BLURRED BORDERS SHARPEN THE FOCUS
Russell Kennedy, Icograda Vice President 2005-2007
Blurred Borders Sharpen the Focus: Adjusting to the New Paradigm
Global
networking, self-analysis and the renaming of graphic design are
emerging as the major issues facing the practitioners and educators of
our profession. A shrinking world - combined with the merging of
creative discipline - encourages us to both redefine our profession and
internationalise our approach to its education. The question is, how do
we promote a broad international focus, and at the same time protect
and encourage cultural diversity?
The borders between
graphic design and its associated creative disciplines have been
blurring for some time. The discipline is currently in a state of flux.
This is due in part to the computer revolution and the multimedia
phenomenon, but mainly to a changing attitude towards design itself.
Design is now referred to holistically. Multi-disciplinary and
cross-disciplinary practise is growing. Designers are becoming aware of
their environmental and cultural responsibilities. Graphic design has
an important role to play in promoting sustainability and in responding
to the negative impacts of globalisation. Respecting our differences is
just as important as highlighting our similarities. It is important
that we focus on diversity and take care not to involuntarily promote
the homogenisation of international design through the well-intended
pursuit of common ground. On the other hand, the value of graphic
design will only increase as the world moves closer together, because
communication design is emerging as the new international language.
More
and more graphic designers are working in the new media areas of web,
video, animation and sound design. These changes are not however all
due to the growth of multimedia. An increasing number of graphic
designers is practising and exhibiting within a visual arts context.
The role of the graphic designer has extended far beyond the areas of
visual identity, typography and design for print. Many graphic
designers are now targeting both corporate and cultural design clients.
They find that the balance of both corporate and culturally themed work
helps to keep them fresh and creatively stimulated. Designers are also
becoming more entrepreneurial in their approach to practise by
developing and marketing their own products, publishing books and
producing their own exhibitions. Those graphic designers who operate
outside of the traditional paradigm have the ability to control their
destiny more so than at any other time in the profession s short
history.
The rapid and continual evolution of "graphic
design" has prompted international discussion regarding the
appropriateness of the term itself. At the 2005 AGIdeas Conference in
Melbourne, Vince Frost of Emery Frost Design said, "The term graphic
design is far too limiting for what we do. It does not say enough." The
International Council of Graphic Design Associations (Icograda)
recently opened discussion on a name change for the profession. It
acknowledged that there is a definite move away from the term "graphic
design." Most educational institutions around the world have already
made name changes to their graphic design courses. The terms visual
communication and communication design appear to be the preferred
replacements. In fact, visual communication has already entered the
vernacular of Icograda, with their literature stating, "Icograda is the
professional world body for graphic design and visual communication."
Icograda continually uses these two terms together as if undergoing a
transitional phase. Perhaps this is one indication that the term
graphic design is on the way out.
So what is in a name? A
name is important when promoting the value of our discipline to the
business world. A confused marketplace can only be negative for the
profession. A sharper focus is required to effectively promote the
value of our profession to business and the broader community. The
structure and dynamics of the discipline has changed and continues to
do so, but the primary task of graphic design remains the same... which
is to say, to tell a story. In the past, the graphic design industry
has managed to adjust to change, but it has always adjusted in a
reactionary fashion. The speed and dynamic nature of change
necessitates a far more proactive approach. The more progressive design
firms have already made this adjustment to their mindsets but many
others have not. Graphic design education faces similar challenges to
its pedagogy. Design educators must continue to respond to the changing
demands of the profession while also challenging established
conventions by pushing the boundaries even wider. The changing nature
of design has a much larger impact on society. It is not only the
boundaries of the discipline, which are blurring, but also the borders
between national identities and cultures.
Information
technology will continue to have an impact on the evolution of our
discipline. The Internet, along with trends in international trade and
marketing, will accelerate issues relating to the shrinking world and
its impact on cultural diversity. Globalisation, sustainability and
cultural identity are poised to be the next defining parametres for
graphic design. Design education is also in the midst of an
international information revolution. The internationalisation of
graphic design education is evident in many ways.
Until
recently, Australian design students had missed opportunities to
interact with other countries in the area of design because of our
geographical isolation. This situation has improved dramatically over
the past ten years. We now have access to programmes and events that
provide opportunities for students to participate in regular
international design discourse. Melbourne's AGIdeas Conference has been
a leader in this area, as have the Australian Graphic Design
Association (AGDA) and the Design Institute of Australia (DIA), both of
which offer regular international seminars and visiting designer
lectures. Monash, RMIT and Swinburne Universities all have
international visiting lecture programmes.
All Australian
universities attract international student enrolments. They offer
global exchanges, study abroad and visiting artist programmes.
International research and collaborative projects are encouraged.
Postgraduate students and staff engage with the international design
community by writing articles for research journals and presenting
academic papers at design conferences around the world.
In
June 2002, I was invited by Icograda to speak at their Educational
Network Symposium in Brno, Czech Republic. The main purpose of the
symposium was to discuss the formation of an international educational
initiative entitled "The Icograda Educational Network (IEN)." This
two-day symposium featured a series of speakers, discussion forums and
workshops, which were designed to help formulate the initiative s
structure and content.
The symposium concluded that the IEN
would have two platforms. Its primary function would be to provide
design students and educators with the opportunity to interact with
like-minded people around the world. This would be achieved through
face-to-face contact at regular international conferences and seminars.
The second platform would be a supporting Internet website that could
act a conduit for the exchange of information, and to provide worldwide
exposure for design institutions and their students. It would also
provide a vehicle for dialogue between academics and students
internationally, facilitate the exchange and development of curricula,
foster international design research projects and encourage the
expression of new ideas and thinking. It is an exciting initiative with
the potential to be a major factor in shaping the future of design
education worldwide.
Three years on, the Icograda Education
Network has proven to be of enormous value to both students and
educators, especially for geographically and culturally isolated
countries. So far, the IEN has hosted regional educational meetings and
student workshops in Nagoya (Japan), Istanbul (Turkey) and Sao Paulo
(Brazil). Promoting cultural diversity is high on the agenda. In 2005,
the IEN also initiated a major collaborative project involving students
from over twenty countries. Creative Waves took place over a 6-week
period during March and April and linked approximately eighty design
students and their teachers. Using an online studio interface,
developed by Rick Bennett, a design lecturer from the University of New
South Wales, participants were able to interact in small design teams
(where no team member was from the same geographic location) to
challenge and respond to an unravelling design brief. This is the first
collaborative online project of this kind and its success suggests that
it may be a sign of things to come. The Creative Waves project explored
the potential of online and collaborative visual communication through
graphic design and photomedia studies. Participants formed strong
creative and social bonds with partners in distant parts of the world,
receiving regular feedback and support from established creative
professionals and educators, all while using the Internet as their sole
communication tool. The visiting professionals and academics included
such luminaries as Steven Heller, Katherine McCoy, Ed Fella, Stefan
Sagmiester and William Harald-Wong, among others.
The IEN
and its Creative Waves project provide us with an insight into a future
where universities and their students will have seamless access to a
hands-on international educational experience, as well as the
invaluable opportunity to learn through the exchange of ideas, design
theories and philosophies. It is an exciting time, but as custodians we
must all approach this new era responsibly, especially with regard to
the issue of cultural diversity.
The impact of globalisation
on the Australian graphic design industry has been a double-edged
sword. Both the positive and negative impacts have been influential in
shaping the future of design in this country. The changing
international landscape has provided opportunities for many Australian
design practitioners and students. Interaction with the global
community has been beneficial in many ways. The more we are exposed to
international design, the more open and connected we become. Australian
designers are now more likely to have an international focus in their
practise, and are more confident about participating on the world
stage. The marketing phrase of the 1980s "think global, act local" has
never been more relevant, although this philosophy can also be blamed
for the proliferation of an internationalised design aesthetic as we
strive to search for broad acceptance. This international style is
commonly referred to as the "European international aesthetic." The
threats to cultural diversity combined with the corporate and economic
impact on the design profession are side effects that have yet to be
properly addressed.
In recent years many of Australia's
leading design firms have been taken over by larger international
players. Design studios have reinvented themselves to become "Brand
Consultancies" with a greater focus on international clients and global
brand strategies. The result has been a more unilateral approach to
corporate identity design. The broader audience limits opportunities
for designers to respond to the rich and varied nuances of individual
cultures. You only have to consider how similar the streetscapes have
become in the world's major cities to see the impact of global branding
- particularly in the high streets and business areas.
Garry
Emery made the following statement during his "Culture in Design"
lecture at RMIT University of Technology in 2000: "Contemporary design
is international: you find the same skyscrapers, movies, fashion,
magazines and fast food in any modern city around the world. Since
designers speak an international language, why is it then important to
understand different cultures? There are plenty of good reasons.
Designers ought to be conscious of how culturally embedded they are.
Regional identity is a contemporary, anti-global undercurrent in all
design disciplines, so designers need to be aware of other cultures.
Designing for a foreign culture adds an extra dimension of research and
analysis to the usual rational and creative processes of design, and
designers benefit from understanding how to operate beyond their own
cultural matrix."
Globalisation is not a new phenomenon: we
have been grappling with the impact of internationalism since the early
part of the last century. The current concern is the rate at which it
is moving. Even Marshall McLuhan could not have predicted this
phenomenon. His prophetic book The Global Village (1988) was written
well before the launch of the Internet. The acceleration of the
shrinking of the world is due to a number of factors, including the
Internet, media, ease of international travel and globally integrated
branding strategies. For me, the Oneworld logo, designed by Interbrand and implemented by Futurebrand,
encapsulates the current state of branding and globalisation, both by
its name and its design. The international ingredients of this brand
are significant, as both Interbrand and Futurebrand are regarded as two
of the world's premier brand consultancies. Oneworld is an alliance of
international airlines from predominantly non-English speaking
countries. Interestingly, if not surprisingly, they opt to use English
words in the logo. The logo works in the context of what it is trying
to achieve; after all, it is justifiably a global brand. It is a
well-designed, culturally non-offensive logo, which uses the world's
most powerful international language. On the other hand, the logo lacks
personality and is creatively safe. Designing for a global market can
encourage banal solutions. This is evident with many designs aimed at
an international audience. The problem is that while attempting to
please everyone, we can often fail to excite anyone.
The
2005 AGIdeas Conference in Melbourne also provoked a memorable quote on
this subject by South African graphic designer Garth Walker. "If I call
myself African, why then do I want look as though I come from New
York?" This issue is just as relevant to Australia and highlights
another challenge for our designers and educators, that is, the
exploration and redefinition of our own national visual identity. I
suggest that the starting point be the Australian Flag, a national
design project that is long overdue. To feature the flag of another
country on our flag is perceived by the rest of the world as illogical
and by Australians as not 'fair dinkum' (genuine). It is not a unique
design and it is not a national flag - it is a colonial flag, and to
claim that the Union Jack on the Australian flag symbolises the
historical origin of our people is insulting, especially to Indigenous
Australians.
As Milton Glaser said, "The logo is a point of
entry to a brand." It could be argued that a national flag is the entry
point to a country's cultural identity. The term brand has been
maligned in recent times due to a paradigm shift in the way brands are
used. The concept of brand has moved from a manufacturer's mark of
quality to a point where the brand or trademark has become the product
itself. Naomi Klein, author of No Logo acknowledges that the
corruption of the brand ideal is a relatively recent phenomenon. "The
astronomical growth in the wealth and cultural influence of
multinational corporations over the last fifteen years can arguably be
traced back to a single, seemingly innocuous idea developed by
management theorists in the mid-1980s: that successful corporations
must primarily produce brands, as opposed to products."
The term brand
comes from the practise of stamping or marking property such as
livestock with a hot iron. Branding is the process of associating a
name with a reputation. A trademark or logo is the primary element of a
brand, but a brand is much more than a logo. It is a vehicle to help
distinguish one product from another. It projects an overall image of a
product, organisation or even country. Designing a new Australian flag
certainly qualifies as a branding project.
The task of
designing a visual identity program for a country is an alluring
proposition for any visual communicator. Richard Henderson of R-Co. and
former principal of Futurebrand (FHA) said, "To design the Australian
National Flag is to design the Big Brand." FHA Design, now Futurebrand,
has dealt with comparable briefs in the past with identities for the
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Identity and the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth
Games. Both identities involved designing for an international audience
while at the same time reflecting unique cultural elements. What might
be regarded as typically Australian for a global audience may appear
kitsch and cliché for Australians. Conversely, what communicates
domestically might be too obscure to those outside of Australia.
The
Australian identity remains a major challenge for designers. The visual
representation of our nation extends far beyond flags and logos. It is
an area of design research that needs further exploration. Many
Australian designers have already done so in the past. The design
collective, "All Australian Graffiti," explored the irreverent aspect
of the Australian character from a migrant perspective in the 1970s.
More recently, Mambo Design has also established a commitment to
perpetuate the theme of Australian irreverence.
Australia
has a long history of designers, illustrators and photographers who
have focused on our unique qualities as opposed to following an
international code such as Gordon Andrews, Gert Selheim, Eileen Mayo,
Douglas Annard, May Gibbs, Thea Proctor and Max Dupain.
One
Australian graphic designer who consistently demonstrates an
understanding of the Australian visual identity is David Lancashire.
David, like many immigrants to this country, arguably has a better
understanding of the Australian vernacular than those of us who were
born here. His work is honest and without prejudice. Newcomers often
see their adopted country with fresh eyes and adventurous enthusiasm.
David Lancashire appreciates the sensibilities of Aboriginal art. He
references indigenous visual culture in a sensitive and respectful way.
Although he is heavily influenced, he could never be accused of
appropriation. Having immigrated to Australia as a boy, David
acknowledges the importance of Aboriginal art to our national identity.
He seems to understand the precarious relationship it has with
contemporary Australian design. Designing in this area requires a
considered methodology and knowledge and respect for the culture. David
Lancashire is without peer in regard to interfacing indigenous with
non-indigenous vernaculars.
Graphic Designers aka Visual
Communicators have the ability to contribute to the social agenda
rather than respond to it. Like writers, novelists, filmmakers and fine
artists, it is now common to see graphic designers contributing to
social commentary. Some visual communicators already make a cultural
contribution, which sits outside conventional practise. Garry Emery and
3Deep Design are designers who operate outside of the traditional
business model, Garry Emery with his critically acclaimed exhibitions
and 3Deep with their award winning publication Bird and Somethingbetween,
their recent foray into design seminars and workshops. Ken Cato has
made an enormous contribution to the design community for many years
with the AGIdeas Conference. Cornwell Design's Issues and Images exhibition
in 2001 was also an inspiring example to all graphic designers of the
potential to explore new areas of cultural expression.
Designers
are more multi-skilled than they have ever been. Once a designer
understands the language of design they can cross over into other
design disciplines. The blurring of the borders makes it easier to
seamlessly move between the associated areas of visual communication.
Design education finds that it needs to continually respond to the
changing state of the profession. The design industry has always needed
intelligent designers with strong conceptual ability and graduates to
have proficient technical and production knowledge. Universities are
now placing increased emphasis on design history, theory, research
methods and design management. The demand for postgraduate study is
increasing and cross-disciplinary activity is encouraged. The future of
graphic design is fluid, and it is moving into areas outside the
traditional vocational paths. The challenge for education is not only
to support the requirements of the profession, but also to encourage
the evolutionary growth and redefinition of this dynamic discipline. We
must continue to design for the human condition, to respect cultural
diversity and to challenge the preconceived notion of graphic design.
As the borders between disciplines continue to blur, we must sharpen
our focus on where we sit, who we are and what we want to say.
International
design associations have been formulating their responses to this issue
for some time. Icograda has recently formed an alliance with the
International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) called
the International Design Alliance (IDA). The alliance is expected to
embrace other associated disciplines over the coming years. The head
office for the IDA was officially opened in Montréal, Canada on 27 May
2005. The alliance was formed in an effort to give "design" a more
powerful voice.
The IDA will become the world's primary
multidisciplinary design body. It will represent the global, regional,
national and domestic interests of design and its associated
disciplines, and act as an umbrella entity for design associations
around the world. The IDA's mandate will be to elevate the profile of
design by advocating its value and importance to government, industry
and society as a whole. It will respect the individual sensibilities of
each design discipline while at the same time identifying their
collective common ground. It will initiate collaborative projects
between partner associations, champion the interests of design in a
holistic sense and promote design as a professional and cultural
activity.
One thing is clear: that whatever we call it,
graphic design will only grow in importance as the world moves closer
together, because visual communication is the only truly international
language.
"Graphic design is an intellectual, technical
and creative activity concerned not simply with the production of
images but with the analysis, organization and methods of presentation
of visual solutions to communication problems. Information and
communication are the basis of worldwide interdependent living, whether
in trade, cultural or social spheres. The graphic designer's task is to
provide the right answer to visual communication problems of every kind
in every sector of society."
(Icograda 2005)
About this article
Please note that the content of this feature is an edited version of the text Blurred Borders Sharpen the Focus: Adjusting to the new paradigm, which will appear in a soon to be released book by Cornwell Design entitled Possibility. The publisher is Images Publishing and the release date is set for mid 2006.