Essay – written october 2002 – Part 3
The argument also exists that, to create meaning, art must be constructed out of and reflect upon existing social values. MacGregor states that “Post-Modernism holds that many value positions may be taken about relationships among persons, art, and education and many of these positions are likely to be in conflict. Art works are constructed out of social interactions and indeed are designated "art works" by those elements in society that sponsor them.” (1992, p.1) It is important for designers to be able to draw on this understanding of socio-cultural interactions and reflect on them in their work.[1] In fact, the inclusion of historical and cultural reference is the very essence of graphic design. MacGregor goes on to describe this tendency for cultural recycling in design. “Bricolage, the habit of using whatever comes to hand, and eclecticism, the deliberate plucking of elements out of their original contexts and bringing them together arbitrarily, are common post-Modern traits. Ambiguities and surprises are sought, together with multiple references. The audience may be confronted with paradoxes arising from unlikely choices of material, or from allusions to discrepant periods in art history, or from cultural contradictions” (1992, p.2) This alone is an extremely valid reason for the teaching of history in design, and examples of these approaches could theoretically be used as a powerful way for an educator to justify to learners the necessity for learning in this area.
Another issue related to the teaching of history and theory that is central to the practice of design, is the teaching of aesthetics. While the term ‘aesthetics’ can in one sense refer to the technical quality of a piece of art or design, Hagaman (1990, p.2) describes the term ‘aesthetics’ as a more general way of thinking about art and design. “Aesthetics historically is a branch of philosophy with its own substantive content. This content deals with general questions about art such as ‘What is art?’ ‘What's the difference between a work of art and a copy?’ ‘Are there criteria that can be used in evaluating all works of art?’ and ‘Is the concept of originality in art a meaningful one?’” This concept of teaching learners how to critically question the purpose of their own artworks is an important one if they are to be able to justify the choices they make in the future. Also, by encouraging the development of these self-analytical tools at an early age, educators can contribute to the capacity of learners for further growth throughout their lives.
Hagaman goes on to examine the nature of aesthetics. “…philosophical aesthetics, like all philosophy, is based on wonder. Philosophers wonder about things others take for granted. Young children do the same until their sense of wonder is deadened by socialization, education, or some combination of the two… We need to focus early on the openness, willingness to voice wonder, and desire to find meaning in problematic situations that may have no definitive solution…” (1990, p.3)
It could be argued that this sense of wonder is one of the important creative sources of inspiration for any artist or designer. By training learners to listen to this ‘inner voice’ in reflecting on the quality and substance of their own work, and by promoting knowledge of the history and theory that has laid the groundwork for modern style, educators provide the tools for learners to become successful practitioners of modern design, able to draw on a rich pool of prior knowledge in creating successful, meaningful art.
[1] I am obviously taking the stance here that graphic design and art both have equal artistic merit, and are both valid, creative methods of artistic expression. I feel that this issue is somewhat beyond the scope of this essay, and will try to avoid engaging in debate on the topic here.
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