Subversive Design
- ellenlouise
- Jan 4, 2021
- 3 min read
I wanted to collate all the subversive design research I have completed into one place. I looked at a couple of articles throughout the project that included subversive works that could give me some inspiration for the project.
The first article I looked at, quite early in the project, was Dezeen's Postmodernism: Style and Subversion 1970-1990. I have a blog post focusing a specific piece from this article named 'The Shopping Trolly Chair'. All links for the images and articles will be included in the bibliography.
The first design featured in the article is the Grace Jones Maternity Dress designed by Antonio Lopez. The dress was made out of cardboard sheets consists of bold shapes. This is image is considered iconic within the postmodernism movement.
Grace Jones Maternity Dress. Antonio Lopez.
Note. From Griffiths, A. 2011.
The 'Shopping Trolly Chair' which I have mentioned before, is a favourite of mine. It was created by Frank Shreiner for the stiletto studios and is known as the 'Consumers Rest Chair'. The work is commenting on consumerism within society. I think it has a satirical edge to it with regards to its use of irony.
Frank Schreiner's 'Consumer's Rest Chair' (1983).
Note. From Design is Fine. History is Mine. (n.d.).
This image of April Greiman and Jayme Odgers' work is also included. This lead to my research on the New Wave design movement. Follows Gaude's bold use of colours and shapes. As a magazine cover, it has very little content other than the visuals. No references to what is included in the issue, just some barcodes and a price. This brings me back to the function vs form debate which I have been thinking about in my work. Form has taken over in the cover and very little of the normal functionality of a magazine cover remains.
Cover for WET Magazine. April Greiman & Jayme Odgers. (1979).
Note. From Griffiths, A. 2011.
This image is very surreal in a way. The money (coins and notes) make up the city to visually represent big money moving in. This style of visual is really interesting, the way the message is literally represented. I really like designs like this and the way of thinking behind it. This image was designed by Peter Dunn for the Docklands Community Poster Project. It's commenting on the hyper-inflated commodity culture. They are literally showing the big money within the city pushing the locals out. I wonder if this is also commenting on gentrification? Adding wealth to an area but removing the current constituents out as they can no longer afford to live there.
Docklands Community Poster Project. Peter Dunn. (1981)
Note. From Griffiths, A. 2011.
Docklands Community Poster Project. Peter Dunn. (1981)
Note. From Griffiths, A. 2011.
Another article I looked at was design weeks Subversive Design written by Emily Gosling. This article contained a range of interesting images that are below.
The dagger heels by Terry de Havilland - which I am assuming are subversive due to the addition of the dagger on the heel? The 'Russia beats Napolean' statue is interesting. My assumption is the subversion here is the representation of Russia. The 'Booze Britain' plate by Andrew Livingstone is commenting on our society, the issues of addiction to alcohol. 'Woolboro' the homage to cigarettes by Kate Jenkins. The knitted cigarettes are cute and cuddly, ironic because they are in the form of cigarettes which are not cute nor cuddly.
Subversive Designs. Design Week.
Note. From Gosling, E. (2013).
Bibliography
Gosling, E. (2013, August 14). Subversive Design. Design Week. https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/august-2013/subversive-design/
Griffiths, A. (2011, September). Postmodernism: Style and Subversion 1970-1990 at the V&A. Dezeen. https://www.dezeen.com/2011/09/26/postmodernism-style-and-subversion-1970-1990-at-the-va/
V&A. (n.d.). Big Money is Moving in. Don’t Let it Push Out Local People. In V&A Search the Collections. Retrieved January 3, 2021, from http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1193211/big-money-is-moving-in-poster-dunn-peter/
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