Essay Formative
After finalising a question to work on I have wrote my first 150 words and provided a timeline for the rest of essay using key words and topics that I would paticularly like to cover. I also recieved feeback on this.
"Clean lines, starkly simple silhouettes, and demand for functionality; It’s hard to shy away from the iconic designs that originate from Northern Europe. Nordic Design at its best, is inspired by nature and the northern climate with an emphasis on appreciating the domestic environment. I've always had a fascination with the way in which Scandinavian Design acknowledges the human within the design and person utilising it to its fullest. This essay delves deeper into the history of Scandinavian Design, compares Contemporary Graphic Examples of the movement, and analyses the consumer buying into these products. Every culture reflects its beliefs, values, and attitudes in their designs. In a blog, Petersen, S. (2012, 03 13) mentions how Scandinavian countries are unique from the rest of the world in the fact that they all apply a social democratic model to organising their society. He continues to mention how Scandinavia acquire centric communities, and how the people and the culture is their most valued asset. Petersen, S. (2012, 03 13) also mentions in his blog for the Huffington Post, that the views of Northern Europe are a result of thousand years of history, harsh weather conditions, sparse resources and external threats from substantial European powers. Investments into process-driven design results in a cultural cohesiveness that promote democratic values and social equality, justice, honesty, pragmatism, ingenuity, and resourcefulness. It’s then this social ethos that I believe routes itself into every consumer interested in Scandinavian design, feeling like they are somewhat part of the product and an essential cog in the design process wheel. To get to the route of this, we have to start by analysing the history. Eyþórsdóttir, K. (2011) discusses the history of Scandinavian Design and mentions how it originated from a design show that traveled the US and Canada from 1954 to 1957. Promoting the “Scandinavian way of living,” Eyþórsdóttir, K. (2011) continued to explain that it exhibited various works: crisp, effortless, clean designs, inspired by nature and the northern climate, with an emphasis on appreciating the domestic environment. Medium. (2015) Explains that the ideological background of a Scandinavian design was the emergence of a particular form of social democracy after the war. The concept that functional products should not be reserved only for the wealthy but accessible and affordable to everyone born in line with these prevailing democratic social views. Medium. (2015) Also, mentions how traditional influences shape today's consumer and how important corporations responsible for the development of distinctive design were increasing because of availability of new low-cost materials and methods for mass production. Mize, S. (2013, 04 9) explains in her blog that Graphic Designers were often hired to work with the government to develop environmental campaigns advocating for more sustainable actions, such as “how to be a good Eco-citizen.” Mize, S. (2013, 04 9) continues to mention how public housing was built with traditional materials using simple construction methods and adapting to the natural landscape. This notion of a shared interest in the environment and sustainable living carved the perfect Scandinavian Consumer. Throughout history, Scandinavians have supported the idea that man should adapt to nature by using design responsibly for not just survival, but also functional beauty, and political change. It was then his concept that has now infiltrated into design schemes across the world, and in contemporary design, it is very much prominent and relevant. When analysing consumerism surrounding Scandinavian Design, it is essential to compare digital artwork and branding concepts. "
Here is the feedback from formative:
"How is the influence acted out on the consumer, does it have to say literally that this work is “Scandi”or “Scandi influenced”?
Why do consumers buy in to this aesthetic? Do they know they are? Is the consumer’s appetite for this approach born out of a resistance for their own culture?
These questions may just open up a process of market research for you and as a skill for a designer to utilise."
This has only inspired me more to completely focus on continuing to write about Scandinavin Design in more depth. I am going to look at more broad sources and use books as forms of reference too. I will also include pictures.
