April 17th, 2007
Independent Design Ethic: Freedom & Responsibility
After reading a Core77 article entitled D.I.Y. ID: Indie Designers on the Rise, it struck me that there is obviously a strong ethic associated with true independence that goes beyond DIY-ing. Whilst self-governance, autonomy, and creative freedoms have all been founding principles of independent music, theatre and film for instance, should they not be fundamentals of ‘independent design’?*
From my own observations of independent music over the last couple of decades, the disdain for artists who “sold out” by signing to a major record label has thoroughly diluted. For many independent artists the ethic was of independence at all costs, rather than any (false) notion that one could have both freedom and a fat company pay cheque. Therefore, the only true and respectful mark of independent success was not financial; instead it was the gathering of a cult following and peer recognition. It was all very ‘death before dishonour’. However, this normalised during the nineties and is summed up fairly well within the liner notes of an album I own from 1996, which states (regarding the band transitioning to a major label), “we still have creative control… not that it’s really a big deal because bands don’t really catch that much sh*t for selling out anymore. Do they?†In fact, being uncovered/ discovered and then crossing over for a potential mainstream success is now more often aspired to (after all, how else are you going to pay the rent?) Furthermore, the term, “indie”, has become a descriptor for an aesthetic sound or fashion, rather than an ethic of process or purpose, let alone existence. Today, ‘indie’ is a style, it’s a haircut.
There are plenty of unorthodox or independently practicing designers, with accessible resources, know-how, communities, engagement and dialogues about “challenging the definition of design and design practiceâ€. However, far less evident are designers and design outcomes that challenge our everyday lives. “Indie Designers†and aspiring designer-superstars give us alternative aesthetics/ styles for what already exists in evermore cool, chic, ironic, or quirky ways. So, where are the independent design outcomes that challenge our unsustainability, for example, by designing us to consume/ waste less and divert us from mainstream commercialism to a way of being happy with less materialism? The question is will independent designers change anything if they are only an ‘alternative’ version to what pervades in the mainstream?
With independence comes freedom and with freedom comes responsibility. What an independent design ethic offers that matters most is to design what is right. Independence is a freedom to impose constraints that matter, rather than have mainstream/ corporate/ financial constraints imposed onto something that doesn’t.
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*Remembering that ‘design’ is not art, or an art?
May 8th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
A good friend who designs products emailed their comments, part of which I’ve copied below:
“… i enjoy the creation of things but i dont feel good about the market that i am creating them for. however, i find it very hard to see an alternative to the status quo. i could do one off art pieces but I feel this is just avoiding the problem. if i stop producing consumables then how do i survive? if i continue producing consumables then how do i create something that genuinely enhances peoples lives and doesnt just give a short consumer buzz. or i could try to create something that people really ‘need’, but what? My only solution so far is to move into making food for people as at least everyone has to eat so my contribution is necessary and not just a want. other than that i am at a loss to find something that fits in with what i do currently. Maybe i could just change my brand to
‘another unnecessary product’ ha!
i turns my mind into knots trying to think of a product that would improve peoples happiness. the only examples i can think of are board games, frizbees and products for third world environments that do things like provide clean water and shelter. as for products in the area i am already working the only thing is to provide products in
which the construction of the product is the reason that you bought it in the first place. for example. people buy craft kits to make all sorts of things but usually the end product is pointless ‘craft art’. what if the kits actually makes something useful for you or even
better made something useful for someone else. i like the idea of creating a program where you take people away from all the useless leisure things people do. for example: people pay a small fortune to gyms to stay fit. i would love to start a gym where all that energy is captured to do other things like hard work for the community. i am rambling a bit now but you get the idea.
what do you create if it isnt just for consumption?
till then i will continue making nice things. sometimes i think f!ck it, i just make nice things. if people cant get a grip on their own over-consumption why does the responsibility fall back on the creator of the product to make them change? i dont tell anyone that they need my products.
sorry for a slightly depressing email. all is actually going really well at the moment…â€