"A whole New Mind" by Daniel Pink

I read this interesting excerpt on How Magazine's website this morning:

You've said that in the emerging economy, the smartest thing someone can do is to be a designer and tell their children to be designers. Why is design a great career move these days?
Because the working world that you and I live in is very different from the one that our parents prepared us for. When I was a kid—and I grew up in a middle-class family, in the middle of America, in the middle of the 1970s—parents told their kids to become doctors, lawyers, accountants or engineers. Those jobs were the pathway to a happy and prosperous life. But that's not true anymore. The economy that's emerging today confers the greatest rewards on a different kind of person with a different kind of mind. It rewards not "left-brain" knowledge workers, but "right-brain" creators and empathizers. The future belongs to those kinds of folks—artists, inventors, caregivers and, yes, designers.

We've heard about this left-brain/right-brain division before. How does it apply here?
The best metaphor to describe what's going on in work and business today is right inside our heads. The structure of our brains reveals a lot about the contours of our times. Our brains are divided into two hemispheres. The left hemisphere is logical, linear and sequential. It works like a computer. The right side is holistic, artistic and big-picture. Of course, we use both sides of our brain for most things. But the sorts of abilities characteristic of the left hemisphere are becoming less valuable. And the sorts of abilities characteristic of the right hemisphere are becoming more valuable.

Why is this shift happening?
Three big, unstoppable forces. What I call the three A's—abundance, Asia and automation.

I'm totally ripping you off - great Story on SpeakUp

Alexander “Fish” Bohn describes how wanted to have my own intellectual property demonstration, to see how the concept might operate in the field of graphic design. I assembled an exhibition of posters at a student gallery here at RISD. The show, called "I AM TOTALLY RIPPING YOU OFF", consisted completely of from-scratch recreations of notable typographically-oriented examples from graphic design and conceptual art. In each recreated work, I used the words "I AM TOTALLY RIPPING YOU OFF, _______" with the blank substituted by the author or artists' name. I ripped off a very wide range of practitioners in this fashion, from Wim Crouwel, to John Baldessari, to M/M Paris.

Seung Pyo Hong in "And Fork: 100 Designers, 10 Curators, 10 Good Designs"

Check out And Fork: 100 Designers, 10 Curators, 10 Good Designs for fellow Cranbrook alum (3d, 2002) Seung Pyo Hong (3d, 2002). Furthermore, Seung's piece "Masked Citizen X prototype 02" is mentioned in Domus Magazine no. 902 (April issue).

Also see On the Cutting Edge of Design on & Fork at the BusinessWeek website..

At samsungexhibition.com Seung explains:
My name is Seung Pyo Hong, who is an Industrial Designer. I have designed for a car manufacturer, design consulting firms and an online game company. Nowadays I am maintaining my career as a freelance designer specializing in consumer products including electronics. I am also teaching product design at some universities in Seoul.

I would like to describe my characteristics. Basically, I am a very easy-going and laid back person. I love taking photos of people around me (but do not like to be pictured). Sometimes I feel I am a bit anti-social but I never hesitate when it comes to discussing about design issues. My favorite sketch tools are Post-it and Sharpie. At work I always wear indigo blue T-shirts which I refer to as a “school uniform.” I only drink Americano with one packet of Equal and a bit of half and half. I like three-door hatch typed cars, especially VW Golf. I am addicted to watching the movement of heavy equipments like an excavator in huge manufacturing facilities. And, I also like the actor Kevin Bacon.

One thing I have to mention is that I am running a design project group with my partner, Jackson Hong. We have been friends for a long time and studied design discipline together in Seoul and the US. People tell us we are very similar in many ways, but in terms of design perspective, we are the opposite. I mostly play the professional and academic role in the mainstream design industry, but Jackson works for the Korean contemporary art scene. While I work as an industrial designer who mainly thinks of consumer’s satisfaction through market research and design process, Jackson Hong explores unusual desires in the relationship between everyday objects and their users by inventing products with unusual functions ranging from electronic devices to furniture, which mainstream design industries have not given attention to.

Although the direction of our objectives is different, our partnership has always been successful. I guess our characteristic differences have actually made an interesting synergy. Recently, we had a group exhibition named “UPSET” last June at a venue called ONEANDJ Gallery in Seoul. We unveiled some experimental art pieces. Below is one show item called “Masked Citizen X,” an electronic facial prosthetic for anti-social people.


Masked Citizen X 02 Prototype 01 - An anti-communication device 2006 / ABS plastic, Aluminum, Stainless steel / 33 x 79 x 80 (H x W x D Cm)

Since I have a background in design, most of my writings on this blog will handle design issues. As a design commentator, I will analyze the electronic devices on the IFA show in Berlin and interpretate their design stories from a cultural perspective to a more detailed user perspective through my very personal point of view.

New Design Blog by Ali Madad

Ali Madad, Design Director at Studio Red and Professor at Pratt Institute started a new blog called SCTY, Society for the Advancement of the Graphic Arts.

It has some intriguing images of the final projects from the graduating seniors students in his class.

Some of them will be in the Pratt 2007 Show this Tuesday:

Tuesday, May 8 – Thursday, May 10
Manhattan Center
311 West 34th Street
New York, New York
Reception for the Professions, 6-9pm, May 8

Reed Kroloff Appointed Director of Cranbrook Academy of Art

Photo By Paul Burch-Celentano, from the Tulane University website.

May 9, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact: Rick Loewenstein, 248-645-3110


Bloomfield Hills, MI- Following a national search, Reed Kroloff has been appointed director of Cranbrook Academy of Art and Art Museum, effective September 1, 2007. Currently dean of the Tulane University School of Architecture and the former editor-in-chief of Architecture magazine, Kroloff will succeed Gerhardt Knodel, who is retiring from the Academy after more than 30 years of service.

"Given Reed's national prominence, varied experiences and remarkable accomplishments, we are confident he will help lead the Academy to new heights of artistic greatness," says Rick Nahm, president of Cranbrook Educational Community.

"After a seven month national search, Reed emerged as the unanimous choice," says Maxine Frankel, board chair of Cranbrook Academy of Art and Art Museum. "Reed brings wisdom, vision, energy and passion to this position and is looking forward to working collegially and collaboratively with our staff, board and the other Cranbrook
institutions."

Kroloff is looking forward to joining the Cranbrook community. "Being asked to help translate Cranbrook's remarkable legacy into an engine for 21st century creativity is an honor," he says. "I can't wait to get started."

During his tenure at Tulane, Kroloff had a significant impact on the School. He arrived there one year before Hurricane Katrina and helped lead the School to recovery and prominence in the post-storm environment, including raising a record $3 million in gifts and research grants; retaining 97 percent of the School's students and 100 percent of its faculty after the storm; and playing a significant role in citywide planning and rebuilding efforts.

The recipient of the American Academy in Rome's 2003 Rome Prize Fellowship, Kroloff previously served as the Editor-in-Chief of Architecture magazine. Under his direction, Architecture received more awards for editorial and design excellence than any magazine of its type, and quickly became the leading design publication in the nation. His writing has appeared in many other magazines and newspapers as well,
including recent features in Artforum and Metropolis. Kroloff has been interviewed and profiled by national newsmedia such as NBC News, "All Things Considered," and the New York Times.

Before joining Architecture in 1995, Kroloff taught at Arizona State University, where he was a tenured professor, and the assistant dean. At ASU, he received the first-ever "Award for Academic Excellence" from the Arizona chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Through his practice Jones/Kroloff Design Services, Kroloff advises a range of institutions on architect selection and design strategy. His clients have included, among others, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Ministry of Culture of the Federal Government of Mexico, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Cleveland Museum of Contemporary Art, the University of Connecticut, the History Channel, and Detroit's own Motown Center Project. The combined construction value of the projects
on which Jones/Kroloff has advised now exceeds $500 million.

Kroloff lectures widely, and is a regular visiting critic at architecture schools and professional organizations across the country. He holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and Yale University, and has practiced architecture in Texas and Arizona. Kroloff serves on numerous boards and advisory councils, ranging from the
Register of Peer Professionals of the United States General Services Administration to the Public Architecture Foundation.


Cranbrook Academy of Art and Art Museum
Founded in 1932, Cranbrook Academy of Art is a preeminent graduate level school of art, design and architecture. Offering an intense studio-based experience, artists-in-residence mentor students in art, architecture and design to creatively influence contemporary culture. The two-year Masters of Fine Arts program at Cranbrook Academy of Art enrolls more than 150 students who pursue degrees in nine disciplines including 2D Design, 3D Design, Ceramics, Fiber, Metal, Painting, Photography, Printmaking and Sculpture and a Master of Architecture degree. Upon successful completion of his or her course of study and work, each student presents a thesis project in a group exhibition at Cranbrook Art Museum. One of the region's leading contemporary art museums, Cranbrook Art Museum provides access to Cranbrook's remarkable past through its collections and tours while offering changing exhibitions by the world's most innovative artists including Cranbrook Academy of Art students and faculty. Cranbrook is an internationally renowned educational community dedicated to excellence in the arts, education and science. Cranbrook is located at 39221 Woodward Avenue in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and in addition to the Academy of Art, is comprised of the Art Museum, Institute of Science, Schools and other affiliated cultural and educational programs. For more information, call (248) 645-3000 or visit cranbrook.edu.

Logo Cities Project & Symposium by Matt Soar

Check out the Logo Cities project by Dr. Matt Soar, including symposium starting tomorrow with a keynote address by Johanna Drucker; plus the Québec premiere of Helvetica.

From the official Website:
About Logo Cities

Logo Cities is an ongoing research/creation project addressing signage, branding and lettering in public space, with a particular focus on the city of Montréal. Logo Cities is directed by Dr. Matt Soar, Department of Communication Studies, Concordia University, and is made possible by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. With considerable assistance from grad students Cecilia Chen, Grant Collins, AnneMarie Ennis, Lisa Gasior, and Michael Lithgow.

Parsons The New School for Design Product Design show at Fellisimo Design House

Parsons Product Design Exhibition
May 9-22, 2007

Opening Reception
Wednesday, May 9
6:00-8:00 p.m.

Felissimo Design House
10 West 56th Street
New York, NY 10019

Gallery Hours
May 10-11 Thu-Fri 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
May 12 Sat Closed
May 13 Sun Closed
May 14-18 Mon-Fri 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
May 19 Sat Closed
May 20-22 Sun-Tues 12:00 noon-8:00 p.m.

Sensei Sagmeister keeps you on track.

"A designer who aims to make great work and make a lot of money, fails on both accounts".



"Having guts always works out for me". Hillman Curtis interview:

Stefan Sagmeister books.

Soo Sunny Park (Sculpture ' 00) in Invitational Exhibition of Visual Arts at American Academy

Eighty-six paintings, photographs, sculptures, installations, and works on paper by 34 contemporary artists will be on view at the galleries of the American Academy of Arts and Letters on historic Audubon Terrace (Broadway between 155 and 156 Streets) from Thursday, March 8 through Sunday, April 1, 2007. Exhibiting artists were chosen from a pool of more than 150 artists nominated by the 250 members of the Academy, America’s most prestigious society of architects, artists, writers, and composers.

http://www.artsandletters.org/index.php?page=exhibitions

The Invitational Exhibition of Visual Arts will feature many new works on view for the first time in New York, including paintings by Warren Isensee and Dana Schutz, sculptures by Charlotte Becket and William Ryman, and installations by Sarah Oppenheimer, Soo Sunny Park, and Andy Yoder.

Exhibition artists: Painters and Graphic Artists: Clytie Alexander, Robert Bordo, Sally Hazelet Drummond, Manny Farber, Mark Ferguson, Jackie Gendel, Juan Gomez, Julian Hatton, Frances Hynes, Warren Isensee, Christine Lafuente, Mel Leipzig, Stephen Mueller, Emily Nelligan, Ann Pibal, David Salle, Dana Schutz, Susan Shatter, Cynthia Westwood, and Alexi Worth. Installation and mixed-media artists: Sarah Oppenheimer, Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, Soo Sunny Park, Andy Yoder, and Emna Zghal. Photographers: Saul Leiter and Sally Mann. Sculptors: Charlotte Becket, Lawrence Fane, Joe Fig, Bryan Hunt, Grace Knowlton, Cordy Ryman, and William Ryman.

Ali Madad 2d '03 - Lecture+Workshop, Art Institute of Houston: March 1st and 2nd

Ali Madad, Design Director at Studio Red at Rockwell Group and Visiting Professor at Pratt Institute, will deliver a presentation of his works at the Art Institute of Houston on March 1st from 12:00-1:00 p.m, room 313. On March 2nd there will be a small design workshop with the AIGA student group, sponsoring the visit.

Art Institute of Houston
1900 Yorktown Street, Houston, Texas 77056-4197
www.artinstitutes.edu/houston
1-713-623-2040
1-800-275-4244

Arden de Brun 2d '03 - New Graphic Design Program Chair, The Art Institute of Houston

Arden de Brun has been promoted from Graphic Design Instructor to Graphic Design Program Chair. An internationally published artist, de Brun graduated in 2003 with a Masters from Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. His vast experience includes being a graphic designer in Italy for clothing company United Colors of Benetton, product design company Alessi, as well as designing for major US corporations like Coca-Cola, American Girl, and Fisher-Price. De Brun states, "I'm glad to be at The Art Institute of Houston and excited to challenge students to go beyond the boundaries of learning inside the classroom."

THE 63RD SCRIPPS COLLEGE CERAMIC ANNUAL 2007 - Curated by Tony Hepburn

(Excerpt form article at:) http://www.scrippscol.edu/dept/gallery/calendar/annual.html

Claremont, CA (December, 2006) - The Scripps College Ceramic Annual - the longest running exhibition of contemporary ceramics in the United States - opens for the 63rd year on Saturday, January 20, 2007 at the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery on the Scripps College campus.

Since its inception, the Ceramic Annual has been an artist’s choice exhibition, turning the tables and giving a practicing ceramic artist the opportunity to curate an exhibition. This year, the guest curator is Tony Hepburn, Head of Ceramics at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Participating artists include Marek Cecula, Robert Dawson, Shannon Goff, Hella Jongerius, Paul Kotula, Geert Lap, Steven Mankouche and Abigail Murray, Jim Shrosbree, Christie Wright [Cer. '00], and designer Barbara Schmidt from KAHLA Porcelain USA.

Order the catalog:http://www.scrippscollege.edu/dept/gallery/publications/63annual.html