Subversion in Graphic Design

My selected question for this MA module is regarding what ways subversion can develop creativity in relation to practise.

The first thing I chose to do was to define subversion. 'Subversion' is 'the undermining of power and authority of an established system or institution' (Oxford Languages, n.d.).

When started my research I decided to google the question itself to see what results I could get, and not surprisingly, I couldn't find much that I thought was useful to me. As a result, I went more specific and searched for subversion in graphic design. The results lead me to more than one article regarding exhibitions hosted on subversion in the last few years however none were still running. I have printed off a couple of the articles for me to annotate. Some of the works included are really interesting.

I started to think about the undermining of the established system of design or undermining any system with design. A 'system' is defined as 'a set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or an interconnected network' (Oxford Languages, n.d.). The Graphic Design industry itself could be classed, in a way, as a system. All using typography and shape as a method of making images for clients to be directed toward consumers. In that case could any changes with styles of design, different from the current methods used to design, be considered subversion? This would mean that Bauhaus or Swiss Style when introduced could have been subversive until the point they were considered the norm.

I think the next step for my research would be to find the responses to design movements when they began to see if they can be considered subversive acts and if so, see what effect that had on a given designers creativity. Maybe analysing some works would give me more insight. There is also an argument that their subversive acts of changing the way they design has later influenced many other designers creativity down the line.

Bibliography

Oxford Languages. (n.d.) Subversion. In google.com. Retrieved November 2, 2020.

Oxford Languages (n.d.) System. In google.com. Retrieved November 2, 2020.