Is Design Art, Or Is Art Design?
The art vs design debate has been waged for years. More importantly we need to look at what is happening within our creative industry.
Clearly the contestants within this traditional battle are artists and the designers who go into these trenches. Nevertheless as technology shifts there are clearly places where the lines blur.
As the art industry is changing this provides opportunity for artists. We see this opportunity where it concerns the artists finding jobs, or artist development on their path.
Other avenues of industry are also open for independent artists which were not before. It is from these shifts of time and industry that the lines blur between art and design.
What Is Design And Art?
The view has always been that design holds a function and purpose. With this, design solves a problem which people have by providing a solution with its function.
There was a time when this was pure in its vision and art was not a part of the equation in any way. From an engineering perspective this is still often true.
In order to create debate for the opposing side here enters words like aesthetics and visual appeal.
Art is seen by some in its pure form to be subjective and holds little to no purpose.
These people fail to recognize why art is important. What this importance reflects is culture and history of a society.
This meaning or importance holds little sway for the engineering mind. In this way it does not provide a solution to a problem, nor necessarily a function.
Nevertheless here is where the differences end and the argument begins. While seemingly unrelated it is something else which will bring them closer together.
Where the lines have historically been blurred is within the ideas of curb appeal, aesthetics, and ergonomics of a design.
One could call the Empire State Building a work of art, yet it is of design and engineering. Comparatively the Marina Sands Bay Hotel in Singapore is an artistic and beautiful building.
Here you begin to see this battle take shape. While this fight is a bit ridiculous in concept, how things are defined matters in industry and where the future is going.
Tidal Shift Of Time
Designers are what we have often called nerds, no disrespect intended. With modern design applications this is becoming more true by the day.
In the world of technology more applications are not only computer driven, but now backed by robotics and elementary AI integration.
Artists were often looked at as hippies who just want the world to love itself and feel good. Their form sometimes did not have form, and when one looked at their work you are left wondering what it is.
As our industrial era kicked into full production the designers cared less for the aesthetics and more about the function.
If anyone drove some of the cars from the 1950’s you can not only see this in design, but also in how the vehicle would perform. Compared to our modern cars those of older times had fewer curves and some would remind you of driving a brick.
Despite this the older models had power and were built like tanks. A 1950’s car could drive through a Prius and the driver would wonder what road kill he hit as he kept going.
Intersections For Artists Within Design
In our age aesthetics sell an idea just as powerfully as somethings function. If one were to offer a kid a video game from the 1990’s, or one from the newest gen console, what would they pick?
The answer is clear, but the reason why is what becomes interesting.
The designers would claim it is due to their new offering in content and options. This claim is made despite the game being a rehash of the same concept from ages ago.
There may be more complicated button pushes, yet the function is the same. It doesn’t matter if you are shooting aliens, zombies, or enemy soldiers, it still is the same game wrapped in a different shell.
The gaming industry has become strongly influenced by art rather than design. It is the wrapping of the same old package which changes the influence bringing in the dollars.
It is also the artistic writing behind the story line which gives context to this new media art. It is the bling which sells the content and options.
Ad marketing has also become more influenced by art than design. An ad still performs the same function it did twenty years ago. How it is dressed within the artwork of that design is what sells it.
Have you ever known a woman to buy anything ugly? Women love pretty things. Seriously, how many variations of shoes and purses are statistically possible?
If design is defined by function and purpose alone, that function for a shoe or purse has never changed. It is the same now as it was a thousand years ago.
Yet the wrapping of the container has become the art.
As technology continues forward in time it is bringing these two concepts, art and design, together in ways that before were not possible. This is also true within engineering and architecture.
With computers we can design in ways that set us apart from history. Indeed it is calculating and for a purpose, yet it still is the same function as before with more artistic appeal.
Here is where artists today begin to step into roles which were more traditionally for the designer. The artist today thrives within the designer world.
If one looks at the industry you will find jobs for artist to have their influence within this field. It has a real purpose. It makes money no matter the trench of philosophical theory.
The impact of this technological influence has not been within bigger industry alone. There have been ramifications all the way down to much smaller markets which are radically changing.
Here we see a shift where there are those attempting to bring art into design.
A Shift Within Art Towards Design
The eyes of a traditional designer may be bleeding by now, yet I can offer more evidence. This evidence has caused a lot of frustration within the art community.
Here we look at an artist vs maker scenario. A maker will make items of function such as cutting boards. Yet when going to market they will use terms like “art” in some format.
Here the purists of the art world freak out. They have their merits on this battle front. The maker is using whatever means they can to get their product in front of the public eye for a sale.
It encroaches on the genuine artist platform with their argument that no functioning cutting board is art. Truly, it has no real artistic expression.
These makers are seen by artists to be drive by trend chasers. The appropriate our world of art for the sake of making products, not art.
Here again technology has forever altered our world. There was a time when woodworking was simply that, woodworking.
A man could indeed carve a beautiful work by hand, yet most often any wood which was used in a work was of function.
As things like Cnc mills and lathes become easily available to regular garage woodworkers, design wished to be called art.
In industries small and large the quandary exists. Is design art? Or… is art design? Can they be the same? Perhaps they are interchangeable?
Separating Art From Design By Definition
Art holds its own philosophy. The emphasis of art is to a purpose higher than its own creation. It exists beyond function.
While education in art is in decline, the structures of institutional teaching are as old as the ages.
An artists development leads to a personal art style that is expressive to more than fit and function.
Artists who are genuine to their intent and work discover that art is about life.
It is through these elements of life that an artist finds depth. No amount of design, architecture, or engineering can compare. These ideas and fields may blend, yet are not the same.
Art is to give context for life. It captures its culture and meaning. While artists can be used to enhance a buildings aesthetics, it does not define art.
Future Concepts That Can Make Art Design
As we move forward in time there are select aspects of technology which will allow art and design to become one. This blending presently exists within a small, but powerful world of potential.
Augmented reality projects are an excellent example of this integration. Today companies are able to use this technology to present building projects virtually through graphic art rather than prototypes or scaled models.
As this tech becomes more prolific and available to the public the potential for this is endless. It is possible to create completely virtual art that can be projected to this new reality.
A home will no longer be filled with furniture and objects alone. Rather this augmentation will allow for virtual objects to interact with offering new functional purposes to life.
A computer will no longer need to reside within a square box like a brick on a desk. The need for artists within this field will be as much in demand as the developer and designer.
The gaming industry is another which will forever change with this integration. We have seen minor uses of this concept with games like Pokemon Go yet the augmentation is only in location of where the user is.
How long until the development is there for something more like the popular tv show Memories of the Alhambra? Imagine allowing for a full user immersion and integration within this new reality in real time.
Where Philosophy Meets Reality
One can take the position within the trenches that art is only art and that design will forever be only design. In doing this one becomes a purist of philosophy while ignoring what is taking place within industry.
Time has proven that these two were made to be married together in some places within our technological age.
If the proof of where the dollars flow is not enough to convince the purist, then I am not sure what will be able to prove it to them.
The point in question is whether or not the artist will find their place to freely express themselves. This may require a true metaverse within which we can exist as an alternate world.
Art has had the misfortune of being placed into a bin where it is useless. It is treated as if it has no form or influence.
I know that the battle of the nerd vs hippy will continue. Yet industry will demand that these two get to know each other like they are a couple. Fights along this path are inevitable between the parties involved.
The Artists Future
The ideas and definitions of the 1950’s have left us a very long time ago. If an artist is looking for a field where real growth will be found, this is it.
I am sure the designers will appreciate the artists invading their community making it more beautiful by the day.
Traditional artists who are older will find it harder to continue as they are. Naturally there will always be a market for what we do.
Our fight is against another beast altogether if we remain within our purist format. Yet I cannot deny what is taking place even among our smaller markets with those we compete against.
If I were looking to build a career as a young artist I would absolutely recommend shifting from traditional art into this new world. It will be where design and art meet that roots can be grown allowing for a long term future.