A futuristic exhibition that intended to redefine design and what it stood for, ‘Massive Change’ denied its audience what would’ve been expected from a conventional exhibition of its kind, attempting to showcase design as a discipline that involved much more than decoration or frills; one that turned complex problems into simple solutions. (however, whilst the exhibition did offer solutions to global problems, they were also quite ambitious—“We will eradicate poverty” is easier said than done)
Although the article assumes a critical stance throughout most of its review, it was one I enjoyed reading since it made relevant points and used interesting analogies—even if don’t quite agree with some of them. It relates the concept of actors being made political figures because they are effective communicators, with designers being asked to conceptualise more than packaging simply because it is visual effects that seize attention. While this is true, it need not be as negative as the article portrays it to be, since designers have the sensibilities and the skill apt for what they are designated—‘design’ is an umbrella term that comprises of much more than beautification.
However, the exhibition, although it set out to preach one concept, that of simplicity and ‘legibility’, seems to have missed the point altogether—with it’s “purely visual excess”, or “stylings of information that cannot be reduced to it’s content”, and as the article describes it, “rarely sober…giddy in it’s graphics and material displays” (Levit & Levy, 2006), it seems more ‘art’ than ‘design’.
I don’t think design will save the world. The title of the article is only ambitious, if not sarcastic (given the critical nature of the excerpt). Yes, designers solve problems and simplify complexities; and so design will, undeniably, make the world a far better place, but it will not save the world.
Bibliography
Levit, R. & Levy, E., 2006. Design Will Save the World. Harvard Design Magazine, Spring Summer, pp. 86-92.
Image: Massive Change (2006). [image]. Available at: https://www.google.com/search?q=massive+change+exhibition&safe=strict&rlz=1C5CHFA_enIN906IN906&sxsrf=ALeKk020IH516Kgv6P9pwrFTEkECv4EJQ:1607332722717&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi3qOT_xLvtAhVkqHEKHSBaDiEQ_AUoAXoECBQQAw&biw=1440&bih=789
Accessed on: Nov 30 2020
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