As I read the topic for the final project over and over trying to get some idea as to what to do with it, I find myself stuck on the word hope. Some of you know that in the past I have focused a lot of my work around kids. One project in particular, I made a poster for my friend's child abuse foundation called savannahs story. She started it in memory of her 4 year old niece, who was abused and killed by her stepfather. Her hope is to stop and raise awareness about abuse, before it's too late for other families.
That being said, I go back to "does it provide hope for the world culture". My first instinct is to say positively yes, but the more I think about it, the more I find it to be dependent on the work and the viewer. I think that design can send the message and idea of hope but has a hard time sticking around and causing the viewer to become hopeful. I think with all art the viewer has to have a personal connection with it in order for it to have a lasting impact, otherwise it is just another picture.
That is a good point, because everyone sees something a little differently. The challenge in design is communication and how to effectively get your message across the way you want. The word hope can be vague sometimes and it is such an abstract concept. I think the inspiration that comes from design can create hope by encouraging others to think positively and creatively.
ReplyDeleteSavannahs Story seems to be a very hopeful design campaign and will "hopefully" help create an awareness of this type of misconduct that unfortunately occurs in some peoples homes.
ReplyDeleteI cannot comment much on hope and design right now (my post bears this out), but I do wish the best for your friends foundation's success.
ReplyDeleteHope is hard to come by these days, isn't it? I often find myself cursing the human race for all of its ills and wrongdoings, but then one random act of kindness can completely change my mind. So even if just for a moment, someone is hopeful because of something you've designed, I think that's pretty amazing.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Nina, finding hope in todays society can be challenging but once found it makes you so happy! If design from one person can give others hope, think of how many people you have made happy and that in itself is rewarding!
ReplyDeleteI agree that there for an idea or hope to be permanently instilled in a viewer there ideally should be a connection to the content, but I feel that if there is no connection and the idea of message is instilled anyways, thats the sign of great art or design.
ReplyDeleteI agree that when creating art you need to have a connection to produce something good, in a sense that something good is something that makes the artist feel satisfied. Art is the expression from the artist, so it should at the very least satisfy the artist. As for hope, I think its definitely a positive attribute to put in to philanthropic work.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely bring up a good point because I remember the pieces that I connect with both positively or negatively and I don't remember any of the work that I thought was mediocre or that didn't get any type of reaction from.
ReplyDeleteThis speaks directly with the book we are reading for Advertising Design right now. It talked about how for an advertisement to be relevant to a viewer, it has to mean something and it has to be presented to the right people.
ReplyDeleteI think with your project about child abuse, we were able to connect because we saw a beautiful, smiling, innocent child. The message is scary, and it certainly isn't a happy one, but I think that this use of positive campaigning - what COULD and SHOULD be - is much more effective than negative campaigning (like ASPCA's TV commercials featuring sad, hopeless animals).
As Jess said, everyone sees things differently. So when trying to design something effective, I think you either have to have it work on multiple levels (something which you can predict only in a limited sense), or you have to choose a target audience and really tailor that design to them.
ReplyDeleteI feel that with such heart wrenching issues, we have a sort of responsibility as designers to make this issues speak to the people in visual ways as opposed to just hearing about the bad. We get to approach the topics from a different point of view.
ReplyDeleteI remember a project you designed dealing with Savannahs Story and thought it was very touching. So already you have one person that believes there is hope. I do understand what you mean having it be a lasting impact if it happened to you personally and not us. But I believe after hearing or reading a story about what had happened will always have a lasting impact on anyone.
ReplyDeleteJust like a speech, design has to be backed up with a good argument in order to sway the viewer.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lauren comment, the stronger the argument or if you can incorporate a compelling story associated with hope, would overall enhance the project
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think that is why we are so interested when we have an inside look to the design process or story behind the artist/inspiration. I think it sinks in just as much as what the design itself and what it is trying to convey.
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