Jake Barton
Local Projects - museum/exhibit design (Smithsonian, 9/11 Museum)
“The Future of Virtual is Physical”
“virtual reality” is now much more than just masks on our face
poetry of experience
“genius is 1% inspiration, 99% persiration (attributed to Edison)
talent = person who has done his/her homework
projects discussed:
1) 9/11 Museum
stories projected on top of artefacts
a collection of memories (vs. just telling)
a container for stories
a communal space for NYC
“We Remember” gallery - global memories of the morning of 9/11/01
risk of allowing people to write their own messages - what would happen?
lesson: trust your visitors - they will rise to the occasion and lift everyone up with them
inverted pools with inscribed names - randomness of order + meaningful adjacencies
creating a “latticework of human meaning”
2) Cleveland Museum of Art
platform used for patrons own expression
visitor placed at the centre of expression
social, performative
3) BioDesign Studio - DNA museum
can create competing organisms
people learn by doing
4) “Touch Me” exhibit - Times Square
-communal experience - combined heart beats
5) ARoS / Rainbow Horizon (Denmark)
museums should be
-“a friend you want to spend time with” - more social / a shared experience
interactive devices for kids to measure physics on the playground
playgrounds = physics machines
“technolgy that requires a friend”
extracting math and science out of experience
7) Let Go (Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian)
interactive pen allows patrons to collection inspiration
pattern design - patrons able to export and buy via zazzle
fully immersive
Eddie Opara
“Design in Retrograde?”
industry is “under siege” from inside out
design must be stimulus for creative thinking, and must outlast critics
ie. initial criticism of Eiffel Tower faded over time
designs should be allowed to breathe (ie. Met rebrand, which was attacked immediately)
Brand New = Fox News of design world
need for better education - reading, writing, better dialogue
lobbying is dangerous if left unchecked (ie. petitions)
Quinnipac university - change.org and Fox News coverage
stop the retrograde
*create the change you want to see
“Dark Patterns & Business Models: “I Can’t Let You Do That, Dave.”
discussion of DMCA (Copyright act) and DRM (digital rights management)
lawsuits with HP, Sega, Skylink, Lexmark, Netflix, Sony BMG
we’ve entered uncharted territory with copyright, it’s legally terrifying
“software is eating the world”
huge implications for security landscape
cell phones = “pocket distraction rectangle”
DOSAs (Denial of service attack)
Botnets
RATs (remote access trajan)
-all threatening security, stability of web
feudalism resurfacing - control from above
us vs. corporations choosing products for us
solutions proposed:
1) Devices should obey their owners (not the corporation)
2) Security facts are legal to disclose
need for organizations and structures (ie. you can’t recycle your way out of climate change)
-Apollo 1201 - org looking to eradicate DRM
the stakes are higher than ever
HAVE HOPE
support organizations, have conversations
too much at stake not to FIGHT
Meg Lewis
“Creating a Personal Brand Mission
“I don’t have strong opinions”
considers herself a “value-based designer” - only works for companies that share the same values
Ghostly Ferns
-freelancing firm of best friends
-no profit
outsider as a child, fascinated with TV / pop culture - “exaggerated versions of humans” - wanted to be that!
decided “I don’t want to be a boring adult”
was told she might be a “star person”
-native american tradition
-special beings sent from other planets to inject kindness and positive demeanour
-make the world HAPPIER
star people characteristics:
-lower than normal body temperature
-usually female
-swollen / painful joints
-short stature
-creative profession
“the world needs me!”
struggled in early career
-working for people who hated their jobs, hated their work
-constantly analyzing herself - trying to impress, act better/cooler
-started dancing, dance fitness classes (ie. jazzercise) - “danced my butt off”
EPIPHANY! “Why was I hiding?” + “What else have I been hiding”
began to analyze her flaws vs. her values
FLAWS
-unprofessional
-love change
-way to honest about herself
-not interested in separating work and life
VALUES:
-want to make the world a happier place
-friendships
-communities
-authenticity (ie. showing vulnerability)
asked herself “how can I adjust my career to reflect my flaws and values?”
decided to only work for happy companies
*work never feels like work
“the more I’m me, the more I succeed!”
lesson:
craft your life and turn your flaws into superpowers!
Steve Powers
“Painting Blues”
as a child, interested in graffiti (ie. one word); as an adult, interested in art (ie. all other words)
interested in making art about life, accessible, personal
isolating basic human emotions into short phrases - playing with the misheard and the misread
“negotiation in life and love”
Emoji
-talking in pictures, as most civilizations in the past
-“post literacy”?
-destruction of existing language system? new language emerging?
current trend of “adult infantalism” in American art
- post 9/11, Americans don’t want to be confronted with complicated art
-looking for an escape
“the game is never over”
“get paid, and then do it again”
Ulysses pact - no plan B
design philosophy
fuck it up, then fix it up
*make better mistakes
“as long as I have ideas, I’ll never stop painting”
“you already have the best drugs in you”
“do no harm, bring some alarms”
“every song is a love song”
dedicates at least 5 minutes to painting each day
only takes on commissions if:
-he gets 100% creative control
-gets the money upfront
-gets as much time as he needs
Steven Heller
“Make Eye Candy into Design History–A Story of Addition”
Previous work discussed:
NY Free Press
Screw
NY Review of Sex
Rock
Interview
The East Village Other
Ace
Monster Times
NYTimes Book Review
Publications discussed:
Typology
Shadow Type
Stencil Type
Paul Rand bio
Alvin Lustig bio
The Moderns
Iron Fists
Red Scared
“the desire to get under the skin has never left me” - strong anti-establishment, counter culture approach
“happiness comes from doing what you love”
David Carson
“Self-indulgent Design”
makes work from his hobby - “it’s all personal”
the solution is in the thing you’re given
embrace restrictions and small victories
never snap to guides
*put some of yourself int it!
Day 1 here.
