ARTS 1311 Reading #1

  1. What is the purpose of a designer, do they always work for a stakeholder?

Designers serve to solve problems and answer questions that are posed by an outside source (stakeholder). Designers work within the constraints of their contractors and are much more bound than fine-artists.

 

  1. Is the artist always a self-expressive narcissist?

No, because artists can create functional art, allowing it to not only be self-expression, but also useful. Artists may also use design as art which allows the art not to be pure narcissism because of functionality.

  1. Can the designer/artist exist?

Yes, because art can be functional, and design is functional art. Artists can make furniture that is aesthetically pleasing, intriguing, and functional, and designers can create pieces that are functional, asking questions, but also showing personal expression.

 

Personal Reflection

 

  1. What is your personal view of the difference between the designer and the artist? I feel that the line is very thin and that it overlaps. I view it as a spectrum. You may have a very design heavy designer, and a very art heavy artist on the far ends of the spectrum. However, there may also be very art heavy designers and vice versa. I believe it depends on the individual. Many people believe design answers questions, and art asks questions; but I believe many pieces of work can do both. Pieces can answer some questions only to pose another, or merely answer or ask. Overall, there are very obvious designer and obvious artists, but there are also a variety of in betweens.

 

  1. Which are you, why? I believe I am somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, unsure of where I lean. I love functionality; however, I am willing to sacrifice that for aesthetics at times. I also like to create things sometimes without meaning, as in “I like it because it’s pretty,” rather than a piece having a deep meaning, not that I don’t love finding deep meaning in my work. I suppose that would leave me slightly on the artistic side, but I am reluctant to decide because of my love for functionality. I believe I am very much in the middle.

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