Looking back on my visit to DDW, I am interested in how many different forms of design were present, showing the full range of design, from utility to innovation to bordering art. Bringing attention to how experiences are designed and curated- such as in culinary arts- and even to the silliness of a drooping stool.
what I have given more thought to is the fashion and textile exhibit. It put algae at the forefront as the shiny new sustainable solution to all our problems. It was nice to see the full range of how it can be applied while showcasing the advantages and applications of multiple species of algae and seaweed. It was a good example of how innovation can be shown through design and its process. It made me think of the other exhibit in which artists and scientists collaborated to find new ways to communicate information about climate change.
Innovation and accessible communication are important, but they won't solve the main problem that affects the design industry- most specifically fashion and textile: the impact of capitalism. That a natural resource can't run out while people are pushed to consume and dispose in an infinite cycle in order to feel fulfilled. the idea of biodegradable and using natural fibers such as algae and seaweed have huge advantages that shouldn't be forgotten (withstand temperatures better, can insulate or cool the body, less irritating, can degrade, etc.), but shouldn't be a patchwork solution. The hypercapitalist system was designed specifically to benefit a few and impoverish many while simultaneously forcing them to be dependent on those same few is a rampant problem that can be redesigned and can only be done collaboratively.
Even in the design and art world where a hyper-independent practice feels like it's, more often than not, what is expected. However, even if you create solo, one doesn't exist in a vacuum and things don't simply materialize. We as humans depend on one another.
Googling Dutch Design:
- Kitsch meets Bauhuas
- Innovative
- Colorful
- Aspects of sustainability and/or minimalism are always present
- Functional
- productive
Relationship with the Dutch national Identity:
The Dutch identity goes hand in hand with the national approach to deisgn. The approach that Dutch design has may be from Dutch people but isn't exclusivley used by people- which often boils it down to have a certain feel or aesthetic that can be pointed out to be "Dutch design". This can be explored through thinking about "essentialism vs. constructivism" within the context of Dutch culture.
Droog first impressions
- Expected to be a little older
- Museum gift shop-esque pieces in their shop
- Something for everyone
- First exhibition was in 1992- before Droog was Droog
What is National Design?
It's a form or aesthetic of design that is strongly associated with a country or ethnic group often additionally linked to a certain period of time.
This becomes recognizable but is very rigid. The National design becomes iconography for the country but leaves little room for development.
In continuation, who is "allowed" to represent national design can become problematic and highly exclusionary and can lead to nationalist ideals of what a "Dutch" person is- following the example of Dutch design.
What do we think of when we say design?
Design is often thought to be almost exclusively visual. But there are many full sensory experiences even down to the experience of eating that can be designed even to the point where everything is designed and curated to have a specific experience.
We often think that design is executed by a single designer and often dismiss collaborative efforts and how the experience of the audience impacts the deisgn.
