task 2

One quote that really inspired me when reading first things first (revisited) was ‘what seduces us is its image’ I thought this quote really summed up how great design works, and sells.

With this in mind I found This piece of work by paper pioneer Anant Nanvare used to advertise conqueror paper. Nanvare uses simple tools in a unique and creative way to ‘seduce’ its viewer, agreeing with Mau’s theory from  ‘an incomplete manifesto for growth’ that to be successful is to ‘make your own tools. Hybridize your tools in order to build unique things, even simple tools that are your own can yield entirely new avenues of exploration’  

Therefore this disagrees with Poyners theory from the first things first (revisited) manifesto; ‘we have absorbed design so deeply into ourselves that we no longer recognize the myriad ways in which it prompts, cajoles, disturbs, and excites us. It's completely natural. It’s just the way things are.’ The design of this piece still provides a visual impact and is not taken for granted.

However, though the piece is visually engaging there is a lack of meaning to the piece, agreeing with poyners 's point that the majority of design now focuses on trivial issues and avoids wider problems; ‘a few skeptical designers asked what this non-stop tide of froth had to do with the wider needs and problems of society.’ Advertising design is brain washing society by showing only the good side of products, showing us only want we want to see and avoiding the real problem.  Agreeing with first things first (1964 &2000) point that

‘Commercial work has always paid the bills but many graphic designers have now let it become, in large measure, what graphic designers do. This in turn is how the world perceives design. The professions time and energy is used up manufacturing demands for things that are inessential at best.’ The majority of products being advertised to us are unnecessary moneymakers, not just exploiting talent, but creating problems and ethical dilemmas. Nanvare   conqueror paper ad may paint a happy positive ideology in the viewers head but what it does not show is the effect that this product could have on the world if it was to become mass produced and popular such as the amount of trees that would be chopped down to fuel the business. Everything’s been boiled down to pleasing people instead of highlighting and capturing purposeful information through the art of design.

In conclusion, though I do agree that design could be used more to produce work with an actual purpose to inform society on political, social and environmental issues I still believe that every piece of design produced, commercial or otherwise, is still creative and requires an aptitude for imagination. Therefore, I disagree with what Anthony Wedgwood Benn said in (Poyners) manifesto that ‘the responsibility for the waste of talent which they have denounced is one we must all share.’ I feel (poyner) has contradicted himself here from his earlier quote; ‘what seduces us is its image’, as even though commercial work may not be meaningful it still requires talent to seduce its viewer.

MAU, B (1998) 'An complete manifesto for growth' [online] Available from: http://www.fastcompany.com/41082/incomplete-manifesto-growth [Accessed: 14th October 2014]

POYNOR, R (1991) 'First Things First (Revisited)' [online] Available from: http://www.emigre.com/Editorial.php?sect=1&id=13 [Accessed: 15th October 2014]

LASN, ET AL (2000) ‘First Things First (1964 & 2000) [online] Available from: http://www.strg-n.com/edu/hgkz_BuK/files/first_things.pdf [Accessed: 15^th October 2014]