During the 20th century, a design movement called Postmodernism emerged. The art movement began around the 1940s, then reached its peak around the 1960s and 1970s, and the term was then officially introduced around the 1970s, associated with the concepts of universal truths and objective reality. This essay will focus on whether postmodern design has revived or never disappeared in today's times (21st century) and will also try to discover and understand the narratives behind some of the new and well-known revival projects. First, examining the definition of postmodernism in design and what type of artistic creation is associated with the term postmodernism. Secondly, try to read and understand design as narratives, the connection between objects and stories, and how to look at the design object as narratives and story telling. Third, choose four examples between the well-known Memphis design and the new postmodern revival design, try to compare the differences in the narratives or stories that the designer or artist wants to achieve behind their work. Finally, provide opinions and reflections on whether postmodern design has revived in the present day or never left and also on the narratives behind design objects. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Postmodernism is a style and concept of the late 20th century that encompasses a wide range of developments in the arts, architecture, philosophy, and culture. The art movement was initially a reaction against and challenged the ideas and values of modernism; the answer was based on idealism, society and a utopian vision of human life. While modernism advocates or defends clarity and simplicity, postmodernism embraces all the complex and also opposes layers of meaning. The art movement also embraced various approaches to a different type of artistic creation, starting with "pop art" in the 1960s, then followed by "conceptual art, neo-expressionism and feminist art". In the different types of artistic production, Pop art is an artistic movement that emerged in the 1950s and flourished in the 1960s, drawing inspiration from sources of popular and commercial culture. Conceptual art is an art movement of the 1960s, and the term usually refers to art made from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, for which the idea (or concept) behind the work it is more important than the finished art object. The argument made by one architectural historian that “postmodern styles have never abandoned the architectural profession is as strong as ever.” (Charles Jencks, 2017) Which means that the way of approaching design no longer has boundaries and rules. From this point on, designers could approach design in their own way, and by the 1980s, this newfound freedom would come to influence others. Postmodernism is considered one of the most controversial movements in the history of art and design. Over the course of two decades, postmodernism has shattered established ideas about design and art, bringing a new kind of self-awareness to style itself. Magazines and music were also considered essential means to spread this new phase of the design movement. The most popular postmodern design style in the last twenty years will be Memphis Group. Throughout the '80s, the influence could be seen everywhere: from MTV to the music videos it showed; to decorating the interiors of Taco Bell restaurants and Baskin-Robbins interiors where design had conquered all. During that time, the Italian designer and architect Ettore Sottsass founded the Memphis Group, where a group of artists and designershe became known for his use of bright and boldly designed furniture. The Memphis Group was committed to designing products that were much more than just objects; but also existential metaphor, visual poetry and political statements. The Memphis Group was an expert at communicating their ideas with asymmetrical shapes and colorful decoration. The Memphis style was heavily inspired by the Art Deco and Pop Art styles. At that time, everyday objects were usually designed to be functional and not decorative. Memphis style had to change this with a more creative approach to design, where they made fun of everyday objects by designing them in an unusual way. In the abstract, “Design as Narrative: Objects, Stories, and Negotiation” was an integrative and comprehensive way of making judgments about design objects and looking at objects as narratives. From the beginning, design has been taught through a series of processes: specification, research, implementation, testing, refinement, and evaluation. “As a form of explanation, the narrative also operated by describing…until no gaps remained.” “Design as storytelling” was about telling stories in the context of design objects and also reflected culture on a local, global scale and at all levels of society. 'The concept that design objects are a narrative implies that they can actually tell a story. The story 'enclosed' in the design object...detailed and complete' (Howe & Dillon, 2002). What makes design objects tells a journey from research, from process to the separate part that is connected to each other with the use of shape, color, texture, pattern and form. In an integrative sense, reading 'reading' an object involves both synthesis and analysis. It also allows us, as readers or viewers, to criticize design objects as representing a different type of form and to propose a narrative approach to the design object, when design used in conjunction with functional approaches, should also provide a interpretation of design as a human being. business. Appreciating design objects means reading those objects to understand their meaning. “They develop 'personal constructs' that allow them to interact and interpret…” (Neimeyer, R.A., 1985) From the statement, understanding the narrative behind design objects meant appreciating and we readers should have our own thoughts to interact and interpret on objects. After reading "Design as Narrative", he introduces the idea of projects in which narratives and objects have power in social contexts: they offered an interpretation of the history of their existence; they return echoes of their past. The understanding that comes from this form of interpretation that allows the reader to have allowed for a more realistic engagement with the designer's works and a creative engagement with the objects. With regards to designer objects, the designer wants the reader or audience to seek and find the nuances and twists that contributed to the creation of the objects and interpret them within their frames of reference. It is not the application of the designer's skill in the objects that causes the meaning, and it should be the power of the reader to bring out what the designer does and observe the design objects in a relationship with a deeper understanding in which he should promote a form of thinking that is open to negotiated, relevant and personal meaning. It should also be based on the reader's feelings and sensations when looking at designer objects. “With its emphasis on form… with its emphasis on meaning, on the reader and on personal interpretation.” (Landau, M. 1984) From this, it helps us to understand that we should not evaluate a design object only in terms offitness for purpose, form, but also the meaning behind the design and how we as readers or audiences should have our own interpretation. .After carefully reading the abstract, we have selected four examples of well-known postmodern and revival design, and we will do some analysis, comparison and give our reflection on the design and try to discover its narratives or stories behind the design. The first example is a Keystone chair from Eindhoven studio OS & OOS, and designer Raf Simons made a lighter version with the use of textile coverings. From this, try to discover the narrative behind the design and the story that the designer is trying to tell. They made the chair for the Danish company Kvadrat. The chair was built around a wooden frame, which is a more practical version that uses concrete and ceramic predecessors. There are three types of elements in the Keystone Chair and the elements were found in Roman Bridges, which according to designer Oskar Peet and Sophie Mensen, are "abstract and reassembled", and this is an interpretation of three elements. Oskar Peet and Sophie Mensen described them as: “wrenches – elements that connect the bridge to the surface and ensure that this support point does not move or slip – the elementary bricks and the keystone, which is an inserted element that completes the basic shape of the arch. " The back of the chair is formed by a large angled element, representing the wrench, while another arc-shaped section formed the seat. Personally, the overall design of the Keystone chair is postmodern thanks to the use of a combination original in shapes, colors and materials. The first impression on the design was the use of luxurious fabrics by Raf Simons and bright colors compared to the original version; The design objects work correctly as a chair (since it has all the elements of one chair: back, seat and leg). The plot behind the design was to recreate the original Keystone chair with new fabrics by Raf Simons, which reused the postmodernist design and highlighted its revival purpose for the times today. The second example is the Super Lamp by the famous Memphis group designer Martine Bedin. From reading the objects we will try to discover the narrative behind the design and the stories that Martine Bedin tries to tell with the super lamp. The Super Lamp was exhibited at the Memphis exhibition at the Milan gallery, in 1981. The Memphis art movement was an influential movement created by a group of designers in Milan. The design was a reaction against the fashion for monochromatic functional objects that used bright colours, playful shapes and visually outrageous, almost comical designs. This lamp was made using painted steel with simple light bulbs. Bedin was one of the founding members of Memphis in the 1980s and is one of the youngest designers in the group. The art movement has also been closely associated with postmodernism. Bedin said: “I was very interested in working in decoration through the structure and construction of things. What gives motif and decoration to my lamps...". My first impression of the pieces was the use of bold shapes and bright colors in the design, and it works like a regular lamp; however, it could be more of a decorative art piece. The associated words that came to mind are “playful”, “eccentric”, “vivid” with style. Most of the colors used are white, blue, yellow and orange. The narrative behind the project was that Martin Bedin wanted to create a new design collective with a group of artists in December 1980; the group of designers came up with ideas under the name Memphis. The art movement has been thriving ever since, due to the use of whimsical colors, geometric shapes, and bold patterns, and designersthey had to change the design approach on everyday objects and transform the objects in an unusual way, which made the collections significant. The third example is textile designer Camille Walala's collection of home accessories using bold patterned graphics, which was seen at the London Design Festival 2015. Within her collection she includes a range of cushions printed with a blue, green, red, white and black color palette. In geometric designs there are dashes and dots that fill colored blocks, square grids and even diagonal stripes. The home accessories are cube-shaped poufs with striped patterns in various combinations. On the back surfaces there are wall shelves with frame motifs applied with black edges. Looking at the design, the collection of home accessories with bold graphic patterns is influenced by the Memphis Group. My first impression of the collection was the use of playful and fun graphics, and the objects are a stronger interpretation of the Memphis influence. The words that came to mind are “fun”, “colourful”, “shapes”, “lines” with style. Most of the commonly used colors in the collection would be white, black, blue and red. The narrative behind this design is that Camille Walala's work was heavily influenced by the Memphis Group and used the style as inspiration, as easily seen from her famous textile-based work to encompass art direction and interior design. His style proves that he has translated the powerful message of using the inspiration of the Memphis Group that he took and reviving the postmodernist movement in the present day. Now he is working on a larger scale than ever before, with the absolute ambition of permeating urban landscapes with the use of his intense energy and eye-popping colours. The latest example is the Bel Air chair, also in the Memphis Group. Peter Shire is also part of the Memphis design group and has created a signature object for the collective. Peter Shire had made several pieces of furniture for the Memphis Group. The "Bel-Air" chair was considered one of his most important contributions to the collection, and the design was influenced by Art Deco and 1950s space age architecture in Southern California, surf culture, and of Los Angeles hot rodding and American mass culture. My first impression of the piece was quirky but sophisticated, playful but not exaggerated, the quarter-circle back and ball-shaped "chair leg", for example. His chair designs are very creative reinterpretations of standard shapes. Design objects function correctly as a chair (with all the elements of a chair: the back, the seat and the legs), but they could also fall into the category of works of art: the chair changes when we try to look at it from a different type of angles. Nonetheless, the elements blended very well, like a harmonious explosion of colors and shapes. The associated words that came to mind are “classic”, “expensive”, “elegant”, “deluxe” with style. Most commonly used colors would be red, white, green, and yellow. The narrative behind the design was that Peter Shire created a new design collective with a group of artists in December 1980; the group of designers came up with ideas under the name Memphis. Since then the art movement has prospered, thanks to the use of bright colors, asymmetric shapes and bold patterns and the designer has to change the design approach on everyday objects and transform the objects in an unusual way, which has made the collections significant . From the four examples of well-known postmodern and new revival design, the similarities between the design are the use of bright colors, asymmetrical shape, and the.
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