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That sort of reasoning lumps everything from Larry Flynt's finest to the Venus di Milo under the heading "art" and denudes the word of any appreciable meaning. That, and not the stature of desingers, is fundamentally is my problem with the equation of desirable products with great art.
As a disclaimer, this could get really long winded if we let it, and I'm don't really feel like antagonizing anyone or getting all excited about these sorts of things the way I used to back in my college days, so I'll try to summarize a bit.
First, I'm not sure where you are going with the whole technical rigor of design line of discussion. Frankly, the analogy between design and engineering underscores my point: that design is essentially a problem solving activity where the problem is defined to include market appeal. I'm not saying that designing products requires no skill. I will grant that it takes massive artistic, techncial and probably management skill as well. On a personal note, I hope your career choice forever affords you more than sufficient means to buy all the Saabs and Saab-related stuff you could ever want.
I suspect you were thrown off by the phrase "singular artistic talent." Not to get too pedantic here (too late!), but there is a rather wide gulf between the meaning of that phrase, and the phrase "singularly artistic talent," that you appear have attributed to me in such uncalled-for fecundity. My actual phrase acknowledges that individual designers can possess irreplaceable artisic vision. I have not said or even implied that designers cannot pass high school calculus.
Second, with respect to useless chairs and the like: those are examples of art masquerading as mundane objects. Art can resemble a chair, but a clever chair made for the purpose of sitting (and selling copies thereof) is not art. It may be a work of design genius, but it is not art.
As for what art is (as opposed to what isn't), that would require a longer explanation of more complicated design than I am presently capable. I will say this though: art is fundamentally an expression of something universal, elusive, and possibly spiritual in nature. It is not the answer to the omnipresent question of how to sell more widgets.
Third, and most importantly: is Pasadena still a kick-ass town? I grew up in La Canada and still entertain fond memories of Old Town, Cal Tech, the Art Center College of Design, and all the old haunts from my Bush the Elder era adolescence. Is the Ebar even still there?
posted by 67.64.17...
, Thu, 9 Oct 2003 08:16:59
, Fri, 10 Oct 2003 06:34:48, Thu, 9 Oct 2003 08:22:45
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