Agency & Structure Reflection by Willem Van Lancker

Reflective Document Willem Van Lancker

AGENGY AND STRUCTURE Reflective Document â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Graphic Design Degree Project

Reflective Document Willem Van Lancker

THE ACT OF REFLECTION Only days after completing my final presentation, reflecting on the process, and taking a “helicopter view” of what was a “helicopter view” of a degree project is a daunting task. However, as I sit here upon the conclusion of my formal risd education (because it really never ends) I am confident I have gained a certain perspective to better understand and appreciate the work I have done and the careful through that went into its construction. The process of this project, though at times it left me feeling lost and adrift, unsure of my end result, was the ideal culmination and convergence of my past four years of study at risd. The opportunity to step into a role of observer, ethnographer, and artist allowed me an unparalleled opportunity to challenge my notions of education and come to a more meaningful realization and understanding of my time here.

To be enmeshed in the “living laboratory” that is risd (and being an active part of that laboratory) was by far the most influential piece of research and study I conducted this semester. This wasn’t a degree project of three months but rather a culminating exercise of my entire risd experience.

Enveloped in an environment of constant external pressures, perspectives, and structures, the formation of my personal voice and ability to have meaningful dialogue with myself is a skill I hold most important throughout this intensive study. Without a set of ethics, methods, and beliefs, coupled with an ability for those to mold and adapt, the world is a very challenge place to achieve anything in. I am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to begin an exploration of my character, passions, and the organizations I have worked within this past semester. To be able to view these institutions from my perspective as a student and through the multiple outlets I was given access to, allowed me to build a holistic understanding of how to observe and understand at situations, environments, and the interactions of individuals in communities while being one of those individuals myself. Looking forward at the continuation of my education and career, I will always look to this experience as a constant reminder to take that “helicopter view” from time to time and really appreciate and come to own a fuller perspective of my work, life, and passion.

Throughout February and March, when I was darting back and forth across the country for job interviews, I came to understand that all of this (even the 11PM red eye from San Francisco) has contributed not only to my education but also how I approach problems and take ownership of my situation (to the best of my ability). And while I was successful in “owning” my future in finding a job, I used this time to realize and understand from a more poetic perspective, just how little control we often really have.

Reflective Document Willem Van Lancker

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selected wor ks :

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1— Apple iPhone App Store 2.0 Redesign, 2009. 2— The Crisis Research and Design Project, 2009. 3— Hugh Dubberly Lecture Poster, 2009. 4— Reebok Gold, 2008. 5— Providence Performing Arts Center Brand Redesign, 2009. 6— mls Philadelphia Union Identity, 2008. 7— risd Museum of Art Identity and Strategy, 2009. 8— A Better World by Design, 2009. 9— Experience Mapping, 2008. 10— “T” Type Poster, 2009. 11— Yacht Club Soda, 2010.

Reflective Document Willem Van Lancker

PERSONAL INVESTIGATION 1—

Throughout my undergraduate career at risd, I feel like I have developed almost as much as a writer as a designer. Rarely do I create a design project or undergo any design exercise without pausing for reflection and taking the time for a more critical reflection of my practice through writing. While this has led me to feel empowered to both articulate my thoughts visually and through language, at times I feel the two exist in separate universes within me- the complex division of left and right brain. In order to remedy this I chose to reinvestigate my entire writing portfolio both for content and a deeper contemplation of my personality with the hope that I would find a more holistic cooperation between my “two sides.” The result, the record you hold in your hands, is a collection of relevant pieces chronologically organized to illustrate the development of my thought process and skill as a writer.

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To further challenge myself to understand the significance of my writer I have included visual poetic summaries to precede each piece, inviting the reader to better understand the unique combination of my passions. This complete work has enabled me to re-approach and re-package my thinking, in an exercise that is counter to my normal practice. My ability and failure at times in this challenge have reaffirmed my love for both visual design and writing. At the same time they have provided a coherent and intensely personal record of my undergraduate education. 3—

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e a r ly e x per imen ts :

1— The Inescapable Printed Word. 2— Context and Content. 3— Polyhedron Study. 4— Transform/Doit-Yourself. 5— Harvard Application Essay

Reflective Document Willem Van Lancker

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persona l e x plor ations :

1— Structure & Agency. 2— Transcript. 3— 2006-2010. 4— Transformation. 5— Mantra.

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pl ates from w h at i w rote :

6— Brown and risd Personal Statements. 7— Curiosity. 8— Design Today?

Reflective Document Willem Van Lancker

ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH & INQUIRY 77 Perspectives from the Class of 2010 is an amazing and mysterious place. The talent and amount of creative output on our campus is staggering and nearly impossible to quantify. We invite luminaries from around the globe to challenge us, inspire us, and push us to be our best. However, at times we forget to stand back and attempt to understand what risd has really given us and what we’ve given back. risd

It is common practice to cite that “students” are what make a school great but in the case of risd, our students truly play a unique role in that statement. By the nature of the studio environment, the intensity of our pursuits, and the general personality of our work, risd students stand alone in their importance in shaping the academic environment and experience.

The book wasn’t meant to encapsulate the breadth, depth, or richness of that perspective but rather act as snapshot to provide a look into what really makes risd, risd. It is the work and people. I hope this will be a resource to provide you with the perspectives of an amazing collection of talented individuals as they make the transition from this school out into the world they will someday hopefully impact.

experiences, and pedagogies as a sort of exit interview. The importance of such an exercise cannot be downplayed and I was justifiably surprised to hear that risd had no organization for such an activity.

perspectives and my other research has enabled me to undergo the most meaningful self-reflection of my life. By listening to their thoughts and stories I have found strength in the development of my own ideas. This experience is something I someday hope to pass on.

Working under my own direction and motivation, I took the opportunity with three of risd’s retiring faculty members, Krzysztof Lenk, Maria Tulokas (Textiles), and Brian Kernaghan (Interior Architecture) to hold a meaningful reflective conversation as we each “graduate” from risd. The results were both surprising and exciting. Hearing from these three individuals who have dedicated much of their careers in service to risd gave me a new perspective of not only risd’s institutional structure but also insight into the leadership and organization of creative individuals. Throughout the separate one-on-one conversations I became increasingly aware of the overlap and commonality of their ideas and views. Repeatedly they turned over in their minds risd’s greatest threats and challenges, each weaving in the richness of their personal philosophies and experiences. While I could discuss several quotes that stood out to me personally from the conversations, I instead examined the body of conversations as a complete narrative reflection of these individuals on their time helping to build risd. By organizing the three conversations in concert, I am inviting the reader to see the connections I have worked to cull from their words. The work was an amazing exercise in discovering the subtext of our conversations and generating a list of themes (seen in the gutter throughout the book) that provide the foundation for their pedagogy and practice.

Conversations with Retiring Faculty As my time at risd comes to a close and I continue both my personal work on my degree project and my involvement with risd’s strategic plan I began to consider the place of the faculty perspective in my process. Knowing that Krzysztof Lenk (Graphic Design) was retiring, I became interested in offering retiring faculty the opportunity to speak with me about their philosophies,

Though I have only been here for a fraction of the time they have, and in a much different role, lately I have found myself taking more and more time to reexamine and “unpack” my experiences from a broader view -allowing me to slowly form a more cohesive narrative of my time here. By no means am I claiming to have anything close to a complete understanding of risd or any design institution but the combination of their

Reflective Document Willem Van Lancker

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Reflective Document Willem Van Lancker

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r ese a rch ou tpu ts :

1— Brian Kernaghan. 2— Krzysztof Lenk. 3— Maria Tulokas. 4— Sample Spread from Conversations. 5— Images of risd for 77 Perspectives from the Class of 2010.

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Reflective Document Willem Van Lancker

THANKS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1—

RISD will never exist as a printed and fixed doctrine of educational ideals or a set of boardappointed expectations; its true greatness stems from the commitment and excellence of individuals like Krzysztof, Maria, and Brian. I thank them sincerely for their work and the opportunity to learn from them in a truly unique way.

I must also thank Jessie Shefrin, the core group of the RISD Strategic Plan, notably Margot Nishimura, Rosanne Somerson, and Ken Horii, for their on-going commitment to RISD’s excellence and their respect and inclusion of my ideas into conversations much larger than any one of us.

This exercise would have never been possible without the mentorship and guidance of David Bogen and his challenge introducing me to the concepts of ethnography and research over the past few months. The conversations I have had with David have pushed me to find a deeper understanding and appreciation for every situation I find myself in.

Finally, I could not create a list of this nature without thanking Tom Ockerse. Tom has been my most influential advisor during my tenure at risd. His counter balance to my pragmatism and his ability to challenge me to look deeper to understand myself has literally changed the way I learn and appreciate what I do.

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model s :

1— Current Structure. 2— Model Structure. 3— Current Student Experience 4— Model Student Experience. 5— Self-Authorship and Agility within Curriculum.