Annotation One: How to Encounter a Puddle – Anny Li
Li, A. (2018) How to Encounter a Puddle. Retrieved from: https://volume-1.org/Triple-Canopy-How-to-Encounter-a-Puddle
Keywords: Documentation, evidence, temporary, infiltrate
Anny Li begins to document the puddles she sees as she walks around NYC after noticing that they contain mysterious liquids. Through daily documentation, she is able to view them as evidence and better understand/visualise these transient puddles and their behaviour. This provokes some deeper investigation into the overlooked and perhaps mundane everyday urban events that occur.
As a designer I think it’s important that we are aware and interested in our surroundings no matter how insignificant they may seem on initial inspection. Li was able to compile a list of ten notes on different characteristics she noticed in regard to these puddles. Looking at a puddle many people wouldn’t give a second thought to what they’re seeing but I found Li’s notes to be rather interesting. This itself makes it clear to me that giving time to really look and evaluate what’s around you can only benefit your practice. Li notes, that once you enter a puddle you have been implicated by it.[1] I find this to be a fascinating thought that is in line with Boris Groys thoughts towards the artistic installation in Politics of Installation. Groys writes about artistic installations that anything included in such a space becomes a part of the artwork simply because it is placed inside this space.[2] Both Li and Groys are suggesting that by being in proximity to either the puddle or the installation that this then becomes a part of you and you of it in return. For me this line of thought alludes to the world around us, be that either natural or a product of someone’s making, as being truly influential whether we consciously realise this or not. We are moulded by what we encounter on a day to day basis and everything we experience, puddles or installations included, becomes a factor in our design practice. A factor that we can reflect upon and develop and grow from not only as designers but as part of society.
[1] Li, A. (2018) How to Encounter a Puddle. Retrieved from: https://volume-1.org/Triple-Canopy-How-to-Encounter-a-Puddle
[2] Groys, B. (01/2009) Politics of Installation. Retrieved from: https://www.e-flux.com/journal/02/68504/politics-of-installation/ Pg.3
Annotation Two: Bad Mood: On Design and ‘Empathy’ – Benjamin H. Bratton
Bratton, B. (N.D) Bad Mood: On Design and ‘Empathy’. Retrieved from: https://arena-attachments.s3.amazonaws.com/871517/598e1a07aff70f4a49439da60eb4efe8.pdf?1486526575
Keywords: Empathy, moodless, environments, emotion, trap,
Environments are designed to evoke certain moods. Benjamin H Bratton looks at what design aspects are involved when we create a space to encourage mood and why we create them in the first place. He considers seemingly moodless designs and leads us to consider if it’s possible to create something that doesn’t invoke a mood at all, and why we would want to, when our usual practice is aimed at creating things to elicit a response from those experiencing it.
In Anny Li’s How to Encounter a Puddle she notes that puddles either make us pause or prompt us to action, sometimes we splash in them, sometimes we take sloppy leaps over them.[1] These are a kind of mood created by a natural source, puddles. They can make us feel playful or serious and reserved. In this aspect I compare these two writings and question, if we have a choice in the kind of mood a puddle can create in us then is it not perfectly normal to have a serious, reserved or moodless response to a design?
It’s easy to assume that we wouldn’t want to design something that could be considered boring as that correlates to it being undesirable. In a world where we constantly have more and more to consume on a daily basis it could be a struggle to get your designs out there and recognised. Having something that stands out and creates a mood and experience for people is a more sure-fire way to get noticed. But I can understand the desire some may have for a moodless or more plain and simple design. After being so stimulated by our daily surroundings it is a way of decompressing and relaxing. When we design for a reaction we focus on empathy, to connect on a deeper level to those we design for. I wouldn’t however say that a moodless design is a lack of empathy but rather another form of it. It’s an understanding that sometimes people don’t want to feel something specific, they just want to be.
[1] Li, A. (2018) How to Encounter a Puddle. Retrieved from: https://volume-1.org/Triple-Canopy-How-to-Encounter-a-Puddle
Annotation Three: Politics of Installation – Boris Groys
Groys, B. (01/2009) Politics of Installation. Retrieved from: https://www.e-flux.com/journal/02/68504/politics-of-installation/
Keywords: Exhibition, installation, artist sovereignty, art and politics, relationship between curator/artist/public
In this piece Boris Groys analyses the difference between an exhibition space and an artistic installation, to explore the ever-changing political dimension surrounding varying art forms. He writes throughout the piece of who, if anyone, holds the power over artistic decisions and how the different parties involved – artist, curator, exhibition/installation viewer – revolve or react around these decisions.
After reading the text and working to understand Groys view I think that he was fairly objective in his comparison of the exhibition and installation. He argued both sides and I find that I was intrigued by many of the points he mentions. I often wonder how many of my ideas should be included in my work or if they would even be relevant to others. Maybe they would only come across well to me? I found this text useful as it gave me the opportunity to evaluate these ideas and better understand the options and opportunities, we as artists and designers have over our own work.
As spatial designers I think that it is vital for us to really understand the spaces we work in and to understand the boundaries and limits of these spaces. The question of public or private is intricately tied into the decisions made by an artist and what you can or want to show depending on the nature of the space you are creating for. Through understanding the workings of a space, it gives the opportunity to really make informed design choices in our work. Groys writes that under the regime of artistic freedom, every artist has a sovereign right to make art exclusively according to private imagination.[1] In this way we are free to design and create as we please without having to justify our work. Although I think it’s wonderful to be allowed that sort of power over artistic actions, I also think it’s imperative to consider the context of the space whether that is to influence, inform or even control or shape an idea.
[1] Groys, B. (01/2009) Politics of Installation. Retrieved from: https://www.e-flux.com/journal/02/68504/politics-of-installation/ Pg.3
Annotation Four: The crime of Hospitality – Jadine Collingwood
Collingwood, J. (03/12/2018) The Crime of Hospitality. Retrieved from: https://walkerart.org/magazine/siah-armajani-the-crime-of-hospitality
Keywords: Ethics of hospitality, exile, freedom, refugees/migrants/immigrants, political, global, digital communication, manipulation
Jadine Collingwood writes about Iranian born American based artist Siah Armajani. An immigrant himself, Armajani’s work is often focused on the topic of exile and although some of his work looks as if it’s playful the back story that the work references is anything but.[1] The writing goes on to analyse hospitality and in turn the connection of hospitality towards immigrants and how this plays out in society and potentially changes the very definition of hospitality.
There are aspects of this source I found to be relevant to my personal practice. Looking more specifically at Siah Armajani’s work within the text I found his work to be rather like a challenge to the viewer. I think as a way of communicating difficult topics to a broad audience art and design can be a useful platform. This is something I would like to look into further.
As a designer I believe we have a unique opportunity to talk about difficult of challenging topics in a way that doesn’t require any actual talking, through our work. This view of these topics can be a useful tool for portraying what is hard to put into words. I really like the idea that through making and creating something we are able to tell a story and challenge the beliefs of the viewer. In Politics of Installation, Groys mentions the iconoclastic potential of curation,[2] however I think it’s fair to say this can definitely apply to the artist or designers work too. I don’t think it’s a bad thing, it’s something to be approached with caution, but also a very useful tool for education of a mixed group of viewers and a way of creating work of value and with respect. In terms of my own practice it’s a great reminder of designing to an ethical and respectful code, especially when approaching new topics but also being brave enough to push or test boundaries.
[1] Collingwood, J. (03/12/2018) The Crime of Hospitality. Retrieved from: https://walkerart.org/magazine/siah-armajani-the-crime-of-hospitality
[2] Groys, B. (01/2009) Politics of Installation. Retrieved from: https://www.e-flux.com/journal/02/68504/politics-of-installation/ Pg.2
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