Blog assignment 11 ( Modernism: standardisation, rationalisation, and the search for the universal)

Design of coca-cola bottle aimed at mass-production. Retrieved September  24 from:  http://asianmalerevolutions.com/remember/i-propaganda-consumerism--origins-of-mass-media/

Hannes Meyer, the Swiss-born architect appointed director of the Bauhaus in 1928, argued that design is a product of “function x economy”, aligning design with a scientific model driven by new technologies and manufacturing potential. I agree with opinion that design nowadays becomes more and more scientific and less artistic. Today design is aimed more at mass production and collective needs rather than individual taste and preferences. This tendency was reinforced with the advent of first and then Second World War when social goals and needs were set higher than private. Modernism simplified design but made it more complicated at the same time. Even though appearance of things became less complex the process of making started to involve new machine technologies which requires special scientific engineering knowledge. Lissitsky states that “The new art is formed, not on a subjective, but on an objective basis.” (Lissitsky as stated in Raizman, 1918-44, p. 74) Which means that artists apply less personal attitude to their work. Personally, I do not think that this is what design should be like. I believe that design is all about self-expression of an artist. It is obvious that in 21^st century design for mass production is an essential part of design. But there still has to be place for pure art in our life.

References:
1.Raizman, D. (2004). The First Machine Age in Europe, in History of Modern Design, New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc.

Blog assignment 10 (the symbolic universe)

The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo (Sistine Chapel) Retrieved September 18th from: https://briarcroft.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/an-advent-tapestry-our-hearts-are-restless/

I think one of good examples of symbolic universes today can be different new religions. Religious people acknowledge themselves as a part of divine world created by God who is the father of all people. Whenever newborn comes to the world he or she is already a part of the supernal universe and as he or she rises he or she starts to learn from elder people about the God and how everything that exists in the world has been created and starts to perceive him or herself as integral part of that universe. And for that person it cannot be otherwise. It does not depend on him or her. He or she was born as a part of that universe, everyone else in his or her understanding is a part of it and it does not matter whether that person is believer or not. It was just meant to be so. People are powerless to affect it.

I believe that design plays an important role in straightening the faith of people. It implicates iconography and architecture that can create a unique feeling of divine greatness and omnipresence. In turn media plays an important role in spread of religion by propaganda of religion through printed production and TV and radio programmes.

Blog assignment 9 (New Media)

Ekaterina's palace 1751, Tsarskoe selo, St. Petersburg Russia. Retrieved September 9 from http://tickitnow.com/?p=museum&view=4

In his essay “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” Benjamin claims that “To an ever greater degree the work of art reproduced becomes the work of art designed for reproducibility. From a photographic negative, for example, one can make any number of prints; to ask for the authentic print makes no sense.” (Benjamin 1935, p. 4) I can not agree more with that statement. In the age of digital and mechanical reproduction, the work of art appears as something, that is meant to be  reproduced. As a comparison, looking back to the past I want to turn to Ekaterina’s Palace in Saint Petersburg – architectural monument of the Tsarist Russia. Nowadays it is considered as a unique work of art. However originally it was built as a house for living. In Russian Imperia not only queen could afford apartments like that. Rich and wealthy Russian dynasties also lived in luxurious palaces. With new technologies houses are built way faster and they are not unique. If we will have a look at house of Russian person today it would be an easy to reproduce architectural object, which will scarcely likely will ever become a work of art. With the advent of the Bolsheviks houses started to be built on the same project to support the socialist idea of absolute equality between people, so most houses looked absolutely the same. Same thing happened to the art in whole. Since 20^th century new media takes a huge place in art and it continues to defend it’s right to be a significant part of art. The tendency shows that cinema becomes more and more popular while theatre takes a back seat. It is also not a secret that more and more people become interested in photography and less – in art. According to Petty, with new media technologies art work loses it’s aura (M.Petty, personal communication, September 7, 2011). “Authentic” art still exists but it is probably about to extinct in few centuries.


References: 1. Benjamin, W. (1935). The Work of Art in the Age of the Mechanical Reproduction.