Sunday, July 15, 2007

David Byrne on East German design

David Byrne reflects on the increasing tendency for design to move away from the sterility of 'good taste' by seeking out the ugly, like East German design:

But if as a designer you want to be really hip and to appeal to those who deem themselves above mere tasteful design, then you have to have to work a little harder. One way to achieve this ultra cool surprise is to look intentionally bad, but to drop little visual ironic winks into the mix so that the audience knows it’s not really buying a record by a crappy East German band.

This sets up design as an inherently dialectical process, based on the constant struggle by new voices to assert themselves against established styles.

David Byrne Journal: 6.20.07: Berlin (Part II)

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