when is it art - when is it design

8/3/2019 When is It Art - When is It Design

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Amy Forbes: 0207680 When Is It Art? When Is it Design?

Contents Page

Introduction2

Section 1: Definitions 3Section 2: Factors

3Section 3: Function 4Section 4: Context

6Section 5: Location 7Section 6: Perception 8

Conclusion 10

Bibliography11

List of Illustrations12

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Introduction

In this essay I aim to discuss the question of how to decide when anobject is a piece of design and when it is an artwork. Duringthis essay I will explain why this is a more complicated processthan it might appear at first. I will discuss the various factorsthat play a part in this definition process and I will concludewith my opinions on how it affects me and my work as a designstudent.

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Section 1: Definitions

Before beginning a discussion on how to determine when an objectis a piece of art and when it is an example of design, I feel it isadvisable to define what we mean when we say art or design.

The following are definitions taken from the Oxford Englishdictionary.

art 1

noun 1 the expression of creative skill through a visualmedium such as painting or sculpture. 2 the product of such a process; paintings, drawings, and sculpturecollectively. 3 (the arts ) the various branches of creativeactivity, such as painting, music, and drama. 4 (arts )subjects of study primarily concerned with human culture(as contrasted with scientific or technical subjects). 5 askill: the art of conversation.

ORIGIN Latin ars .1

design

noun 1 a plan or drawing produced to show the lookand function or workings of something before it is built ormade. 2 the art or action of producing such a plan ordrawing. 3 underlying purpose or planning: theappearance of design in the universe. 4 a decorativepattern.

verb 1 conceive and produce a design for. 2 plan orintend for a purpose.

PHRASES by design intentionally. have designs onaim to obtain, especially in an underhand way.

ORIGIN from Latin designare mark out, designate. 2

Section 2: Factors

Frequently these two disciplines can overlap. Deciding whichcategory an object fits into is often very complicated and a variety

1 http://www.askoxford.com/?view=uk 2 http://www.askoxford.com/?view=uk

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of factors need to be considered. So, how do we decide? Whichfactors must we consider when distinguishing a piece of art from apiece of design and which is most important?

We could divide these into the following headings.

o Function: Does it have a defined function?o Context: Who made it? What is their history?o Location: Where is it presented?o Perception: How do the different people involved (author,

viewer etc.) see it?

Section 3: Function

The definitions given in section 1 suggest that the main factor indetermining art from design is that of function. Generally, design isthought to place high importance on function, whereas art is aboutcreativity in a more unconstrained sense. This, however, is a verysimplified view to take. A good example of why this is the case, isthe phenomenon of Para-functionality. This refers to designs wherefunction is introduced as a means of provoking thought andsubsequent reaction, rather than as a practical requirement. OftenPara-functional designs do not actually work or they work, but not toserve any useful purpose. Sometimes they are even harmful to theuser. The inventor-artist Philippe Ramette often designs suchobjects. For example, his Intolerable Object (1991) is a headsetwhich focuses the Suns light onto the head of the wearer,eventually burning a hole. He has also produced a series of crudediving boards, all placed at a significant height above solid ground.

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Figure 1: Philippe Ream, Diving board, 2002. Metal, wood. 700 X 40 X180 cm. Sight of exposure, Castle of Oiron, 2002.

Of one of these boards (situated above a courtyard at the FRAC inReims), Carl Freedman says;

Clearly resembling a crude diving board, it invited theviewer to make a bone-crushing leap into the void. Yet thisinvitation is only extended as a hypothetical gesture; thediving board lacks the physical properties to operate in anyserious functional capacity. Its status is one of stylisedrepresentation - an object designed for contemplationrather than action. 3

Even when an object is designed with a practical function in mind,that doesnt mean that it will be used for that purpose. Oftenpeople buy functional objects because they like the way they look.Lots of people display crockery in their houses that they never use.

Thus they are treating a piece of design as a piece of art.

3 http://www.frieze.com/review_single.asp?r=1549

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Section 4: Context

The way we see things is affected by what we believe. That is ourbackground and environment will influence the way we perceivewhat we observe. Our knowledge of the context behind an objectand its creation affects what we see when we look at it. If we haveprior knowledge of the author of a piece, we will have apreconceived idea of whether the person is an artist or a designer,and how we see the author will colour our view of what the object is.

This notion concerns me as I am unsure it is advisable to base ouropinions too much on the authors previous works. Artists anddesigners continue to develop new ideas and change the way theywork throughout their careers. The skills used by one professioncan be employed in the craft of the other.

Just because a person is in the habit of producing design works,does that mean they are incapable of producing artworks? Becausea person is known as an artist, does this mean they cannot be adesigner on occasion too?

In fact, artists must sometimes have to design their artwork. Thatis, often artworks require a lot of planning, and the definition givenin Section 1 would suggest that this is a design process. At thesame time, the aesthetic is an important part of design, sodesigners must have to think or behave a little like artists at points

during the design process.Ron Arads Un-cut chair looks like a sculpture, but would probablynormally be classed as a piece of design as it is a real, useablechair. He has clearly given a lot of importance to the aesthetic of the design and may have given more thought to this than thefunctionality of it.

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Figure 2: Ron Arad, Un-cut , 1997. Anodized aluminum and stainlesssteel

The way in which the piece is produced also adds to the context.Design pieces tend to be mass produced whilst artworks aregenerally one-offs. Again, however, this can be a misleading

judgement. Websites such as www.speedyartonline.com andwww.buymodernart.com allow people to order the artwork of theirchoice and the former even offers the purchaser the option of choosing a frame for it.

Section 5: Location

The context of an object can be derived from the history of itsauthor, but the location in which a piece is presented can alsoprovide a context. Design pieces are usually presented in thecontext of a place where they would be used, or would perform theirfunction. Artworks are usually presented in galleries, often in awhite space where the lack of clutter puts the focus on the workitself. The white space can even become part of the artwork. Forexample, William Anastasi made the white wall itself into a piece of art.

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Figure 3: William Anastasi, Untitled , 1966 [Six Sites]. Photo silkscreenon canvas, 217 x 400 cm. Installation view, West Wall, Main Gallery,Dwan Gallery New York City.

The way pictures are hung make assumptions aboutwhat is offered. Hanging editorializes on matters of interpretation and value, and is unconsciously

influenced by taste and fashion. Subliminal cuesindicate to the audience its deportment. 4

However, design work can also be displayed in galleries, whilstartwork is sometimes displayed in public spaces.

Section 6: Perception

Who says what it is? Does the creator decide what type of object itis, or is it up to the viewer to categorise it? Usually the creator of

the piece will know whether they intended their piece to be seen asa piece of design or an artwork, but viewers of the piece will notnecessarily agree.

We give objects many meanings not intended by theirmakers. In fact, the things we own have an amalgamationof meanings. The aesthetic object can also be a religiousobject, a souvenir, a reminder of a friend, a piece of furniture, a part of the dcor perhaps a work of art.Distinctions between the functional and non-functional are

4 http://www.societyofcontrol.com/whitecube/insidewc2.htm

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often blurred. It is in this combination of roles andmeanings that art can become a part of life. 5

It seems to me to be unfair to the artist or designer if their opinionon the subject is irrelevant. After all, they are the ones who putthought into how to create the object. Some artists, however, wantthe viewer to decide for themselves what the artwork means tothem personally.

there is a danger that if design is not orientated to themarketplace it is seen as invalid, irrelevant or self-indulgent, especially if displayed in a gallery. 6

If it is the viewer who decides what the object is, then this meansthat the exact same object can be art when one person looks at it,but design when someone else is looking at it. In this way, an objectcan be both art and design simultaneously.

Another consideration is that the categorisation of an object canchange over time. A piece of design that had a specific functioncould become redundant with regard to its original function, butmay still be treasured by the owner as a beautiful object. Forexample, someone may own an old bakelite radio that no longerworks, but they may display it in their home because theyappreciate its aesthetic. In this case has it become art? The way itis viewed has changed over time.

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PAINTER, C. 1999. At Home With Art. National Touring Exhibitions (HaywardGallery) Pp. 56 Anthony Dunne (1999) Hertzian Tales

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Conclusion

I think that for most objects there is no single definite answer to thisquestion of when an object is design and when it is art. Everyonecan have a different opinion and all of them are valid. Some objectswill more obviously fit into just one category than other objects, butstill, not everyone will agree.

The way someone looks at my work may have an effect on how theyuse it, but if the owner of the piece finds what, to them, is a betteruse for the object, then that is their choice. As a designer or artistselling work, we must accept that when we sell a piece, we will losethe right to decide how it is used. In any case I think it isstimulating when people use things in a different way than wasintended. It adds a new dimension to the object and may offerinspiration for future works which, after all, is what creativeprocesses are about.

However, one question I have not addressed is; does it matter? Dowe need to decide? As long as we know what the object means tous, and how we feel about it, do we need to categorise it? If I knowwhy I do what I do, I dont believe I need anyone else to validate it.I dont mind if I call my work design whilst someone looking at itsays it is art. That is their opinion and they are entitled to it,besides; it doesnt change what the object actually is, only how it isperceived.

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Bibliography

Books

BERGER, J. 1972. Ways Of Seeing. London: British BroadcastingCorporation and Penguin Books.

DUNNE, A. 1999. Hertzian Tales . RCA Computer Related DesignResearch

FREELAND, C. 2001. But Is It Art? New York: Oxford UniversityPress.

GRINYER, C. 2001. Smart Design: The Products Of LateralThinking. East Switzerland: RotoVision SA

LACY, S. 1995. Mapping The Terrain. Washington: Bay Press.

MARGOLIN, V. and BUCHANAN, R. 1998. The Idea Of Design.Massachusetts: The MIT Press.

PAINTER, C. 1999. At Home With Art. National TouringExhibitions (Hayward Gallery) Pp. 5-9

REDHEAD, D. 2000. Products Of Our Time. London: Birkhauser.

STURKEN, M. and CARTWRIGHT, L. 2001. Practices Of Looking:An Introduction To Visual Culture. New York: Oxford UniversityPress.

YOUND, A. 1981. Dada And After. Manchester: Manchesteruniversity Press.

Websites

http://www.askoxford.com/?view=uk

http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/arad.html

http://www.ronarad.com/Raawebsite/Page.html

http://www.societyofcontrol.com/whitecube/insidewc2.htm

VideosDroog Design: The Real Life Of Objects. 2001. [DVD].Glasgow: The Lighthouse and 55 degrees.

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List of Illustrations

1. Philippe Ream, Diving board, 2002. (page 2)http://translate.google.com/translate?

hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.paris-art.com/modules.php%3Fop%3Dmodload%26name%3Dinterviews%26file%3Dtravail%26id%3D1463&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dphilippe%2Bramette%2BPlongeoir%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26sa%3DG

2. Ron Arad, Un-cut, 1997. (page 3)http://blog.khan.co.kr/usr/h/y/hyunnuyh/9/05_3.jpg

3. William Anastasi, Untitled , 1966 [Six Sites]. (page 3)http://www.arts4all.com/newsletter/issue19/douglas19.html

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http://blog.khan.co.kr/usr/h/y/hyunnuyh/9/05_3.jpghttp://www.arts4all.com/newsletter/issue19/douglas19.htmlhttp://blog.khan.co.kr/usr/h/y/hyunnuyh/9/05_3.jpghttp://www.arts4all.com/newsletter/issue19/douglas19.html

when is it art - when is it design

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