Handle Politics (or avoid them). The New Yorker. Available at: https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/ai-weiwei-problem-political-art-china (Accessed: 27 April 2023) The Different Level (2021) How art and Politics Influence and Shape Each Other. The Different Level. Available at: https://different-level.com/how-art-and-politics-influence-and-shape-each-other/ (Accessed: 27 April 2023)
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![]() Azamat Guirey Graphic Design and Media As a constantly evolving practice, design usually parallels the contemporary political context. According to Author Ruben Pater, the variation of design is attributed to individual perspective and motivations, producing an expression of what we consider to be ‘natural.’ Design possibilities are infinite, and in terms of political propaganda, graphics and deliberate colours have been used to create easily recognisable slogans. During the advancement of communism over Russia in the early 20th century, the potential for design as a way of influencing the masses was quickly recognised by the Bolsheviks. The designer’s ‘natural’ at this time, was the pledge for socialism. Despite this inspiration fading with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the imagery and graphics produced as a result of the Russian Revolution remain blueprints for design, and were the main influence behind some of my own work. The central constructivist artists, being Kazimir Malevich and his contemporaries, known for their ‘Agitprop’ designs were responsible for producing the most recognisable ‘Revolutionary’ graphics. These dynamic young artists, like Alexander Rodchenko, El Lissitzky and Sofia Dymshits-Tolstaya, used their work to propagandise revolutionary virtues, implementing the distinct geometric forms founded by Malevich. In line with the Marxist doctrine, ‘Agitprop’ rejected the art produced in pre-Revolutionary society, replacing a desire for realism with abstraction. Alexander Malevich founded Suprematism; a style which began as completely non-representational yet later bled into agitprop, which employed non-objectivity for political propaganda. Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge, 1919 by El Lissitzky (Image 1), was made in encouragement of the Bolsheviks on overcoming the anti-communist White Russians. This work seamlessly allows form to follow the function, with few words and simple graphics expressing a clear message. In order for the communist message to spread, it was integral to consider the Russian peasant class, many of whom were illiterate. In this poster, the words align with the diagonal path of the red triangle, creating fluidity between the shapes and phrases. Piercing the white circle, the ‘red wedge’ frees itself from the surrounding darkness. Another and likely better known example of Agitprop is Rodchenko’s poster of a woman who calls out , “Books (Please)! In All Branches of Knowledge.” Maintaining the striking black and red colour scheme, this piece by Rodchenko combines photography with clear-cut shapes and little text. ![]() Easily comprehendible in spite of their simplicity, Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge and Rodchenko’s “Books (Please)! In All Branches of Knowledge” were a source of inspiration for my West Way series. Soviet propaganda posters have reproduced and altered in examples of contemporary design; Rodchenko’s poster inspired the 2005 album cover by Scottish band Franz Ferdinand, and later the 2014 version by artist David Redon which featured Beyoncé yelling “GIRLS.” Regarding my own work, I wanted to implement the same basic, geometric style into my own ‘natural.’ My choice of subject being the West Way, the elevated Brutalist motorway that runs over West London is also a nod to Russian influence. Soviet constructivist architecture (despite falling out of favour in the 1930s), held similarities with Brutalism, as both styles had the goal of creating a better and more egalitarian world. Emulating the minimal detail of the Soviet posters, I wanted to create a striking and instantly recognisable portrayal of the West Way, whilst highlighting its architectural integrity. Using a printing method was integral. As communist propaganda needed to be spread to regions in rural Russia, prints were produced in mass, with the ability to travel and be distributed by trains. My process began by laser engraving my designs onto wood and then transferring it through a letter press machine, printing my images in black. By referencing graphics that were founded with acknowledgement at their forefront, I was able to explore the notions of recognition and the power of simplistic graphics. I wanted to create works that referenced my own experience within the realm of contemporary design, as it has evolved to carry information on a global scale, not just through a single nation. References:
https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/article/art-and-the-russian-revolution#:~:text=%E2%80%9CI'm%20no%20good%20at,useless:%20snip,%20snip!%E2%80%9D https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/article/five-things-graphic-designers-owe-to-russia https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/visual-arts/the-revolution-will-be-posted-soviet-street-art-at-the-frye-museum/#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20most%20recognizable,In%20All%20Branches%20of%20Knowledge.%E2%80%9D By Frida Nilsson I want to start this off by making it clear that I don’t support those on the political far right that would use so-called ‘freedom of speech’ as an excuse to spread misinformation, get away with hate speech, and justify creating unsafe situations for their peers. This is unacceptable. What I would like to say in this short text is why I believe it is unethical for UAL and the tutors to ask us as students to write about our work in a political light, and how this might make us more vulnerable as we continue to build our careers and lives. Out of the 195 countries in the world, UAL has students from 130, making it an incredibly diverse place for us as students to build new ideals and moral beliefs as we learn about each other and the unique perspective that we all have on the world and society we live in. I believe this is a vital part of creating change in the world, since student movements have historically been so strong and successful in their pursuit of justice and equality for all. Students are politically engaged and active, the important distinction between student-driven activism and assigned writing is that everyone can choose how they take part based on their deeply personal beliefs and situation. Coming from a country with less freedom of speech can make it difficult to be honest in your academic writing, so you are forced to pick which of these uncomfortable routes you’d like to travel:
I absolutely believe that a university is and should be a place to create new ideas and ideologies as society grows and learns, but I also believe that there needs to be a divide in that and what is asked of a student by people in positions of power. It is far from unheard of that tutors are fired for misconduct of various natures; racism, discrimination, sexual harassment, transphobic, and homophobic. Some for unreasonable punishment of students in the form of failing courses for reasons unrelated to the student’s academic work. These people in power, tutors, are not the people I want to tell my political and moral beliefs to, especially in the form of writing on a public website. I don’t believe that the institution that is university can be trusted with my moral values and political positioning, something that is deeply personal for me and that might cause tension with my family. During the 3 years I have spent at university I have found many occasions when it has been made clear that this is not a safe place and that the money-making business is more important than the people. Many universities publicly said they would put more efforts into anti-racism in 2020 and then proceeded to create partnerships with the police increasing their presence on campuses, and in student halls, meanwhile the government is currently legislating against protesters. Universities don’t even seem to care much about their staff given the 76 days the UCU has spent on strike since 2018. As a designer, my practice may inherently contain political elements, and I believe it is vital that we are made aware of this while studying and getting the valuable insights from those with expertise in the field on how we need to take responsibility for our work. It should however be up to each individual to decide how and when to express them explicitly, with regards to their personal situation. References:
Stewart Carr (March 2022) Lecturer at Buckingham New University is sacked after deliberately failing two of her female students to 'punish' them for 'drunken behaviour' during fancy dress night out. Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10602339/Lecturer-Buckingham-New-University-sacked-deliberately-failing-two-female-students.html Joe Lewis (March 2023) University strike action in the UK. Available at: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9387/CBP-9387.pdf Chloé Meley (January 2022) THE STUDENTS FIGHTING TO KEEP COPS OFF CAMPUS. Available at: https://www.huckmag.com/article/the-students-fighting-to-keep-cops-off-campus Remi Joseph-Salisbury (December 2021) Cops on campus are a threat to students of colour. Available at: https://www.redpepper.org.uk/cops-on-campus-are-a-threat-to-students-of-colour/ Countries with Freedom of Speech 2023 (2023) Available at: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-with-freedom-of-speech University of the Arts London (2023) About UAL. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/about-ual#:~:text=UAL%20is%20home%20to%20a,and%20supportive%20environment%20for%20everyone. Emmaline Soken-Huberty (no date) 11 Student Protests That Changed The World. Available at: https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/student-protests-that-changed-the-world/ Rachel Hall (March 2023) Sheffield University criticised for hiring private investigator after protest. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/mar/13/sheffield-university-criticised-over-handling-of-protest-investigation Xinyi Liu I am Xinyi Liu from Graphic and Media Design. I think my design is becoming more and more political as my perception changes. I think my design is becoming more and more political as my perception changes. During my year at DPS, the question that I think about most often is: Is politicization a good thing for my creative practice? My work is becoming more and more political, does it mean that I am experiencing self-moral coercion? In today's writing, I will discuss the growth process of my own creation around this issue, and my views on the relationship between design and politicization. My first creative practice often revolved around documenting my life and scribbling what I liked and liked. When I entered design school in UK, I saw more art and design from a point of view, and learned about social issues. I am most impressed with Uli Westphal's collage work. His work isolates, collects and reconstructs the over-decorated elements found on supermarket packaging, ultimately depicting a beautiful surreal utopian landscape that exists only in packaging advertising. Inspired by him, I began to pay attention to issues such as consumerism, and began to imitate him to make collages. Gradually, I began to pay attention to more social topics, and realized that it is more important for designers to assume corresponding social responsibilities than simple self-expression. However, since returning to the hometown and environment where I grew up in this DPS year, I have gradually begun to question whether my politicization is too Western. At the same time, I worry that I'm ignoring my own thoughts by being too concerned about whether my work is politicized. I have started to refocus on the work of artists who have similar growth and cultural backgrounds to mine. For example, Lin Tianmiao' s early works on women's issues inspired me a lot. In particular, her expressions about textiles and silk thread match my impression of relationship with mother. For my second placement, I work at a small local art gallery. This art gallery often showcases Chinese paintings and works by local artists, so my colleague asked if the current use of White his cube in this art gallery was appropriate, and how it could be better. We often discuss whether or not? All these made me start to focus on my own life and think more about my own identity and my own culture. Compared to the universal politically correct creative practices that were first done with a larger perspective, I prefer the work I am now discussing in my own position.My work has always been political. They think it's a thing, and they're blindly avoiding politically correct discussions. Compared to the universal politically correct creative practices that were done with great perspective in the first place, I prefer the work I am now discussing in my own position. and has begun blindly avoiding politically correct discussions. Once I realized that, I stopped thinking that political works were some kind of creative constraint. My goal is no longer to do political work, but to do really worthwhile political work. I don't think so anymore. My goal is no longer to do political work, but really worthwhile political work. by Mariana Fernandes Graphic and Media Design Designers have long recognised the power of text and image to shape social, cultural, and economic issues. We all know that during World War I and II, governments used posters, cartoons, and propaganda to sway public opinion in support of the war effort. Creatives can generate images and messages that either challenge dominant power structures or reinforce them and this ability grant them the potential to shape political discourse and create positive change. Political designs require a deep understanding of complex ethical considerations, cultural values, and political ideologies. Creatives of all types must make difficult decisions about their crafted work, weighing the potential impact on society against ethical considerations. My favourite example of this is Vasco Gargalo, a Portuguese cartoonist that uses humour, exaggeration, and irony to comment on current events and issues in politics and society. However, with great power comes great responsibility (spider man, 2012) and Gargalo is once again a good example of that. Even thought the artist has won numerous awards for his work, Vasco has also been accused of “anti-Semitism” and targeted for censorship (MPPM-Palestina, 2022). The power of design to create positive change and shape political discourse means that the politics of graphic design will continue to be an important topic for designers, activists, and scholars alike, and we must be aware of it. As a response to the accusations, Vasco Gargalo stressed that he will continue to fight for freedom of expression and freedom of the press, says: “It is my view on this attack. When I made the cartoon I knew it was strong, that it would touch on the issue of Holocaust victims, but I don't really add anything to what I see. It's a comparison I made of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”; and in my opinion, this is what we should all have in mind when addressing a political issues in our work. V. Gargalo, 2019 The politics of graphic design is undeniably influenced by the ideologies and values of individual designers. Disparate or conflicting political perspectives can coexist within schools of graphic design like LCC, a cosmopolitan college that segregates all kinds of views and opinions that are united in their passion and delivery. Designers with differing viewpoints will often create designs that reflect their personal beliefs, driving the juxtaposing viewpoints present throughout any political campaign, and that’s what makes a multicultural university like mine so interesting. The power of graphic design to influence and shape perceptions of ideas is not limited to political campaigns. Graphic designers can create designs to advocate for a wide range of diverse causes, such as environmentalism and social justice. These designs use creative visuals to communicate important messages that help generate support and drive change. To be effective in political messaging, graphic designers must balance the potential impact of their work with the inherent ethical considerations. A well-crafted political design can generate awareness and gain support, but a poorly executed design can jeopardise the campaign's success. Moreover, designers must create designs that have a positive impact on society, avoiding designs that glorify hate, violence, and demagoguery. In sum, graphic design has become a potent tool of persuasion in both marketing and political campaigns. Political designs are an integral aspect of shaping the discourse and policies that influence society. Part of being a young creative practitioner like me, is having the responsibility to navigate complex ethical considerations and varying ideologies to create designs that promote positive change and contribute to social and civic responsibilities. In my experience, creating political design is a way of stand up for what I believe but also a way to communicate my frustration and difficulty in dealing with current issues by doing something that I love. In 2019 I used Barbie’s theme song as a way to stand up against environmental issues, last year I used the “God Save The Queen” anthem to communicate my frustration about political injustice and this year I was part of a collective project that fought against racial issues alongside the Hamilton Commission and Mission 44. To put it simply, designers and creative practitioners are the voice of the future and it’s our duty as to comprehend how graphic design is used to explore and address political issues, both for designers to remain ethically responsible and for the public to recognise the influence of design to create change and shape the world around us. Projects mentioned above. (2019; 2022; 2022/23 respectively)
By Stephanie Vicente BA Design for Art Direction My creative practice is most definitely political. In saying this, it does not mean the main focus of my practice is politically driven, however, my work revolves a lot around the topics of sustainability and sociology. This in itself, in the current climate crisis and evidence of political demotivation to address systemic issues as well as inaction towards making substantial positive change for a better living future, makes my work political. To expand on this, I will use an example of my own work. The one critical incident that led me to realise my work as political was when designing a visual essay with an open brief. Through constantly changing ideas and research topics I landed on a Guardian article of photos by the photographer Daniel Beltrá depicting the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill (Fig.1). Although the imagery is aesthetically pleasing, they depict a harrowing reality of unsustainable practices that result in tragic consequences such as the deaths of workers and ocean pollution. When researching further, I discovered there to be evidence showing the oil and gas industry had knowledge about climate change decades ago, from their funding of scientific investigations such as the Brandon Report 1957 funded by Exxon Mobil, one of the largest fossil fuel corporations and the Robinson Report 1968 conducted by Stanford research institute. With this knowledge, the oil and gas industry was able to make decisions about their production methods, such as designing their oil rigs 2 metres higher to take into account the future sea-level rise, yet this industry would publicly deny climate change. How does this tie into politics? The former CEO of Exxon Mobil became the 69th U.S. secretary of state and saw large tax cuts to the oil and gas industry during the time he served. Politics and sustainability and interconnected, therefore, when your work is based on sustainability and climate change, it becomes inherently political. Whether this is intentional or not. The design industry has begun to give serious attention to sustainable designs for the future. One example of this is the ‘Make It Circular Challenge’, by the international organisation What Design Can Do in partnership with the IKEA Foundation. The challenge highlights design projects based on circular design methods that reimagine 5 topics; how we package, how we build, what we eat, what we wear and what we buy. Reading and submitting to this challenge gave me the opportunity to reflect on my practice and analyse my SIP project on how it could potentially function in the real world and the process of realising an idea. Using design can be a powerful political move by the voices of thousands vs the powerful voices of the few. ‘Every design either “serves or subverts” the status quo. Design is never neutral.’ Tony Fry in “Design Futuring” (2009). One key example of this in the context of social movements is; the I AM A MAN signs during the 1968 Memphis sanitation strike during the civil rights movement. The strike was about the economic disparity of sanction workers and the breaking point after the deaths of two sanitation workers; Echol Cole and Robert Walker. The signs were seen in the masses and assisted the strike in creating a powerful and bold visual representation of the striker’s message and carried deep meaning that is still used and relevant today. During my Art direction course, I have become more familiar with graphic design, and have adapted my practice to the skills I have learnt. Researching design in social contexts, such as the I AM A MAN signs, strengthened my view that social design, especially in protests, carries a heavy meaning that can never be neutral. In conclusion, when thinking about how design situates in the world and how I can situate my own practice, I refer to the words of Jerome Lutters in the book Creative Theories of (Just About) Everything; “Wherever there are destructive forces at hand— in politics, in economics, in climate, to name just a few— there is a need for new creativity. Perhaps it is difficult to understand, but the creative policy should be a counter-strategy”. When design is not neutral, it in some way, shape or form, is political. Therefore, if my work revolves around sustainability and/ or social issues, there is no way it can be impartial. Bibliography: Fry, T. (2018). Design Futuring : sustainability, ethics and new practice. Bloomsbury Publishing. L. Brown, D. (2018). ‘I Am a Man’: The ugly Memphis sanitation workers’ strike that led to MLK’s assassination. [online] Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/02/12/i-am-a-man-the-1968-memphis-sanitation-workers-strike-that-led-to-mlks-assassination/ Lutters, J (2020). Creative Theories of (Just About) Everything. Valiz, Amsterdam. Spill by Daniel Beltrá - in Pictures, (2013). The Guardian. www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2013/dec/09/spill-daniel-beltra-in-pictures Make it Circular Challenge. (n.d.) https://makeitcircular.whatdesigncando.com/about/ (Figure 1) ‘The saturated, rich colours - and the interesting lines and forms they create - result in it what appears, seen from a distance, like contemporary abstract expressionist paintings Photograph: Daniel Beltra for Greenpeace/Spill (Figure 2)
After two men were crushed in a garbage truck, more than 1,300 Memphis sanitation workers went on strike 50 years ago to protest abysmal wages and working conditions. They won the support of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (Richard L. Copley) By Adriana Cornejo Capdevila BA (HONS) Design for Art Direction Design and politics have always gone hand in hand. Politics has used graphic design to its advantage to spread ideals, ways of thinking, ways of living, and most importantly persuade the population. It has also been used as a means of communication for the message of political views to reach more people, making complex issues accessible and understandable for all audiences. Design, like art itself, has always been a consequence of the spectator or the population, and therefore of politics. Whether in the form of protest, in favor of a movement, or as a consequence of a change of legislature. All evolutions in design movements are a consequence of a political change or a social demand, such as Futurism celebrating technology and violence (pic 01) or Dadaism questioning the truth and reality of everything caused by the First World War (pic 02) and every other artistic movement. Speaking of the most commercial side of graphic design, it has become completely enslaved to capitalism. The sole purpose of it is for others to make more profit from the product that is being sold. As Jonathan Barnbrook said in an interview in It's Nice That: "Graphic design is at the heart of capitalism. It's the heart of encouraging consumption - you are consenting to that as a graphic designer" (Barnbrook, 2018). During my DPS year, the first six months of the school year I was doing an internship in an international advertisement company. I participated in some of the projects and campaigns they had prepared for the brand they were working for. During those months, especially at the end of my stay, I found myself in a dilemma with my principles. Some of the campaigns I participated in, were created for pride month and against animal abuse. Movements that are important to be talked about and the exposure and support of high-impact brands, like the ones we were dealing with, are essential, both for the movement and for the brand itself. Although, behind these campaigns, there was a cold and ignorant, insensitive side. At the end of the day, these campaigns will always be about end sales. Sensitive issues were dealt with very coldly. Unlike my goal behind the kind of design, that I admire and am inspired by, which is primarily based on cultural, educational, and social impact. Taking as an example, the "first things first" manifesto which Jonathan Barnbrook, mentioned above, signed. Manifesto that mainly explains this branch of design. Graphic design focused on advertising was a profession I wanted to experience, but after working in that company I saw that my values and my priorities made me not feel comfortable working in this sector. Social issues and politics have always been something very present in my life, always influencing my upbringing. Having a family that has been involved in politics and activist movements, where culture and art are frequent topics of conversation at home, has shaped my way of thinking and acting which has a direct influence on my working life and my decisions for my professional future. My personal experiences have made me situate myself in what kind of design I would like to contribute, or what I would like to associate myself with. Speaking from my point of view, I believe that design will always be tied to some aspect of politics. Art and design being a form of expression, will always reflect its socio-political state. I have realized that my ideologies and my principles, influence my personal goals and will mold my projects and ideas. I will always try to tie my ideas to some issue of resonance or injustice, to my workspace and my career path. At the same time, I also understand that people have different priorities, goals, and ideals from mine and that their socio-political opinions have as much importance in their decisions making as mine, but from different points of view. P, S. (2016) 20th century design movements to remember, Widewalls. Available at: https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/20th-century-design-movements (Accessed: April 24, 2023).
Baines, J. (2018) Politics, punk, and perverse optimists sit together on Johanna Burai's bookshelf, It's Nice That. Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/johanna-burai-bookshelf-260918 (Accessed: April 24, 2023). Bourton, L. (2020) Graphic design is political: Jonathan Barnbrook on how we can build a better industry, It's Nice That. Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/jonathan-barnbrook-in-conversation-graphic-design-100920 (Accessed: April 24, 2023). Barnbrook, J. (2019) Barnbrook. Available at: https://barnbrook.net/ (Accessed: April 24, 2023). Munguía Huato, R. (2019) Cultura, Política, arte y revolución en el diseño. La Bauhaus, Sin Permiso. Available at: https://www.sinpermiso.info/textos/cultura-politica-arte-y-revolucion-en-el-diseno-la-bauhaus (Accessed: April 25, 2023). Garland, K. (2000) The First Things First Manifesto, First things first : Design is history. Emigre. Available at: http://www.designishistory.com/1960/first-things-first/ (Accessed: April 25, 2023). Environmental Politics in Illustration (and Animation): Social Change Through Storytelling4/27/2023 Sze Hang Lo BA Illustration and Visual Media Is illustration political? For Wenqian Yan (known as Yuumei), her creative practice is inextricably linked with environmentalism and politics. Her first comic follows a group called Knites, who fly kites with strings of light nightly to bring stars back to a polluted sky. Knites is an exploration of the conflict between globalisation and environmental protection in her birthplace, leaning on Chinese cultural motifs and societal values. “To the Chinese people living in poverty and working in factories toward their dream of a better tomorrow, pollution is the least of their concerns. Corruption runs rampant from corporate to government as environmental safety is pushed under the table, and the innocent citizens caught between the consequences of their greed” (Yan, 2023). Her ongoing comic, Fisheye Placebo, explores how government surveillance and censorship plays a role in Chinese environmentalism. “…farmers who protested the illegal dumping of chemicals in a small town in China were shut down by the police, and any news about it was censored from TV and the internet through the Great Firewall of China. I realized one can't just talk about environmentalism when censorship and no freedom of speech was preventing people from sharing the truth” (Yan, 2023). For Yuumei, illustration is used to weave fantastical narratives that criticise the real-world political forces threatening the environment. While Yuumei uses character-driven storytelling to address specific socioeconomic issues within the topic of environmentalism, Japanese filmmaker Makoto Shinkai creates broader, generalised narratives centred around supernatural forces of nature. Shinkai explores environmentalism with a strongly apolitical approach. Speaking about his 2019 film Weathering with You, a fantasy story set in a Tokyo threatened by torrential rain and flooding, Shinkai explained: “I tried to remove any kind of deep message about global warming or climate change or politics. This is first and foremost entertainment” (Chen, 2020). Shinkai prioritises emotional connection over a political message in his practice, thus his high-concept films tend to centre around an exploration of the human relationship with the environment, rather than an explicit call to action. Despite this, it is hard to say that his practice is entirely ‘apolitical’. Rather, Shinkai is acutely aware of the political and cultural contexts that has shaped his practice. Following up on the previous statement, he elaborated, “…the inspiration for this film does come from the global warming that is actually happening in the world. In Japan, we’re seeing a lot more rain nowadays, and destruction due to excessive rain” (Chen, 2020). His ‘neutral’ approach to topics of environmentalism is in fact deeply influenced by Japan’s history of extreme natural disasters and the way in which Japanese society has adapted in the wake of these events. Shinkai’s decision to be ‘apolitical’ can be considered a political act in itself, especially as his recent films gain international recognition and acclaim. After all, he is no longer operating within a Japanese industry bubble, and his global success as a filmmaker brings a need for responsibility in communicating this ideology to a global audience. As discussed in The Politics of Design, “A design cannot be disconnected from the values and assumptions in which it was created, from the ideologies behind it. It can be difficult to see how visual communication and ideology are related because ideology is in everything around us, we perceive it as natural” (Pater, 2022). Is Shinkai’s 'apolitical’ stance on environmentalism truly neutral, or is he simply perceiving it as natural? Although I may not be explicitly vocal about environmentalism, many of my design choices within my practice are still driven by my own ideological beliefs. My ongoing illustration series aims to explore the ‘potential for wonder’ in the Hong Kong everyday, featuring many elements of nature in juxtaposition to the dense urban space. Like Shinkai, my series are not intended as a political statement, but are still deeply influenced by my personal beliefs about the need for nature to be valued and preserved. The scenes that I illustrate — and the decisions involved in that design process — will either challenge or align with the Asian cultural context that values social and economic progress over the natural environment. Beyond the topic of environmentalism, I believe that my creative practice is inherently political, most significantly because of the choices I make as a designer and illustrator. Politics in art is never as simple as what is being shown in the final outcome. Chen, N. (2020) The global warming-inspired anime storming Japan’s box offices. Available at: https://www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/article/47368/1/weathering-with-you-japan-anime-makoto-shinkai-interview-your-name (Accessed: 25 April 2023).
GKIDS Films (2019) Weathering With You [Official Subtitled Trailer, GKIDS]. Jul 23, 2019. Available at: Youtube (Accessed: 26 April 2023). Pater, R. (2022) The Politics of Design. 8th edn. Amsterdam: BIS Publishers. Yan, Wenqian. (2023) About. Available at: https://www.yuumeiart.com/about (Accessed: 24 April 2023). Yuumei (2018) Knite Ch1 - The Bringer of Stars [Digital art]. Available at: https://www.yuumeiart.com/knite-ch1-the-bringer-of-stars (Accessed: 24 April 2023). By Claudia Sanchez San Miguel As visual communicators we all have a responsibility to be aware of the many messages one single piece of media can convey. The saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”, popularized by English illustrator Fred Barnard, has been so repeated and used throughout time simply because it is true. In a design context everything has meaning; colors, typography, if the art is printed or digital, size, the use of graphics and photography and many more intricate details work together to deliver one or many messages. When it comes to politics in design you could find hidden messages anywhere- focusing on something as common and innocent as movie posters for instance. Meant to be a marketing strategy and something eye-catching offering a sneak peak as to what a movie is about, movie posters have somehow become one of the many medium which uses the sexualization of women as a selling point, disregarding the socio-political impacts this may have. I bet most people haven’t actively noticed how many movie posters contain the bodies of women but not their faces and this isn’t just the case for older movies which people could excuse with the classic “oh, but it was just another time”, there are many recent examples of this and yes, even in children’s movies like the Minions (2015). Comedian Marcia Belsky started the ‘Headless Woman’ movement back in 2016, creating a website in which people could upload examples of film or tv posters which partake in this design choice. From recent blockbusters like Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014) to iconic classics like The Graduate (1967), film posters have taken away female character’s personal value and focused it on what she can contribute to physically. By using women’s bodies as a way to sell and attract a larger (usually preferably male) audience to theaters, a woman’s “value is that only of her sexual appeal to men, and not of her personhood” (Headless Women of Hollywood, 2016). What does this teach younger more impressionable audiences? Seamas O’Reilly states; “the casual dehumanization of female characters is so socially ingrained that a trope this alarming could exist so long without comment.” (The Irish Times, 2018) Sexualizing women has been so normalized for so long that we don’t actively notice these things. If as a kid you are subliminally fed the idea that women are sexual objects- something to look at, then odds are you will grow up thinking that. Thus, proving the impact of design choices on consumers and highlighting the importance of creative thinkers having a critical eye when making these decisions.
During my DPS year I had the pleasure of working in a multi-national company whose posters and promotional content are put up in big billboards or pop up on social media. One of the things my team was in charge of was making image selects for campaigns and approving any type of content related to the running/training business unit. Our tone of voice was based on integrity, wanting to make our customers feel valued but taken seriously, I was lucky to be in a company who was aware of the impact they had. Aside from photographing both men and women and being as inclusive as we could with model choices there are also campaigns aimed for empowering women and creating a safe running community. Within the office we also had talks and events sponsored by the company’s Association for Women (which I joined), offering workshops, access to events and created a safe empowering space within the workplace. By being inclusive and educating both employees and costumers on different social issues, the company also takes a political standpoint and therefore so does the contact they produce. REFFERENCES Piqua Auto Supply House of Piqua (1913) ‘One look is worth a thousand words’ [Advertisement]. Headless Women of Hollywood (2016) The Headless Women of Hollywood Available at: https://headlesswomenofhollywood.com/ (Accessed: 20 April 2023). O’reilly, S. (2018) 'Why is Hollywood fixated with headless women? ‘Headless in Hollywood’ serves up endless examples of how ingrained the movie industry’s dehumanisation of women is', The Irish Times,(March 21). Available at: https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/why-is-hollywood-fixated-with-headless-women-1.3428132 (Accessed: 20 April 2023). Yingkai Yu BA(Hons) UXD As a UX designer, I believe my practice is political, and In this blog post, I will explore how politics can be embedded in design practice and how designers can use their skills and creativity to promote social equality, comprehension, and diversity. First of all, we need to understand what is politic. Politics can mean many things: government, power, and public affairs, but also issues of social injustice, inclusion, materiality, and cultural bias. In this sense, all design work has some political implications and consequences. As a UX designer, we always tend to focus on how to make the user’s experience better. It means we need to study users’ needs and actions and understand their feelings while they are using my product or service. Through this research, the outcome we design can fulfill the user’s need. However, as a designer, all my design work will not only about be fulfilling user’s needs. As a designer, I incorporated political elements in my design choices such as color schemes, typography, and illustrations. For instance, I used to work on a data visualization project, the prompt I have is “the relationship between plastic pollution in sea and sea level rise.” For the project, I choose the color scheme of green and dark blue, to show contrast between environment and pollution. I aim to raise people’s awareness and highlight this environmental problem. I believe, as a designer, we have the power to create and alter our work and can use our skills and creativity to promote social equality, comprehension, and diversity in our design practice. In addition, “Every design either “serves or subverts” the status quo. Design is never neutral.” (Fry, 2009) Indeed, every design has its personal colors in it. Every designer has their own sense of beauty and their own stories. That’s what makes each design work unique; for that very reason, designers tend to subconsciously add their own ideas to their design. This is inevitable. For example, “Kat Ely describes how everyday things are designed by men and for men, marginalizing women and minorities. Seat belts, medicine, work environments, power tools — they are all traditionally created by men and for men, making it harder for other people to use.” (Takahashi,2018) The reason this gender bias appeared is that there is an imbalance in the number of men and women working in design industries. Most designer tends to unconsciously project their preference and ideas on their work, because of that reason, all of the design work has its own color and different people can receive a different message from it. Moreover, designers should also consider culture, social and political environment in their design, so they can influence their audience and send their voice to the world. For example, one of my favorite artists Banksy, his works are often highly critical, He often promotes anti-war ideas through street graffiti, opposes art commercialization and consumerism in the form of "parody", criticizes social reality, and insinuates some influential social events. By create those artworks raises people’s attention to those political problems and raises their awareness towards it so the government can put their eyes on it and solve it. To conclude, as a designer, my practice is political. By focusing on issues of social injustice, inclusion, materiality, and cultural bias, and showing them in my design, I can be political, and we can promote social inclusion, sustainable development, social equity, and cultural diversity. These are the contributions UX designers can make, and the goals we should strive for as designers. Reference: Fry, T. (2008) Design futuring: Sustainability, Ethics and new practice. London: Boomsbury visula arts. Takahashi, L. (2018) Why your design is biased, Medium. UX Collective. Available at: https://uxdesign.cc/why-your-design-is-biased-f25b300f8559 (Accessed: April 27, 2023). LA PETITE FILLE AU BALLON (2020) DÉCOUVREZ 6 OEUVRES EMBLÉMATIQUES DE L'ARTISTE BANKSY. CNEWS. Available at: DÉCOUVREZ 6 OEUVRES EMBLÉMATIQUES DE L'ARTISTE BANKSY (Accessed: April 27, 2023). I believe design is highly political. As with any other area where decision-making comes into the equation, personal experiences, preferences, beliefs and backgrounds are always factors that influence our choices, whether religious, political, or social. Nothing is truly independent, not even the political is separate from the social, nor the religious from the political. I believe the definition of political is also important to revisit: ‘the activities involved in getting and using power in public life, and being able to influence decisions that affect a country or a society’, according to the Oxford Dictionary.We often talk about politics as quite an abstract concept, yet it is a byproduct of human necessity for organisation and community practice, but also for separation and hierarchy. Politics are funded and carried on by people, and are therefore social, just like designing is, and the two are also influenced by each other. Design has a long and remarkable recorded history of political presence. Countless designers have contributed to the success (or failure) of political movements and governance periods, as well as contributing to activism and global protest culture. On this blog post, I will be focusing on a few reasons as to how design is political in my perspective, and as a case study how that has developed in protest posters. Empathy, a sense of responsibility, and collective efforts have expanded protest culture as a public good, which means that design has also observed this transformation. An example would be these posters, on Fig. 1 created by designer Armando Milani and on Fig. 2, multiple posters manually made by different people for a protest for Ukraine in London. Despite these people having different lives, probably having never met, they are connected through their beliefs, demonstrated in the form of protest. They both contribute to the same end cause, due to their standpoint in politics and their choice of design for a poster. Fig. 1. ‘Peace’ Poster by Armando Milani Fig. 2 ‘Stand with Ukraine’ protest in London. Photo by Pedro Porru, 2022 As mentioned in the book ‘We interrupt the program in Istanbul’: Graphic Design today has built upon the earlier mission of enabling people to lead better lives.Different responsibilities that come with designing are mentioned: professional, ethical, social, and cultural. Additionally, there is also political responsibility, the engagement of ‘strategies to empower, inform, and challenge existing orthodoxies and hierarchical power relations within a culture or society.’ I have gathered some examples of posters and their impact on the unfolding of history, showing that visual communication and protest culture have a far reach and longevity. Most of these contain references to politics itself, or political events, whereas some have mere associations with such and could lean more towards human rights, women’s rights, worker’s rights, and many more. Nevertheless, they all embed political beliefs, therefore making their design political too. 'Silence = Death' by the American artist Avram Finkelstein and the Silence=Death Collective ‘Would you be more careful if it was you that got pregnant?’ by Saatchi & Saatchi , promoting contraception and introducing shock advertising ‘Make Tea not war’ by Karmarama Harriet Richardson’s Political Design, addressing the housing crisis and fake news. Furthermore, I would also like to mention that in contrast to commercial design (usually created in an agency context) the political facet of design is accessible to the general public (including non-designers). This has been facilitated by protest culture. To answer the question asked in the brief for this blog post, I think I have included a political quality in my own practice a few times. In the past couple of years I have tried to create posters for protests when I felt it was important to express a belief, and made them available for people to print. These include Portugal’s Red Carnation Revolution, also known as 25 de Abril, and more recently a group of banners for the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, to be displayed in public, as a reminder that women’s rights in Iran are being affected by politics. I would like to continue exploring this relationship between design and activism in my future practice. Carnation Revolution - 25 de Abril Sempre To conclude, I would say that design is political because it has been made to be so by everyone who shaped it. Graphic design has been a testimony to, revolutions, activism, and peace too. It has been a tool to support communication for non-designers and designers of profession, to express a belief.
Bibliography Camacho, J. (Y2018) How Design is Politics. Available at: https://medium.com/@j_camachor/how-design-is-politics-5418d9077df0 (Accessed: 27th march 2023). Creative review (2018) Creativity sucks! Look at the role of design in politics. Available at: http://thepoliticsofdesign.com/ (Accessed: 27th March 2023). Hingley, O. (2022) From Pentagram to political slogans: Designer harriet Richardson on her witty and disruptive practice. Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/harriet-richardson-spotlight-graphic-design-191222 (Accessed: 28th March 2023). McQuiston, L. (1993) Agitation 2.: Social and Political Graphics in the Digital Age. Second Edition. Place of publication: Phaidon Press. Ottone, L. (2022) What is the role of design in politics? Available at: https://www.internimagazine.com/features/quanto-il-design-fa-politica/ (Accessed: 27th march 2023). The politics of design (2018) The Politics of Design. Available at: http://thepoliticsofdesign.com/ (Accessed: 27th March 2023). Bethany Martin AI is set to work alongside designers, aiding their creative practice to revolutionise the industry as we know it. I was first introduced to this computer/designer convergence at my previous internship, where AI was effectively used to compliment and speed up the design process. However, with the rise and enhancement of artificial intelligence, such as the phenomenon released in November 2022, ChatGPT, which came under scrutiny for having a ‘Left-liberal worldview’ (Lownie, 2022), could designers be unknowingly embedding political biases into their works? According to a Medium article written by Product Designer for @Instagram Well Being Team, Jasmine Oh, ‘while AI will replace designers, it will replace the designers of today, not the designers of tomorrow. AI will become a design partner and tool that designers can use to meet ever-evolving workplace demands.’ (2019). The second half of her statement perfectly sums up my experience using AI during my previous design placement. In one project we used AI to generate ‘employee’ images for a client’s internal comms posters, (rather than screening and photographing people ourselves,) and in doing so, the project’s timeframe and our workload drastically decreased. AI learns by sifting through vast libraries of data to generate politically neutral, unbiased results; subsequently enabling us to choose from a diverse collection of images. I felt this approach incredibly efficient, as not only did it speed up the process, but also reduced the chance of our own political stances or biases unintentionally seeping into our work. But how do we know it removed all human bias? Issues arise when you consider what libraries of data the AI systems are learning from, and whether the information provided is broad, balanced and detached from the political inclinations of the human/s providing it. In Kate Crawford and Trevor Paglen’s journal, Excavating AI (2019), they generated AI images on ImageNet, one of the most widely used training sets for machine learning, and discovered an immeasurable categorisation system that the AI was drawing from; for example, a woman smiling in a bikini was labelled as a ‘slattern, slut, slovenly woman, trollop’. I decided to do my own test using OpenAI’s, DALL-E-2, which is described on their website as ‘a deep learning model developed by OpenAI to generate digital images from natural language descriptions’. For my first test I used a selection of negative adjectives that I’ve only ever heard to describe a woman; for the other, a handful of words predominantly associated with males. My findings perfectly matched the conclusions made by Crawford and Paglen, (See figure 1 and 2 for results,) and emphasised the sheer volume of deep-rooted, politically charged data that artificial intelligence is drawing from when generating its results. Consequentially, when using these images, designers are unintentionally reinforcing these political classifications through their work. My experience in a design agency working with AI, accompanied by the research undertaken above, has led me to conclude that although AI can aid creativity, speed up processes and decrease the chances of designers’ partialities unintentionally influencing their work, it also inadvertently weaves many other social and political biases into the output. It is crucial that if we are to work synergistically with AI in the future, that designers intervene and monitor the systems so that we can attempt to detach and unpick these political biases. Humans can’t be categorised like objects, and in an effort to do so, we’re making it political. ‘The automated interpretation of images is an inherently social and political project, rather than a purely technical one.’ (Crawford & Paglen, 2019). (628 Words)
Reference list: Crawford, K. and Paglen, T. (2021). Excavating AI: The Politics of Images in Machine Learning Training Sets | Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art. [online] www.biennial.com. Available at: https://www.biennial.com/journal/issue-9/excavating-ai-the-politics-of-images-in-machine-learning-training-sets [Accessed 22 Apr. 2023]. Lownie, R. (2021). ChatGPT is not politically neutral. [online] The Post. Available at: https://unherd.com/thepost/chatgpt-is-not-politically-neutral/ [Accessed 22 Apr. 2023]. Oh, J. (2019). Yes, AI Will Replace Designers. [online] Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/microsoft-design/yes-ai-will-replace-designers-9d90c6e34502 [Accessed 21 Apr. 2023]. openai (2022). DALL·E 2. [online] openai.com. Available at: https://openai.com/product/dall-e-2 [Accessed 21 Apr. 2023]. Jasmine Lee BA (Hons) Graphic and Media Design In my own practice, as a Graphic and Media Designer, I find myself gravitating towards projects that have themes of social, economic, or political issues. I am of a firm belief that although not all design is overtly political, designers of marginalised groups should be conscious of politics in their work. Simply existing as a designer of any marginalised group is inherently political- by entering an industry that is predominantly made up of straight, white men as the opposite. This year, I completed a course alongside a campaign brief, called Women+ of Colour in Leadership. By participating in this course, I am subliminally political in my design stance, as the program centred around the ways in which we can move towards positions of power and leadership, in an industry that is systemically built against us. However, by then acting on this- for example, applying for jobs that I wouldn’t normally go for out of fear of not being worthy, using these newfound skills, I became actively political in the risks I was taking. To make waves and be truly “social responsive, [design] must be revolutionary and radical in the truest sense” (Papanek, V. J., 1985). It is not enough to call your design political if you follow the status quo, but also neither if you just follow the majority of the movement, without making any significant changes yourself.
True design lies in authenticity- every design practice should have elements of each designers’ personality woven through it. As a person of colour, it is important to me to not necessarily centre my work around my identity, but to at least feature it heavily. An example of this in my recent practice is a self-initiated personal project I am collaborating with a friend on. It centres around the loneliness people of colour feel in different aspects of their life- at home, at work, amongst friends. Touching on lived experiences we’ve both had, we have purposefully invoked a socio-political discussion for people of colour to contribute to. Identity is political. When discussing aspects of it, it is vital to realise not everyone shares the same level of cultural capital. Although we may not have conventional privilege, systemically, we own privileges of cultural capital, comprising of social assets that provide social mobility. Ruben Pater (2016) writes that “a design cannot be disconnected from the values and assumptions in which it was created, from the ideologies behind it”. By utilising the cultural capital you have gained and earned being a part of a marginalised group, it derives politics from your work. It can be argued that all design is subliminally political. By tying the visuals with a company’s brand or name, it reinforces in the consumer’s mind to recognise the connection between the two. This builds a bias in the both the designer and consumers’ minds. This begins to become inherent when seeing these colours, shapes, or phrases: like associating a tick symbol with Nike or associating red with the Labour Party and blue with the Democratic Party. Therefore, simply designing is a political act, as you must take all of this into account, ensuring you are sending the correct message, with the correct connotations you intended. It is irrefutable that all design carries a bias- it is inevitable to the nature of the designer- designers work on the foundation of their identity and personal knowledge, wherein all aspects of identity can be argued as political. Therefore, all design may have politic rhetoric or spark political debate, however there is an astute difference in being overtly political and being subliminally political. As a designer, which are you? References: Papanek V. J. (1985) ‘Design for the Real World: Human Ecology and Social Change’, pp.346–347 Pater, R. (2016) ‘The Politics of Design’, pp.2 Unknown (2018) ‘Design is Political’. Available at: https://ia.net/topics/design-is-political. [Accessed 22 Apr. 2023] Bourton, L. (2020) ‘Graphic design is political: Jonathan Barnbrook on how we can build a better industry’. Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/jonathan-barnbrook-in-conversation-graphic-design-100920. [Accessed 20 Apr. 2023] Alice Chen GMD
To me, the definition of political design is designing in way that is conscientious, ethical and moral. It should combat existing design norms or status quo that perpetuate harmful stereotypes or beliefs. Political design is a kind of activism that does not only include activist posters or campaigns, but any other forms of design that seek to make change even if not in such an obvious way. Looking back over my DPS year and my placements, a clear example of political design has been that of cultural inclusivity and diverse representation. Actively deciding to be more inclusive in the representation of those outside the dominant hegemony when designing is extremely important. During my placement at the Evening Standard, I made many image compositions. These compositions would often feature figures. When I was deciding who to include, I tried to be critical - for example asking questions like: is there a diverse group of people in this image? Are there a range of people from different social, cultural and racial backgrounds? Am I unconsciously enforcing stigmas? As a result of these experiences, I have become more self-aware, identifying when I may be making decisions with unconscious bias and trying to change such behaviour. Although this kind of critical design is important, it is not the extent of a designer’s responsibilities, and can in some ways result in being only a surface level activism. In 'The Politics of Design', Ruben Pater argues that while diverse representation in imagery can indeed help to create a ‘more balanced visual communication’ it is also true that ‘diversity cannot be created by only using images’ (Pater, 2016). He discussed the issue of fake diversity, such as when companies try to present themselves as diverse or progressive through imagery or branding, but that is not reflected in their policies, workforce or ethos. As designers, we often work to the wish of others, like clients or stakeholders, and therefore do not have full creative control. This was evidenced to me during an incident on one of my placements. While with the ES magazine team, one day I heard the deputy editor saying that the upcoming issue was lacking diversity as almost all the figures were white men. In this instance the designers agreed but could only work with what they had, which was dictated by the features in the issue that had been chosen by the chief editor. From this, I understood that truly conscious and ethical design can only be achieved through an environment or team that also has such goals. Therefore, it also becomes the responsibility of the designer to choose a workplace or company that holds such values. This idea of working for the right intentions within the right kind of workplace, and the role of design in a capitalist society, is vital to discuss. In an interview, designer Milton Glaser talks about the role of graphic design as being one of two things: either ‘to inform and transform’ or to ‘sell stuff to people and encourage consumerism’ (Glaser, 2018.) Similarly, Jonathan Barnbrook has stated that graphic design is 'at the heart of encouraging consumption’ (Barnbrook, 2020). Both designers highlight that graphic design is almost always for solely commercial purposes. As a designer, it is difficult to avoid this and so it becomes our responsibility to be critical of who we work for, or the work we take on. Design & Practice, the design studio where I interned at, had many clients from the cultural sector - such companies ultimately try to promote the arts and cultural sector, which I believe is a good cause to design for. However, I also don’t believe it is wrong for a designer to work for a company whose sole aim is to sell a product if that company is proven to be ethical, for example a certified B Corporation, or whose products seek to improve user's quality of life. In conclusion, I do believe that my design practice is political because the act of designing and communicating is political. There are moral and ethical implications when creating something that will be seen and consumed by others. As a graphic designer this means designing critically and ethically in a way that considers cultural nuances and strives for inclusivity. However, this design work is undermined and becomes pointless if the work is not done for a company with the same ethical goals. Reference list Bourton, L. (2020). Graphic design is political: Jonathan Barnbrook on how we can build a better industry. [online] www.itsnicethat.com. Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/jonathan-barnbrook-in-conversation-graphic-design-100920 [Accessed 27 Apr. 2023]. Pater, R. (2016). Politics of design : a not so global manual for visual communication. Amsterdam: Bis Publishers. Pater, R. (2018). The Politics of Design — I read the book. How can design become more responsible and inclusive? [online] thepoliticsofdesign.com. Available at: http://thepoliticsofdesign.com/blog/i-read-your-book-so-how-can-my-design-become-more-responsible-and-inclusive [Accessed 27 Apr. 2023]. Rebecca, W. (2018). Q&A with Milton Glaser. [online] Design Museum. Available at: https://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/hope-to-nope-graphics-and-politics-2008-18/qa-with-milton-glaser [Accessed 27 Apr. 2023]. Tia Buana-Cokes, Graphic Branding & Identity Political design and art have surrounded me since becoming a UAL student. From toilet stall surveys and graffiti to guerrilla posters and stickers across LCC and the other campuses, some students use their crafts to communicate messages to other students, even to UAL. My course also encourages us to consider the social and environmental impact that our projects could have, with some projects tailored to explore and address social issues directly. During my DPS year, I observed that the inclusion of politics in the creative industry is much more subjective and down to the purpose, mission, and perspective of the designer or design company. Some designers are all about spreading a message or fighting for a cause, some are simply passionate about their craft and enjoy exploring design, and some create just to make money. Each of these categories vaguely represents the breadth of different perspectives and uses of design practice that go on in the industry. In this blog, I will explore the three selected experiences that shaped my view on the inclusion of politics in design practice. A significant part of my DPS year was doing an internship at Purpose, a global digital campaigning agency. Their work is heavily political, working with clients and partners such as the WHO, IKEA and Unicef to help foster change in the world. The first statement you see on their website says that they move people to ‘remake the world’. Their internal creative team have the role of creating the appropriate medium to carry the messages or potential change to the targeted audience, through films, brand identities, websites and more. Politics is at the centre of this agency; it is the centre of its purpose and mission. Later in the academic year, I attended a Critical Forum session by LCC’s GMD course, which hosted the founders of A Practice for Everyday Life (APFEL). One of my favourite design studios, the work produced is detailed and meaningful, utilising details from their client’s location, history, and work to produce beautiful substantial outcomes. But from what they shared at the talk, and from my own research, their work doesn’t seem to explore or address any political issues. APFEL’s purpose as a studio appears to centre around craft and creating meaningful outcomes for its clients and their audiences. As I reflected on this question, I started to consider the ways in which politics plays a role in a more covert way, maybe weaved into the thought process of a designer/company. When I took part in a live brief with FLANNELS, Creative Shift, and design agency venture3, I came across the term New Luxury. It relates to the new attitude and era of the luxury fashion experience. Where people used to buy from a brand to fit a lifestyle, consumers now buy from brands that fit their lifestyle. This is because they are now conscious about consumption and the ethics of a brand, which is a result of the global change in attitudes towards the fashion industry and consumerism. This may not relate to Design Practice, but I saw how this was channelled into the brand’s social media approach and campaign art direction, and into the outcome that my group and I produced. So, these selected experiences tailored my perspective on the inclusion of politics in one’s creative practice. They showed me that each creative entity can utilise design for their own purpose and objective, depending on their attitude and brand mission. From what I have seen so far, I don’t think that politics must play an important role in design practice. I think the most important thing within design practice is the purpose and intent, and if it aligns with their mission.
Identity=Design=PoliticalRianna Phillips BA Graphic and Media Design As a design student, I question whether my creative practice is political. As a Black, British woman, I wondered how my practice could not be political. The 2020 Black Lives Matter protests awakened the world to the harsh realities of the treatment of Black people and culture. Experiencing this socio-political unrest, made me confront the fact that I am a BLACK, BRITISH WOMAN of immigrant parents and grandparents. I live in a society where I am often viewed as a threat or overlooked for factors I cannot change. This new realisation changed my mindset and the work I wanted to create as I learned more about my identity as a designer. Learning about the Black Panther Party (1965-1980) was part of this journey. They radically fought for social justice and black voices to be heard and protected. Their strong branding identity and values will always inspire me. “We were creating a culture, a culture of resistance, a culture of defiance and self-determination.” - Emory Douglas. The above image shows the shift of power from oppression to rebellion through a visual style that empowers Black figures. Reviewing personal projects, I noticed similar themes of colonialism, equality and resistance emerging in my work. Through colour, image and typography I started to created a voice for myself using my identity as an anchor. Although not as powerfully or radically used as The Black Panther Party. Design is the tool I use when it is challenging to verbally express myself. My practice helps me understand and explore difficult subjects stemming from my experiences and desires During my DPS year, working in the creative industry and conversations with professionals has exposed me to the role education has on identity. Power comes from knowledge. Knowledge comes from experience. Experience comes from those that have learned. “When an old man dies, a library burns down.”- Amadou Hampâté Bâ. This African proverb highlights the power of education. It addressed the need for descendants of Afro-Caribbean nations like me to know their ancestral identity. ‘They Did I Can Tool’ is a website and education tool that showcases BAME individuals from various fields and moments in history. It encourages, inspires and teaches about role models from a side of history that is not offered by standard British education. This is extremely significant, as much of BAME culture has been stolen and forgotten over time. They did I can too: UK Historical Champions [screenshot] This pivotal step toward the conservation of BAME historical figures shares the same vision as my self-initiated project. 'Stories from Elders' compels black culture to be documented, remembered, and empowered. Through storytelling, elders from Caribbean and African nations share their life experiences and advice. This project is not only for enjoyment and reminiscing but also encourages connections between generations. It aims to create lasting change to improve NOW and the FUTURE. Helping younger Black generations learn about their heritage: its rich culture and histories from those who lived it. Filling a gap in Black education due to an British education system built on colonial values, racism and Black oppression. 'Wah Mi Seh' (2023) Interviews for this project allowed me to reflect upon the influence my identity has over my practice and how it can be utilised. ‘Wah Mi Seh’(2023)is a poster series created in response to an elder’s story. Written solely in Jamaican Patois (a creole language with West African origins) it rebels against the English Language that was forced upon so many during the Atlantic slave trade. It shows the power small changes can have over the identity of an entire race. “All that you touch You Change. All that you Change Changes you. The only lasting truth is Change.” —Octavia E. Butler Although my practice does not constantly revolve around political issues, it is heavily influenced by my socio-political identity. It aims to acknowledge them and understand how they play a role. I cannot change my heritage and identity, but through my practice I can decide how I want to be viewed. As I designer who creates work for pleasure or a designer who creates work to promote positive change? Or both? References:
Berry,A H (editor), Kareem Collie,K (editor), Laker,P A (editor), Noel,L A (editor), Rittner,J (editor), Walters,K (editor) (2022) The Black Experience in Design: Identity, Expression & Reflection New York, USA, Skyhorse Publishing. Butler,O E (2019) Parable of the Sower. London, England, Headline Book Publishing. Martin, W. E., Bloom, J. (2013). Black Against Empire: The History and Politics of the Black Panther Party. United Kingdom, University of California Press. Phillips,R (2023) Wah Mi Seh [Poster] They Did I Can Too (2022) UK HISTORICAL CHAMPIONS. Available at:https://www.theydidicantoo.org/ukhistorical-champions/ [Accessed 22/04/2023] Ardra Ravindran, 19012605 BA Graphic Media and Design Question: As a designer/creative artist, is your practice political? As a creative, I have yet to understand design's influence and power. Thus I am writing this blog to reflect on what I have learned through my research on design politics. Design is not just about creating aesthetically pleasing objects. It’s also a political act that has the potential to shape society. The politics of design are deeply intertwined with the cultural, social, and economic forces that shape our world. From architecture to graphic design, design profoundly impacts how we live our lives, and it's essential to understand the political dimensions of this impact. This reminds me of a quote by Jonathan Barnbrook “Design is both a political and cultural force for change, although most designers choose not to think about the power it has.” The power to reinforce or challenge cultural and social norms. For example, as we can see in the images above, where there is a bathroom sign design, the first sign is a binary gender, and the other uses gender-neutral language. Thus, a logo or branding design can reinforce or challenge stereotypes and biases. One of the critical ways that design is political is through its role in shaping our built environment. Architecture is often seen as the most visible manifestation of innovation in our cities, and the choices that architects make directly impact how we interact with our surroundings. Buildings can be designed to promote social inclusion or exclusion, encourage community or individualism, and prioritise sustainability or short-term profits. For example, the design of public spaces like parks, plazas, and streets can profoundly impact social dynamics. Public spaces that encourage interaction and socialisation can help build a sense of community. In contrast, areas prioritising efficiency and functionality may contribute to feelings of isolation and disconnection. Graphic design also has a political dimension, particularly in political campaigns and propaganda. Political posters, billboards, and advertisements are all designed to communicate a message and persuade people to take a particular action. Therefore, the choices that designers make in terms of imagery, colour, and typography can all contribute to the effectiveness of a message. Design can also be used as a form of resistance against oppressive political regimes. For example, during the apartheid era in South Africa, artists and designers used their skills to create political posters and other forms of protest art that challenged the regime and called for change. In recent years, the politics of design has become increasingly important in technology. Social media platforms and other digital products are designed to capture our attention and influence our behaviour. These products' designs can profoundly impact our mental health, social interactions, and political beliefs. For example, social media platforms use design techniques like infinite scrolling and push notifications to keep us engaged and constantly returning for more. These design choices are often driven by the need to generate advertising revenue, but they can also negatively impact our mental health and well-being. Studies have shown that excessive use of social media can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. The design of algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) systems also has significant political implications. These systems are increasingly used to decide everything from job applications to criminal sentencing. However, the design of these algorithms can perpetuate existing biases and discrimination. For example, facial recognition software has been shown to have a higher error rate for people with darker skin tones, which can lead to false arrests and other adverse outcomes. In addition, the politics of design in technology is also reflected in the need for more diversity in the design field itself. The tech industry has historically been dominated by white men, which can lead to a narrow perspective and limited understanding of the needs and experiences of diverse communities. This lack of diversity in the design field can also perpetuate biases and stereotypes in the products created. Design choices can shape our built environment, influence our behaviour, and perpetuate biases and discrimination. Therefore, designers and technology companies must recognise the political dimensions of their work and take responsibility for their impact on our world. By creating designs that promote inclusivity, sustainability, and social justice, designers can help create a more equitable society. Moreover, designers are responsible for being aware of their work's political implications and using their skills to improve society. This means understanding their biases and assumptions and designing with empathy and inclusivity. It also means using design as a form of activism and resistance when necessary. In conclusion, the politics of design highlights design's influential role in shaping our political and social realities. It is essential for designers to be aware of this role and to use their skills for the betterment of society. Designers can create objects and experiences that challenge oppressive norms and promote positive social change by designing with empathy and inclusivity.
Design is political, and Design is power, and through this analysis, I have realised how you use that power is what matters. As a designer/creative artist, is your practice political?
Discuss with reference to a critical incident you have encountered. Own Title: Unconscious political design and design as a form of escapism. Name: Ada Hyczko Course: Design for Art Direction (DAD) In regards to myself as a creative artist/designer, I believe my practice is mostly unconsciously political through a form of escapism. During my DPS year, I have been experimenting with different mediums such as film, illustration, poster design, tattooing and visual art. Not having a set brief which falls under particular categories or is needed to be based around political topics, I have noticed that I have been creating what comes the most natural to me. I do not mean that politics are not important to me, but when it comes to being creative, basing my practice on political factors is not my immediate response. I think that politics and society have a general influence on everyone’s daily lives, personalities, and beliefs, therefore some of this influence regarding artists which do not class themselves as political is definitely unconscious. Escapism is “the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy.”. I believe a lot of my art since I have been young has been a form of escapism and a healing journey from anything that affects my mental health in a negative way. I mostly use art and design as a way of detaching from reality, which explains why I do not consider myself as a political designer. Due to politics being so relevant in everyone’s lives, political design makes me wonder whether some viewers may view my work as a political statement even if it is not meant to be political. On the other hand, during my first and second year of Design for Art Direction, I have created a short film about women’s safety, a zine surrounding body image and a visual essay exploring sex work. All topics which are considered quite close and personal to me, as a woman. Feminism is “a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes”. With that being said, I have created political designs in the past and I have always believed that any design can hold and send powerful messages to the public. My current project for the DPS SIP, was originally supposed to be a political zine including multiple collages made from used, second hand or free magazines, newspapers or catalogs or selected 3 final collages printed out A1, about the current cost of living crisis in the UK and how people of different social classes are affected/ the harsh divide between lower and upper class people during this time. However, as much as this is close to me and I am part of the people affected by the cost of living, I was not passionate enough about this topic to spend time creating something to reflect mine and other people’s emotions as well as try to send a powerful message in regards to the government as well, because I don't want to be faking my feelings or sending the wrong message. Reuben Pater, in “Politics of Design”, states that “Designers have a position of power because they are (partly) in control of the messages sent”. Instead of this zine, after finding my passion for tattooing during my DPS year, I have decided to create a short-documentary type interview video with a few tattoo artists for my SIP, whilst also starting my own freelance tattoo business/journey. This relates back to my point that as an artist my practise is mostly unconsciously political through a form of escapism but also my work is heavily driven by passion rather than politics. (617 Words) Bibliography https://www.google.com/search?q=escapism+definition&oq=escapism+defi&aqs=chrome.0.0i512j69i57j0i512l5j0i22i30l3.5994j1j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://www.google.com/search?q=is+feminism+political+or+social&oq=is+feminism+pol&aqs=chrome.0.0i512j69i57j0i512j0i15i22i30j0i22i30l6.3708j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 Reuben Pater, “Politics of Design”- “Designers have a position of power because they are (partly) in control of the messages sent” ![]() An art student, living in London, making a piece on the political voice of the public in the North of England. Who the fuck am I to make any sincere judgement on something so out of my grasp? It’s the right question that should be asked of anyone who creates work on any political matter. Why the fuck does your opinion matter? Or else it has the same gravitas as 47-year-old Angela from Bradford editing her Facebook profile picture with a red, white and blue filter after a terrorist attack in Paris: a superficial echo of a publicly acceptable opinion (Hodgson, 2016). Politics has always played a role in art and in some cases, art can be a massively important part of a political message. If we look at the Atelier Populaire, a student led political voice in the Paris wildcat riots of 1968, we can see how integral art can be to a political movement. They produced posters that were weapons in the service of the struggle; seen on barricades, led in protests and plastered around the city, carrying a strong visual message that served to inform and inspire. Their strong visual language helped to pass on valuable information with ease, giving the cause a voice. But the only reason anyone listened was because of their authenticity. These were people directly affected by the struggle, people who combined their vocation with the wider message to offer an honest opinion on the matter (Vermes, 2012). The popularity and acceptance of these posters is down to two main attributes, they were personal, and they were accessible. Personality with a certain message is conducive to a sincere and well received artwork. The students in Paris had an intrinsic link to the struggles of their city, if the same posters were to be made by a group in London, there would be a barrier between the message and the work. If we look at Steven Spielberg’s 1993 masterpiece Schindler’s List, we see a work fueled by pure emotion and raw feeling. As Spielberg is an orthodox Jew, many of his direct family were killed during the holocaust and the making of this film was a hugely cathartic experience of personal growth and facing skeletons in the closet. It would be hard to imagine a film just as impactful if it were directed, as it almost was, by Martin Scorsese, an Italian New Yorker making gangster movies. So, a personal connection to the ideas is necessary (Dodford, 2023). Now when these ideas are as intimidating, important, and as emotional as the holocaust, it’s important for them to be accessible. If the Atelier Populaire hadn’t designed their posters with such simple visuals and if they hadn’t plastered them over the city, would their message have been as well received? Would it even have been seen at all? Spielberg’s film opened the story of the holocaust to millions of people who otherwise would have no education on the matter, but an emotional tale of relatable characters creates a huge empathy that may not have been achieved with a documentary. The setting of the work is important to its reception. Taking these principles forward into my own work, I feel confident in delivering a piece that is authentic and believable. I am using my hometown as the setting for a story of revolution, using ideas that stem directly from a 16th century group of political activists known as the Diggers, also from my hometown. Helping to add another layer of heritage and sincerity. My story will be told through film, an accessible medium with humour and relatability that helps to welcome the viewer, put them at ease, and give them a good foundation for an educational experience. Who the fuck am I? I’m Matty Ascroft, I’m from Wigan, and I’m telling a story about my people, for my people and it’s gonna be fucking great. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hodgson, C. (2015). What is the point of changing your Facebook profile picture to a French flag? [online] New Statesman. Available at: https://www.newstatesman.com/science-tech/2015/11/what-point-changing-your-facebook-profile-picture-french-flag [Accessed 26 Apr. 2023]. Johan Kugelberg and Philippe Vermès (2012). Beauty is in the street : a visual record of the May ’68 Paris uprising. London: Four Corners Books. Dodford (2023). Steven Spielberg’s Living Hell: Two Films, One Year. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diES3cFBG6Q&t=1s&ab_channel=Dodford [Accessed 26 Apr. 2023]. LAURA AVEDISSIAN / DESIGN MANAGEMENT BA The title above is a quote I read when I was beginning my second year of Design Management. I encountered the quote in the book “Do Good Design: How Design Can Change The World?”. I had a growing interest in furniture and interiors, and the sentence made me feel guilty for wanting to work for that industry. Now I have a better understanding of that statement - which is often not true as we will see below - and of my place as a designer who hopes to be entering the furniture industry one day. As a marketing intern at a software design school in East London, I create content for the school’s social media accounts. We use our social media as a means to connect to other creative businesses in London - so I write about designers, artists, makers and creative hubs around the city. The main focus of the school is to teach design software to students who want to get into interior design, furniture design, architecture or graphic design. I am constantly researching about creatives who work in those fields - learning a lot of what has been happening in the furniture industry and realizing that furniture design, making, and commercialization are extremely political. One of the most interesting contradictions in the furniture industry is that while furniture makers and dealers have been tackling our global waste problem, it has also been of great influence on over-consumption and therefore, waste. Three of the main ways that furniture designers have found to tackle the waste problem is by re-using waste materials (from within the industry and from outside) into their furniture making practice (image 1), by creating and using long-lasting or new sustainable materials and processes, and by reselling preloved and vintage furniture (no production, no waste). Image1: James Shaw - Designer best known for its extruded plastic forms made of recycled HDPE plastic. Image 2: Injection-moulded chair that can be composted, developed by Prowl Studio. However, the fact that the furniture industry is a major contributor to overconsumption and waste is no secret. And that’s based on two important facts: long-lasting furniture is expensive, and cheap furniture tends to be thrown away and replaced by new items which follow the market trends of the time. During my DPS year I have been going to vintage sales, flea markets, and international fairs. And I have realized that If you are not an expert who can (with luck) spot a lucky bargain at vintage sale - for prices ranging from £10 - £400 - there is only so much you can find (in items, and in quality). In addition, furniture fleas are also guided by the market’s trendsetters - I was once speaking to one of the furniture sellers, and he told me that they know what is “on” and end up selling hundreds of the same style of tables/chairs/stools for a streak of months or years and store furniture that might not sell now (but one day might) in their warehouses. For instance, the return of mid-century design pieces have been happening since the 1990’s. This month, I went to the Salone del Mobile, in Milan. The Salone is the biggest furniture fair in the world in which the most famous furniture brands and manufacturers present their new collections and collaborations with designers. It was clearly stated that mid-century design is back: swooping organic lines, mixed materials and textures, clean angles, an emphasis on geometry. Furniture at Salone del Mobile 2023, by Kartell. Chair by Patricia Urquiola, table by Piero Lissoni, lamp by Ferrucio Laviani. But why Mid-|Century design? Furniture and ideology have always walked hand in hand. One of my favorite books on the subject is “Objects of Desire” by Adrian Forty. The book expands on the fact that with furniture, comes along “social contexts”, allowing objects to have an autonomous existence. It explains that every product, handmade or manufactured, to be successful will incorporate the ideas that will make it marketable. What political values associated with mid-century furniture design are we trying to bring back?
With this, I realize that as someone who wishes to work in furniture design and commercialization, there is so much to be taken into account when creating a piece of furniture. Materials, lines, textures, trendsetters, prices, personal biases, values and the overall product lifecycle are all politically heavy decisions that a designer has to make in order to design a positively meaningful object. Resources Pater, Ruben. (2016) The Politics of Design: A (not SO) Global Manual for Visual Communication. Amsterdam: BIS Publishers. Forty, Adrian (1986) Objects of Desire. Place of publication: Thames & Hudson. Berman, David. (2008) Do Good Design: How Design Can Change Our World. Place of publication: Peachpit Press. Shaw, James. (2017/2023) James Shaw. Available at: https://jamesmichaelshaw.co.uk/ (Accessed: 24/04/23). Prowl Studio (2021/2023) Prowl Studio. Available at: https://www.prowlstud.io/ (Accessed: 24/04/23). Dezeen (2023) Prowl Studio develops "first injection-moulded chair that can be composted". Available at: https://www.dezeen.com/2023/04/17/prowl-studio-peel-chair-m4-factory-milan-design-week/ (Accessed: 24/04/23). Olha Korda BA Design Management IntroThe middle of the dancefloor might seem an inappropriate space to discuss the philosophy of being or the longing issues of local politics, however, there are many ways in which attending the rave can be perceived as a form of activism. Important connections between culture and politics are often downplayed (Eyerman & Jamison, 1998). BeginningsEDM culture first emerged in the 80s UK in the form of Acid events that were highly protested by the government and even eventually altered the law in 1994 forbidding outdoor parties and playing music predominantly containing repetitive beats. Dozens of travelling sound systems were carried around by people protesting against the world order of consumerism, inequality and control enforcement. Taking its roots in Detroit, America the scene was powered by locals of black and Latino backgrounds and representatives of the LGBTQ community. Raves were designed as a form of protest against normality and while nowadays for most attendants coming to the event is a form of aligning to the modern-day trend, staying up for so many hours dancing in a dark cold place sometimes even midweek is a protest in itself. Harold Heath in his article for DJMag (2019) highlights that “it directly contravenes the needs and wishes of the governing classes who want you to keep your head down, go to work all week and consume products you don’t need in order to keep the system going.” Raving in the Warzone Very clearly throughout time, EDM has managed to create a community of like-minded people who support each other and become family on the dancefloor. With the development of technology, the community has grown globally and embraces people from the entire planet. Artists, promoters and fans communicate to form a subculture sharing views on life and social issues. Being from Ukraine I have personally experienced amazing support from this community and have attended and overlooked many events and charity initiatives supporting Ukraine organised by artists and labels all around the world. Ukrainian rave scene rocketed during covid when artists were looking for spaces to perform and escape the tough realities of the lockdown. Kyiv has been proclaimed the new Berlin during the summer of 2020 and has been popular among ravers since. The war has altered the way events are organized due to strict curfew and social pressure proclaiming partying during the war immoral and disrespectful to those on the frontline. However, Ukrainian youth has reinvented their events to serve the demands of the time. Repair Together has gathered many people in deoccupied territories to clean up the space and restore the spaces demolished by russian deeds. “Repair Together has so far hosted nine clean-up raves in three villages, as well as carrying out repairs to homes damaged by shelling. Their next mission is to build 12 houses in the nearby town of Lukashivka before the winter.” Robin Eveleign (2022). Designing the CommunityI have recently started working with the label called Warmer People as a part of my DPS journey. The team has kindly accepted me in the “Warmer” family and promised to help me make my first steps into the events industry as I share my knowledge of design principles and communication strategies in return. In this exchange, I have been receiving a lot of surprising knowledge about how much responsibility lies on the shoulders of promoters designing the event. In one of the conversations I had with my coworker, I mentioned how much I enjoyed attending the tech-house event organised by FUSE at Printworks, London. I was then asked to elaborate on this experience, being a female in the rave with at least 70% male attendants. This situation made me realise my personal experience is not always aligned with how other people may perceive it and that FUSE may carry a somewhat questionable reputation because of the audience they attract.
“Designers have a position of power because they are (partly) in control of the messages that are sent.” Hardt, Michael and Antonio Negri (2017) Any event label can be called a designer as they carefully curate artists, spaces and communication for their occasions. Therefore they are responsible for the way their guests feel and experience the community attracted by the work of the label which in a way represents their values and beliefs. Conclusion One’s design can’t be perfect for everyone as personal biases are unavoidable in the process of making and thinking. However purposefulness and intent behind the design can result in the community being built around something as chaotic as a rave. Bibliography 1. The Politics Of Design (2018) TThe Politics Of Design. Available at: http://thepoliticsofdesign.com (Accessed: Apr 2023). 2. Bourton, L. (2020) Graphic design is political: Jonathan Barnbrook on how we can build a better industry. Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/jonathan-barnbrook-in-conversation-graphic-design-100920 (Accessed: Apr 2023). 3. Baines, J. (2018) Politics, punk, and perverse optimist sit together on Johanna Burai's Bookshelf. Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/johanna-burai-bookshelf-260918 (Accessed: Apr 2023) 4. Moloney, I. (2019) The Politics of Partying: Electronic Dance Music as Collectivist Experimentation and Subversion. Available at: https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/download/downloads/id/525/the_politics_of_partying.pdf (Accessed: Apr 2023). 5. Heath, H. (2019) Politics are an integral part of dance music, here's why | DJMag.com. Available at: https://djmag.com/content/politics-are-integral-part-dance-music-here’s-why (Accessed: Apr 2023). 6. Eveleigh, R. (2022) The techno 'clean-up raves' restoring Ukraine - Positive News - Positive News. Available at: https://www.positive.news/society/the-techno-clean-up-raves-restoring-ukraine/ (Accessed: Apr 2023). 7. Sitovska, V. (2022) Clean-up raves have been held in three Ukrainian villages, with more events planned.. Available at: https://www.positive.news/society/the-techno-clean-up-raves-restoring-ukraine/ (Accessed: Apr 2023). Melanie Petkova, 19013470 BA Graphic & Media Design Whether displayed above the seating in the underground train or projected onto the tall walls of a gallery – every piece of visual work meant to be perceived by an external audience takes its own certain stance and has political impact. At the foundation of remaining a politically conscious creative practitioner in a severely consumerist society is the habit of being involved and curious. It is our responsibility to keep questioning the industry we are part of and ourselves, without settling neither for mass compliance nor convenience. My professional practice as an intern at a leading creative agency for the past seven months, has allowed me to get a taste of the industry through observing myself and my surroundings. It is a process that happens simultaneously outside and within – as we change, so does our perspective and, therefore, the world around us. Hence, I became aware that even though I was involved with such a well-known established institution, it was still an advertising company, and this meant that at work I was the creator, and in society the consumer. All the tactics to obtain one's unlimited attention, whether it be through push notifications, behavioural, weather, and geo-targeting, data tracking, or even the purposeful use of visual and written messages, ricocheted back to me. In a sense, I grew worried whether we, as designers, are working against ourselves to become the best consumers possible. I realised that even if an organisation has good intentions, its main objective is to surpass all its competitors and become a world leader, which means a domination of the audiences – the audiences being ourselves. I read a quote once in an interview with creator coach Josh Zimmerman for the New York Times (2020), which outlines how creatives cannot separate from their work, because they are their work, and it profoundly resonated with me. Moreover, now, having gained more experience, I reflect upon the concept of whether it is also impossible for us to separate from our working environments, as authentic individuals with personal values. This is how we end up being torn between these two polarities, the fine line between which causes us to fall victim to our own ideas and inventions. In the contemporary cluttered fast-paced world we live in, the topic of mindful curation of our physical and digital spaces has become quite common as well, revolving around simple habits such as limiting the daily access of notifications we receive. Therefore, is it possible that we are producing the same type of tangible and virtual content as designers that we are aiming to avoid as users, programmed to insert itself into and seamlessly interrupt the cycle of our lives? As part of creative organisations, we give our clients the exact meticulous and polished mechanisms with which to overtake the market, and as humans we are the ones being swayed by it. Essentially, where does the creator end and the consumer begin, or have they now become deeply interwoven? American conceptual artist, Barbara Kruger, evidently addresses these cultural constructions of power, identity, and consumerism in her rather provocative collages. Her work, such as a large photographic screen-print located at Tate Modern, titled ‘Who Owns What?’ (2012), speak directly to the viewer, implying a reconsideration of the ways in which the advertising and mass media industries impact our society. However, to extend the importance of these concepts on a wider scale her images have appeared on billboards, posters, and museums (accompanied by the artist’s name) across the globe – once again blurring the boundaries between creator, work, ownership, and audience. Which brings the point that if one has political self-awareness, they can touch upon such topics with grace, and create authentic and accurate pieces of work. Perhaps being mindful of the industry and the consumerist threats it holds could be our strength, rather than weakness, and a stimulating vessel for creating a better future together, for all of us. Reflecting upon these threats and opportunities within the political spectrums of creation and consumerism, and how significantly interwoven they have become, is a source of concern for me, but equally one of hope. I believe that it is never too late to make a positive shift, and maybe it all starts with looking around and seeing. Bibliography
My name is Gabriela Solomacha, and I am studying Interaction Design Arts. As part of DPS I have joined a creative agency Not Actual Size, where we focus our practice on digital creation, as well as campaign visualisation and production. Our main client being Dove, our priority in representing Dove is aligning with the brands culture and tracking the social sphere to understand online behaviours and trending topics. With the brand slogan being “lets change beauty” and its ethos revolving around realistic beauty and diverse representation, we have to create content that advocates these ideologies and participates in change whilst listening to the social and political climate in order to maintain brand relevance and engagement. As a company we are always on the radar for headlines in politics, beauty as well as developments around the social sphere and Ai; in order for us to deliver insights for the safety and relevance for the brands we work with. With brand influence, comes a lot of responsibility. Specifically, with Dove where their brand purpose is so loud and impactful, the desire of participation in discussions requires a lot of resourcing and planning, to not tread in a politically controversial territory. For transgender day of visibility we needed to create a social media post in celebration of transgender women. As a brand who advocates for diverse representation, this field of identity was lacking, due to the limited and recycled assets we had available for this topical date.This evolved into a question of whether it is good enough just to post on timely dates or whether their participation only results in rainbow-washing when their content does not consistently embrace these cultures. By looking and comparing other brands’ efforts during transgender day of visibility we were able to find inspiration and examples of positive representation, but also how sometimes it negatively evolved to gender politics being discussed. One project really stood; the clothing company Both& created a simple campaign featuring transgender male models, in a campaign heavily inspired by the 90’s Calvin Klein campaigns. The execution was very simple and included no copy, and felt just as it should…a beautiful fashion ad. The photographs managed to capture their masculinity, and clothing in a way that doesn’t ‘other’ the individuals (Both&, 2023). But there is also a simple reason behind the success, the company is a transmasc clothing brand that also employs transgender individuals. The Creative Director of the project; Daniel Sea, said to Hunger Magazine “Making visible to the world how I see, feel and perceive myself is a generous gift that we as trans people offer.”(Sea, 2023) The goal was to make visible and not make spectacle of. But for brands whose purpose does not solely parallel the transgender identity, how can they showcase their solidarity within their branding? The common dilemma with representation and diversity is acknowledging the need for opportunities and accessibility. Mastercard became the most surprising ally, and in 2022 facilitated a banking system where transgender individuals can choose to display their chosen name on their cards. The initiative carried the name “true name” (Mastercard, 2022) and was released alongside a campaign that included a tv advert, interviews with Asher and Emme, two transgender individuals who reacted to their own mastercard with their “true name”. As a brand, Mastercard has discovered a barrier that they are in the power or taking down. Compared to other brands, they are not necessarily trying to sell a product through it, but are simply facilitating a system. Yet again, Mastercard is an equal opportunity employer and was listed by stonewall in their top 100 employers for LGBTQ+ people. So can good campaigns only be born through brands that already implement equal opportunities?
Well, recently Nike has received backlash for sponsoring a transgender influencer in modelling and advertising a sports bra. The campaign received a backlash of hate, with Olympic swimmer for team GB describing this as like “a parody of what women are.” (Davies, 2023) Similarly to Both&, Nike paid model Dylan Mulvey in the same respect they would any other Nike partner. Unfortunately, there has been an uproar in the debate of the ethics of inclusion of transgender athletes within female sport. The campaign could have been seen as Nike taking a stance in this political debate. However recently, Nike has also released it’s “one-leak” range, helping female athletes with periods perform their sport without the fear of leaking. Evidentially, Nike is not disrespecting women, it is facilitating a comfortable attire for female athletes in the same way Mastercard facilitated a more comfortable payment experience for transgender individuals. The marketing side of every company is a window to the companies fundamental morals and practices. Without a socially equitable inclusion goal the brand is bound to take missteps in commentating on socio-political subjects, as when they do, it is evident that their practice has the ‘-washing’ agenda. After we presented our client with this dilemma, they have agreed to take actions forward in casting more transgender women for their campaigns. Both&. (2023). Boys, boys, boys.[Advert]. [Online and Print]. [20 April 2022]. Available from: https://bothandapparel.co.uk/blogs/community/boys-boys-boys Sea, 2 (2023) Transgender men take centre stage in this Trans Day of Visibility campaign, available at https://www.hungertv.com/editorial/transgender-men-take-centre-stage-in-this-trans-day-of-visibility-campaign/ [25 April 2023] Mastercard (2022). True Name .[Advert]. [Online]. [20 April 2022]. Available from: https://www.mastercard.com/news/perspectives/2022/true-name-feature-for-transgender-community/ Davies, S. (2023) ‘Women Boycott Nike’. Interviewed by Dan Wootton, GBNews, 6 April 2022 Yashica Jain BA GMD DPS 2022-2023 ![]() My name is Yashica Jain, and I am currently pursuing Graphic and Media Design at LCC. I am currently in my placement year, which is called DPS ( Diploma in Professional Studies). As a designer or creative artists, we often think of our practice as being apolitical. However, every design choice we make has political implications, reflecting and shaping the cultural, social, and political landscape around us. In this blog post, we will discuss the political nature of design and creative art, with reference to a critical incident that highlights the significance of cultural and political context in design. One such incident occurred when I was tasked with designing a logo for an internship interview for a brand that had the vision of creating a space friendly enough for everyone in the design space. At first glance, it seemed like a straightforward project. However, as I delved deeper, I realized that every design choice I made would have political implications. For example, the typography used in the logo would convey a specific message, depending on its style and context. Bold, sans-serif fonts might suggest a sense of modernity, while cursive fonts might evoke nostalgia and tradition. Similarly, the choice of color could communicate a range of messages, from warmth and inclusivity to power and authority. Moreover, illustrations and photography used in the design can also be heavily influenced by cultural and political contexts. The use of symbols and images may convey different meanings based on the context in which they are presented. In the case of the community center, we had to consider the cultural and political implications of using specific symbols that could be interpreted in different ways. In the end, I decided to incorporate elements that reflected the diversity of the community, such as incorporating the colors of the rainbow to represent inclusivity. The typography was kept simple and modern, and the symbol used was a combination of various shapes to represent the diversity of the community. This project demonstrated the political nature of design, as every choice we made reflected our personal beliefs and values. Our design choices conveyed political statements and challenged existing power structures and cultural norms. Therefore, it is crucial for designers and creative artists to be mindful of the cultural and political context in which their designs will be used. We could look at the 2016 ‘vote leave’ bus campaign as another example of design having a political approach. This wasn’t about design being fancy or artistic, but rather holding a strong message to present to the citizens of the United Kingdom. Source: Sky News While the simple bolding of the word "£350 million" links the emotive with the logical core of the message, the blue of the health care logo stands out and pulls attention. No matter what your opinions are on the economics of Brexit or the future of our membership in Europe, it's impossible to dispute that the winning campaign's bus was one of the most powerful and durable pieces of campaign collateral deployed in the UK in recent decades. ![]() Another prominent example of political expression being presented through a design perspective would be the unnamed collective of feminist female artists called Guerrilla Girls (GG), who are committed to combating racism and sexism in the art industry. The organization was founded in 1985 in New York City as a result of a picket that had been held against the Museum of Modern Art the year before. Bringing attention to gender and racial inequalities in the larger artistic community and in society at large is at the heart of the group's activity. Source: The MET GG claims that identities are hidden because problems are more important than specific people. We primarily wanted the issues to be the center of attention rather than our personalities or our own work. They went to The Met to compare the proportion of female artists represented there with the proportion of bare female bodies shown in the pieces on view. To find an answer to the question "Do women have to be naked to get into the Met. Museum?" they incorporated the figures in a poster. The Guerrilla Girls sought a different public venue for their design: New York City's buses. The Public Art Fund finally rejected it as a billboard, citing concerns of lack of clarity. By capturing a picture of a naked lady lying back in a relaxing pose and putting a gorilla head over her face, they mocked Jean-August-Dominique Ingres' iconic nude painting La Grande Odalisque. Third, the Guerrilla Girls' determination to humiliate and smear such a prominent art institution—the Met—really demonstrated their audacity and commitment to equitable representation. Reflecting on the past, the group of defiant Guerrilla Girls during the 1980s brought about a significant change in the way art and politics were intertwined, paving the way for unprecedented integration between the two. Additionally, they demonstrated that women and artists from ethnically diverse backgrounds should be given an active and equitable role in shaping art history. This pushed institutions to re-examine their approaches to inclusivity. In conclusion, every design choice we make has political implications, and it is essential for designers and creative artists to consider the cultural and political context of typography, colors, illustrations, photography, and symbols used in their work. The critical incident of designing a logo for a internship project highlighted how every design decision we make reflects and shapes the cultural, social, and political landscape around us. As designers and creative artists, we have the power to use our talents to advocate for social change and create a more just and equitable society. Citations: Let's see the £350m promised by Brexit campaigners for the NHS, say MPs (2023). Available at: https://news.sky.com/story/lets-see-the-350m-for-the-nhs-say-mps-10630640 (Accessed: 5 April 2023). Fourexamples of great political design (2018). Available at: https://jamescalmus.medium.com/four-examples-of-great-political-design-b65bad178233 (Accessed: 5 April 2023). Guerrilla Girls | Do Women Have To Be Naked To Get Into the Met. Museum? | The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2023). Available at: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/849438 (Accessed: 5 April 2023). TheGuerrillaGirls:UsingArttoStageaRevolution(2020).Availableat: https://www.thecollector.com/guerrilla-girls/ (Accessed: 5 April 2023). |
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