My project: An artist’s book documenting a series of isolated objects. Each object will have a profile, images, a short piece of writing, and an interactive element to it. By objects, I need to decide if they are new things (think of a Doraemon gadget) or existing objects but taken to a different context (think of Dinglehopper — a fork in Disney’s The Little Mermaid). These objects will focus on the theme of power and beauty. By interactive, I mean one of the following things (to be decided): 1. The object itself is nominated in a co-design process. 2. People’s interpretations of this object. 3. A space in the book inviting the reader to do something to this object.
Goal: An absurd mirror. To make the familiar unfamiliar and open up space for dreams.
My methodology: At this stage, I need to start narrowing down what I want to do. I need to research the following topics to see what catches my eye: objects in galleries, artist’s books (form, layout), power (capitalism, postmodernism, Foucault, aesthetics, etc), hope, co-creation, and science fiction.
Then, I will look into co-creation, how to engage with the public, and getting ethical approval. This will add an interactive element to my design.
I will then create the objects, document them, and put them into a book. Layout design is part of the tone and the message.
Finally, I will write about it.
As a graphic designer, I usually use design thinking. This methodology identifies a problem and looks for solutions. It would be a good methodology for making the book. However, with the objects, I want to avoid “problems” and “solutions” and look more at art methodologies. I also want to use quantitative (for example, statistics about products on price and typeface used) and qualitative (interviews) methods when deciding what the objects respond to.
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Additional thinking
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Some questions as inspirations: existing objects
What is the one item you would take from the past if you’re time travelling
If you were an alien and you found one object from a household trash can, what is it? What do you think it is for?
Take out one thing from your bag, then imagine and describe a world where this item is no longer useful/needed.
Take an object, use language to praise it, use language to belittle it.
Some questions as inspirations: new objects
A cute toy about a heavy topic
A traditional craft artwork on a political/social/tech topic
Take apart an object, change its functions
Something precious combined with something ugly
Other people’s stuff
Rephrasing the norm:
Darkest Austria (mockumentary)
Incomplete Encyclopedia of Touch (Book)
Something wholesome:
Postcards to share the colour of your sky
Something cute + something dark:
Something very open
This NZ design studio’s website
Something isolated from context
