Amanda,
Yes, in a recent article I briefly explored a related contradiction
(between 'creative genius' and design-for-all) within the US popular
media's handling of the idea of design: "Design as Power: Paul Virilio
and the Governmentality of Design Expertise" http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=article&issn=1473-5784&volume=48&issue=2&spage=175
Basically, I say that in the media, at least, there is no perceived
contradiction or conflict between the two and I believe this is
accomplished largely through the pairing of the star system (famous
designers or architects) with the glorification of the consumer in
contemporary capitalist society (the 'democratization of design' is
often invoked here as well). These two areas work together to form a
kind of symbiosis between market rules and the populace, thereby
resolving the contradiction through a neat interdependence, and
ultimately contributing to the 'governing' (organization) of modern
liberal democratic societies/populations.
Juris
On Jun 3, 2008, at 4:16 PM, Bill, Amanda wrote:
> Hi Dan and Juris,
> I've investigated 'creativity' as governmentality. Am just about to
> submit my PhD thesis on it. I've taken it as a category of
> subjective identification and an object of educational governance in
> fashion design. From a discourse theory perspective (Laclau - Essex
> school), I take 'creativity' is a nodal point that unifies
> previously antagonistic views. Within various cultural organisations
> including economic development agencies and universities, moves to
> strengthen a liberal agenda and retain creativity as a form of ‘arts
> knowledge’ with high cultural capital have been rubbing up against
> strategies to enlist and develop more universal concepts about
> creativity as a collaborative endeavour, vital to new forms of
> capitalist enterprise.
> An outcome of the resulting creativity discourse is that the 'idea
> of design' and the 'idea of art' tend to shift about, somewhat.
> You're right, this needs further examination.
>
> Amanda
> College of Creative Arts
> Massey University
> Wellington, NZ
>
> ________________________________________
> From: PhD-Design - This list is for discussion of PhD studies and
> related research in Design [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Juris Milestone [[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, 3 June 2008 8:28 a.m.
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Design-Art
>
> Dan,
>
> This facet of design is, I think, under examined - that is, what the
> 'idea of design' is outside of professional or academic claims, and
> how this is important. I think we ought to allow for an analysis of
> this idea (design) as a "total social fact", along the lines of Mauss'
> gift, or a technology of governmentality along the lines of Foucault,
> or class and taste along the lines of Bourdieu's field of position
> takings.
>
> Design in mass media and consumer culture is a powerful force that is
> shaped outside the purviews of professional designers, design
> researchers, and other design academics, and yet has a huge influence
> on those very areas.
>
> Juris Milestone
>
>
> On Jun 2, 2008, at 9:00 AM, Daniel Huppatz wrote:
>
>> Dear list
>>
>> There are always interesting discussions about the
>> definitions of design on this list, and I thought list members might
>> be
>> interested in my recent mapping of contemporary design &
>> consumerism. Outside of design education institutes and design
>> studios, the meaning of the term design seems to me
>> to be narrowing rather than expanding. Most recently, design
>> seems to have become associated ever more closely with art - or
>> Design-Art
>> - as discussed by Alice Rawthorn in the IHT here. I
>> think this pheonomenon has serious implications for designers and
>> the way
>> design is perceived. I've blogged it here as
>> part of an ongoing series of essays about contemporary design and
>> consumerism, Signs of
>> Design. Any comments or ideas from listees most welcome.
>>
>> Thanks
>> Dan Huppatz
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