I am fascinated by aesthetics, conflicts or adoptions of aesthetics, and what they say about power and change.
Bauhaus’ form follows function; versus the Arts and Crafts movement’s attempts to resist industrialisation by embracing the old decorative art style.
Minimalist corporate identity, with Helvetica and the trustworthy dark blue; versus the wild and messy meme aesthetics that celebrate chaos and personalities.
The latter is a response to the “progress” of the former, trying to use flesh to beat the machines. Interestingly, we also see corporates adapting to more “edgy” aesthetics lately, from the Corporate Memphis aesthetics to consumer brands making fun of themselves. As Mark Fisher mentioned in his book Capitalist Realism, resistance to capitalism can always be absorbed into the capitalist world, reducing the essence of rebellion to purchasable fragments, to generate even more revenues (Fisher, 2009).
Let’s say weeds are something that the capitalist machine cannot find use of? As the weeds try to occupy the assets, the weeds turn into assets.
As a packaging illustrator, I illustrate to add “joy” “authenticity” “coherence with brand” and “appetising colours” to a pack of biscuits. Like making a flower arrangement, I create a beautiful work, but I know, I took the future of the flowers away.
Taste is a reflection of power, and is there a way to keep our power, as dreamers, as humans outside the machine?
