Contextual and Cultural Referencing in Art and Design: Context that Changed Design

“Post-Modernism ……”

Recently I mentioned that Anti-Design/Radical Design led to Post-Modernism. However, even at the time of the Pop culture in the 1960s, the existing state of affairs was debated in all areas of life, and therefore even in the field of modern design.

Modernism was being questioned by many and this appeared so remarkably in Jane Jacobs, “The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961)”. According to her, the ideal planning projects and buildings designed by the Modern Movement caused the breaking up of social unity in the cities. On the other hand, Robert Venturi’s “Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture (1966)” shows that he disagreed with Modern architecture because, according to him, basically it was meaningless. He said that historical buildings are enriched by intricacy and sarcasm – elements that were lacking in Modern designs.

“Learning from Las Vegas”, which was published in 1972 by Venturi, Denise Scott Brown and Steven Izenour, praised the cultural truthfulness and the commercialism found in the public signs and buildings of Las Vegas. In 1972 as well, after Roland Barthes’ “Mythologies (1957)” was translated into English, his theories on Semiotics were spread widely. Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols as a means of communication. At that time it was being understood that if symbolism pervaded buildings and objects, the viewers and users would be able to mentally relate better to them.

According to those who were introducing Post-Modernism, the geometric abstraction that was adopted by Modernism opposed ornament (and consequently symbolism) and therefore design and architecture were deprived of human character. This caused disconnection.

From the mid-1970s, American artists started to present their designs with decorative motifs that often referred to decorative styles of the past, but generally they included sarcasm. Alessandro Mendini, Ettore Sottcass and other designers of Studio Alchimia (the Radical Design group that I wrote about recently) started to produce work that expressed Post-Modernism. Later, even Memphis (also mentioned in my previous writings) produced outstanding colourful designs that purposely mocked the principle of “good taste” of Modernism by its distinct patterned plastic laminates and strange forms. Memphis’ influence was derived from various sources and its designs, displayed for the first time in 1981, brought about intense interest internationally.

Unica Home, (2013), Memphis Milano - bel air by peter shire for memphis milano [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.unicahome.com/products/small/51898.696F361A.jpg

[Accessed 08 January 14]

design boom, (2010), 'casablanca', memphis 1981 [ONLINE].

Available at: http://www.designboom.com/snapshots/milano05/img/st4.jpg

[Accessed 08 January 14]

treadway/toomey galleries, (2005), 932. Ettore Sottsass “Casablanca” scale model, by Memphis, Italy, 1981, limited edition, no. 50/500, laminate-covered wood form, scale 1:6, hand-signed and numbered by Sottsass, includes original cardboard carton, model is 15”h, excellent condition 300-500 [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.treadwaygallery.com/ONLINECATALOGS/Sept2005/salecatalog/thumbs/0932.jpg

[Accessed 08 January 14]