Form Follows Issues in Contemporary Society by Anna Mimran
Abstract This essay has investigated how issues which affect society influence and inspire creative expression and act as a reaction to discontent, injustice and the need for change. Through extensive research it became clear that World War One and Two were monumental events in history which shifted the nature of society in all aspects of life, art was one of them. The Dada movement was born as a statement against the violence and sinister ambiance of the time. The Bauhaus Movement was derived from a similar source, after the loss of the First World War, the design community in Germany wanted a fresh start which inspired the establishment of the Bauhaus School. The nature of racism and oppression in the twentieth century also inspired a great deal of artistic expression, this essay discusses that notion through art and music. Hip Hop and many artworks acted as a voice to those facing the harsh realities of oppression and injustice, these medium helped draw attention to these causes and led to many of these works being highly regarded as treasured expressions that encouraged reform and continue to spark controversy. Finally, the environmental issues our planet faces today have similarly inspired creativity through the need for sustainable design which has not only acted as a reaction to the issues but have also been a proactive response in leading reform and adaptation in society.
Introduction Art, in all forms acts as a platform for expression. It can be argued that form follows issues in contemporary society. This essay will explore this idea by showing instances where events and experiences have inspired creation in all artistic fields historically and continue to do so in present day. Art often acts as a response to external influences and is used as a medium to relay the message the artist wants to convey. A term to help represent this idea is ‘cause oriented art’ which was assembled using the definition of the individual words and combining their meanings to allow a term to describe this notion. It is an expression of creative skill and imagination through branches of creativity such as painting, music, literature and dance, which is directed at an aim or movement in order to advocate a message. This essay will explore examples such as; the influence the First and Second World War had on art and design, contemporary oppression and racism in the last century and what creative expression it has inspired, using art and music particularly to highlight this idea and how design has to adapt to the issues society faces today.
Figure 1: Maybe, Maybe Not Exhibiton Poster - Ai Wei Wei (2017) Figure 2: Bicycle Wheel - Marcel Duchamp (1913) Figure 3: Cadeau - Man Ray (1921)
Figure 4: Fountain - Marcel Duchamp (1917)
Artistic Reactions to World War One and Two The Dada Movement World War One and Two were undoubtedly pivotal events in history which inspired reactions in all aspects of life. In terms of art, many movements formed as a result which continue to shape art and design in the present day. Germanys’ defeat in the First World War led to the fall of the oppressive monarchy and the rise of the more progressive Weimar Republic. This led to an increase in radical experimentation in the arts, with the Dada movement being a key example of this. The Dada movement formed in Switzerland, a neutral country during the war, where many artists took refuge. “Dada was a movement formed during World War One in Zurich in negative reaction to the horrors and folly of the war.” (Tate, n.d). The movement consisted of many notable artists such as Marcel Duchamp, Hans Arp, Man Ray and George Grosz, many of whom are still esteemed artists today. Collectively, the movement used their art to stand against the nature of the modern capitalist society by expressing nonsensical and irrational motifs in their work. The Dada movement used their art as a platform to deliver the discontentment towards the war and nationalism. Hans Arp, a founding member of the Dada movement explains, “Revolted by the butchery of the 1914 world war, we in Zurich devoted ourselves to the arts. While the guns rumbled in the distance, we sang, painted, made collages and wrote poems with all our might” (Tate, n.d). It is clear that the Dada movement was a reaction to the war, Laurent Le Bon, curator of the Dada show at the Pompidou Centre in Pairs remarks that “without war there is no Dada” (Trachtman, 2006)
Figure 5: A detail from ‘Sunny Land’ - George Grosz
Figure 6: Portrait of Turmoil - George Grosz (1918)
Figure 7: Collage with Squares Arranged According to the Laws of Chance - Hans Arp (1916)
The Birth of the Bauhaus Another, still very relevant movement to come as a result of the war was the Bauhaus movement. The idea behind the movement was to collectivise and empower the “architects and artists in rebuilding a battle fatigued Europe after the horrors of the First World War. If the Kaiser had won, we would not have had a Bauhaus, which drew much of its artistic vigour from the fact of Germany’s defeat” (MacCarthy, 2007). The Bauhaus movement was instrumental in developing modern design and had a great influence on all forms of design, from Architecture to Product Design. However, as World War Two loomed and the Nazi party rose to power, the Bauhaus was under threat. The Nazi Party denounced the Bauhaus, dubbing it as ‘Degenerate Art’ due to its modernist approach and in 1933 the Gestapo shut down the Bauhaus School in Germany. As a result, many Bauhaus designers emigrated and some argue “the Nazis banning of the Bauhaus only gave its ideas greater international impetus” (MacCarthy, 2007). This again highlights how design is often used as a platform for expression and how external influences help creativity develop and in many cases act as a form of resistance, similar to the Dada Movement.
Figure 8: Bauhaus Building, Dessau. (1925)
Figure 52: Bauhaus Exhibition Poster (1923).
Figure 9: The Tea Infuser - Marianne Brandt (1924)
Figure 10: The Club Chair - Josef Albers (1928)
Figure 11: Tea Service - Otto Rittweger (1924)
Figure 12: Nesting Tables - Josef Albers (1926)
Figure 13: The House of Walter Gropius and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, newly interpreted by Berlin based architect Bruno Fioretti Marquez
Figure 14: The Wassily Chair - Marcel Breuer (1925)
Figure 15: The Bauhaus Lamp - Wilhelm Wagenfeld (1924)
Figure 16: Example of ‘Degenerate Art’, War Cripples - Otto Dix (1920)
Figure 17: Adolf Hitler visiting the ‘Degenerate Art’ Exhibition (1937)
Figure 18: Joseph Goebbels at the ‘Degenerate Art’ Exhibition
Figure 19: The Influence of Bauhaus Architecture in Modern Day Tel Aviv, Autors Own (2015).
Figure 20: Poster for the New Bauhaus School in Chicago (1937)
Figure 21: Members of Hip Hop Group, Public Enemy Pose Beside Guards Performing the Black Panther Party Salute (1988).
Expression Inspired by Oppression Hip Hop as a Reaction to Injustice and Oppression It is not only monumental historic events that have the power to spur creative expression. Throughout history all sorts of accounts of injustices and oppression, small and large, have been the source of motivation to create art in all forms. Racism was a huge subject addressed in the arts throughout the twentieth century and continues to be in present day with the use of many medium; music, art, literature and poetry. Art is often used to react to injustices and as an expression of oppression. Hip Hop and Rap is a prominent outlet which has been used to verbalise feelings of alienation, injustice and disempowerment. Many artists starting from James Brown and Gil Scott Heron to NWA, Public Enemy and Tupac, to artists prominent today, such as Kendrick Lamar, have used their position of influence to make their experiences known. It is believed that Hip Hop “initially emerged as a form of mass expression…fuelled by the harsh realities of inner city life” (Stewart, 2005). The election of Ronald Reagan was also viewed as an influencing factor in the development of hip hop, specifically ‘political’ or ‘conscious’ hip hop which is a sub-genre used as an “enormously influential agent for social change which must be responsibly and proactively utilised to fight the war on poverty and injustice” (Anon, 2008), as stated by the Hip Hop Summit Action Network. Many social and political issues in inner city African American communities heavily fuelled the development of the genre. “Hip Hop political commentators have been forced to address worsening social problems including high unemployment, police brutality, incarceration, political apathy and dysfunctional behaviours that perpetuate oppression” (Stewart, 2005). Examples of this include Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Fives’ ‘The Message’ which is seen as a “grand example of early conscious hip hop” (Adaso, 2017) as it “contains the type of graphic description of oppressive conditions.” (Stewart, 2005).
Figure 22: Poverty in African American Communities During the Emergence of Hip Hop
Other examples include Nas, who “describes historical and contemporary patterns of oppression in black communities in the song ‘Black Zombie’” (Stewart, 2005). More notable politically charged works include ‘Changes’ (See Figure 26 and 27) and ‘Dear Mama’ by Tupac Shakur, ‘Fight the Power’ by Public Enemy and ‘Fuck tha Police’ by NWA. ‘Fuck tha Police’ came from a place of division, fuelled by the anger which overcame the African American community of LA, following the release of the tape which showed proof that officers who beat Rodney King were unlawful and yet were still acquitted of their crimes. This inspired riots in 1992 (See Figure 31) and developed a climate for hostility between the police authorities and African American communities, and other minorities in the United States. The song ‘Fuck tha Police’ specifically sparked outrage due to the belief that its message encouraged violent behaviour towards police authorities and was banned from being played on radio stations all around the world. However others were of the belief that “their lyrics were politicised but in a new kind of nihilistic, a-politicised, unaligned way, gatecrashing the white world of success and how their most famous notorious track ‘Fuck tha Police’ became a free speech issue and modern protest classic” (Bradshaw, 2015). It is evident that hip hop has been used as an outlet to express feelings of oppression and that it is, as stated by Professor Michael Eric Dyson of Georgetown University, the “pavement poetry [that] vibrates with commitment to speaking for the voiceless” (Anon, 2008) and that it is an important platform for expressing what President Barack Obama called “American Stories” (Hughes, 2013).
Figure 23: Album Cover for ‘The Message’ - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five (1982)
Figure 24 and 25: Extracts from the lyrics of ‘The Message’
Figure 26 and 27: Extracts from the lyrics of ‘Changes’
Figure 28: Tupac Shakur
Figure 29: Poster for ‘Fuck tha Police’ - N.W.A
Figure 30: Extract from the lyrics of ‘Fuck tha Police’
Figure 32: This image is representative of the hostility between African Americans and Police Officers during the LA Riots caused by the outcome of the Rodney King Trials. Figure 31: Newspaper Extract Reporting on Riots in LA
Figure 33: ‘Not for Sale’ - Kanye West Performing ‘New Slaves’ on Saturday Night Live.
Figure 34: To Pimp a Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar
It might feel good It might sound a little somethin’ But fuck the game if it ain’t sayin’ nuttin’ -’He Got Game’ by Public Enemy
Art as a Reaction to Injustice and Oppression Another creative medium which explores similar themes and influences is art, specifically the work of Jean Michel Basquiat as he was believed to have “[broken] into the white art world in a way that had never been done before by any black” (Clement, 2001). His piece titled ‘Defacement (the death of Michael Stewart)’ was a homage to “another young artist, Michael Stewart, who in 1983 was arrested and beaten into a coma by three police officers after graffitiing a subway station wall. He died 13 days later. The officers, who claimed Stewart had a heart attack were charged with criminally negligent homicide, assault and perjury, but found not guilty in an all white jury. It is thought he was killed by an illegal chokehold” (Laing, 2017). Basquiat commented on his death saying “it could have been me” (Laing, 2017). “Basquiat was aware that this was not just about Michael Stewart, or even him, but that there is a history of state violence on the black body…what this painting represents [is] that history of state violence on the black body as an American Heritage” (Stansfield, 2016). Basquiat even used his work as a platform to voice his views on race in the early years of his art career. When he was part of street art duo SAMO, he would paint phrases such as “ORIGINS OF COTTON” and “SAMO AS AN END TO THE POLICE” across the walls of Manhattan. It was said by his girlfriend Suzanne Mallouk, “What most people don’t understand about Jean Michel is that his crazy behaviour had nothing to do with being an enfant terrible. Everything he did was an attack on racism” (Clement, 2001). This exemplifies how influential the oppressive nature of society was during his life, acting as a direct catalyst to his artistic reaction. Many other artists have also channeled their frustration and experience of oppression, specifically relating to police brutality and racism. Works such as ‘Who do you trust when everyones a crook’ by Keith Mikell (See Figure 36), ‘Shooting of Walter Scott’ by K. Ryan Henley (See Figure 38) and another piece by Basquiat, ‘Irony of a negro policeman’ (See Figure 40) are key examples.
Figure 36: Who do you Trust When Everyones a Crook - Keith Mikell
Figure 37: Service and Protection - Brett Cook Figure 35: Defacement (The Death of Michael Stewart) - Jean Michel Basquiat (1983)
Figure 38: Shooting of Walter Scott - K. Ryan Henley
Figure 39: The Arrest of Sandra Bland - Molly Segal
Figure 40: Irony of a Negro Policeman - Jean Michel Basquiat (1981)
Other forms of oppression have given cause to equally powerful art. The Chinese conceptual artist, Ai WeiWei is famous for his human rights activism, and inspired by the work of Marcel Duchamp. Much of his work is directed at the lack of freedom of expression in China which sparked his use of art as an outlet for this frustration. In retaliation for his activism he was beaten, arrested and placed under surveillance and house arrest by the Chinese authorities. He uses his work as a way of provoking controversy against the historically oppressive Chinese government. A specific piece that explores this beliefs is; ‘Dropping Huan Dynasty Urn’ 1995 (See Figure 42). This piece shows a series of images of the artist dropping an old artefact which has great symbolic value within Chinese culture. This piece was created with the intention to refer to his disapproval of Communist China and its heritage of dynasties. Similarly, ’Study of perspective Tiananmen Square’ 1995 (See Figure 43) acts as an expression for Ai’s views towards the Chinese government and a tribute to the victims of the peaceful protests that became the Tiananmen Massacre of 1989. Furthermore, ’Surveillance Camera’ 2010 (See Figure 41) is a reference to both his own and Chinese societies cenorship by the government. It is clear through looking at his work that Ai WeiWei’s art acts as a platform for him to express his defiance of the constraints the Chinese government has placed upon him. He illustrates this by saying “Creativity is the power to reject the past, to change the status quo, and to seek new potential. Simply put, aside from using one’s own imagination – perhaps more importantly – creativity is the power to act” (Westbury, n.d)
Figure 42: Dropping Huan Dynasty Urn - Ai WeiWei (1995) Figure 41: Surveillance Camera - Ai WeiWei (2010)
Figure 43: A Study of Perspective Tiananmen Square - Ai WeiWei (1995)
Design Innovation as a Result of Modern Day Issues Adaptable Design In more recent times other factors have inspired a creative reaction and much technological innovation has come as a result. The environmental problems our planet faces today has put us on the brink of crisis, causing the birth of an industry aimed at tackling problems through innovative design. Examples of these problems include; pollution, global warming, natural resource depletion and waste disposal. One example of an initiative that is reacting to the environmental crisis is Parley, a network that aims to raise awareness about the fragile state of our oceans and work on developing alternative technologies and ecologically sensible products. Their project A.I.R stands for “Avoiding plastic wherever possible, Intercepting plastic waste, Redesigning the plastic economy” (Parley, n.d). They state in their manifesto that “only creativity and collaboration will end marine plastic pollution” which led them to join forces with Adidas to reinvent their models using recycled plastic waste from the ocean (See Figure 47). “Each shoe represents a spirit of moving forward together, finding solutions to global problems through creativity, collaboration and action” (Adidas, n.d). This exemplifies the nature of creative reactions inspired by the need to reform our societal habits and innovate in order to adapt.
Figure 45: Plastic Waste in the Ocean Harming Wildlife, Trapped Turtle. Figure 46: Plastic Waste in the Ocean Harming Wildlife, Swallowed Plastic.
Figure 47: Adidas x Parley Collaboration Figure 44: Plastic Waste in the Ocean
Figure 48: ‘This Too Shall Pass’ - Tomorrow Machine
Another example of a reaction to environmental issues from a design point of view is Swedish design company Tomorrow Machine who specialise in creating innovative and interactive packaging solutions which push society forwards. “Our vision as designers is to build a better world through research, new technologies and intelligent material. We believe in looking at science from a creative point of view to shape the innovations of tomorrow” (TomorrowMachine, n.d). Their range of technologically advanced creative projects feature ‘This too shall pass’ (See Figure 48) which evidently was inspired by the excessive waste of materials. This shows not only a reaction to modern day environmental problems, but also successfully provides a feasible solution, thus taking a more proactive stance. This project works to create a more Eco-friendly alternative to current packaging by creating biodegradable packaging that will match the shelf life of the food it contains. Many of their other projects also feature biodegradable sustainable packaging. Tomorrow Machine works as a perfect example to show how external influences and issues in contemporary society create a market for design innovation as a reaction to them.
Figure 49: Explanation of Tomorrow Machine’s Biodegradable Packaging Figure 50: Explanation of Tomorrow Machine’s Biodegradable Packaging
Figure 51: Other Sustainable Packaging Initiatives by Tomorrow Machine
Conclusion In conclusion it is clear that social, political and environmental issues in contemporary society all have the power to inspire artistic expressions and reactions, be it through design, music, art, etc. The issues that effect an artists life drive them to use their art to express themselves and react artistically. The First and Second World War drove the pioneers of the Dada and Bauhaus movements to create. Their work continues to shape the nature of art and design today, as well as acting as the inspiration to other splinter movements and artists in future generations. The oppressive nature of society helped fuel the birth of hip hop, which has led to it being an extremely influential factor in driving contemporary culture, whilst simultaneously exposing these societal flaws. Similarly, the issues raised in art have equally helped reshape society by making it question these injustices and relaying these accounts to the world. Environmental issues have inspired a creative reaction and produced a market for innovation in design aimed at adapting to our planets needs. All these examples highlight how the issues we face in society inspire a creative reaction, they show how form follows issues in contemporary society.
Bibliography Adaso, H. (2017). What is Conscious Rap. [online] ThoughtCo. Available at: https://www. thoughtco.com/conscious-rap-defined-2857304 [Accessed 29 Oct. 2017]. Adidas. (n.d). Adidas x Parley, from threat to thread. [online] Available at: http://www.adidas.co.uk/originalsbyparley [Accessed 21 Nov. 2017]. Anon., A. (2008). The politics of hip-hop. [online] The Economist. Available at: http://www. economist.com/node/11622433 [Accessed 7 Nov. 2017]. The Art Story. (n.d.). Ai Weiwei Biography, Art, and Analysis of Works. [online] Available at: http://www.theartstory.org/artist-ai-weiwei-artworks.htm#pnt_1 [Accessed 2 Nov. 2017]. Bradshaw, P. (2015). Straight Outta Compton review – how hip-hop pioneers NWA took on the world. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/ aug/27/straight-outta-compton-review-how-hip-hop-pioneers-nwa-took-on-the-world [Accessed 28 Oct. 2017]. Clement, J. (2001). Widow Basquiat. 2nd ed. Playback Press. Conserve Energy Future. (n.d). 15 Current Environmental Problems That Our World is Facing - Conserve Energy Future. [online] Available at: https://www.conserve-energy-future. com/15-current-environmental-problems.php [Accessed 11 Nov. 2017]. Emmerling, L. (2013). Basquiat. 1st ed. New York: Taschen, p.83. Hughes, D. (2013). Hip-Hop in Politics: What a Difference a Generation Makes. [online] ABC News. Available at: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/hip-hop-politics-difference-generation-makes/story?id=18495205 [Accessed 2 Nov. 2017]. Laing, O. (2017). Race, power, money – the art of Jean-Michel Basquiat. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/sep/08/race-powermoney-the-art-of-jean-michel-basquiat [Accessed 9 Oct. 2017]. MacCarthy, F. (2007). Fiona MacCarthy on the influence of Bauhaus. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2007/nov/17/architecture.art [Accessed 3 Nov. 2017]. Oxford Dictionaries | English. (n.d.). art | Definition of art in English by Oxford Dictionaries. [online] Available at: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/art [Accessed 1 Nov. 2017].
Oxford Dictionaries | English. (n.d.). cause | Definition of cause in English by Oxford Dictionaries. [online] Available at: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/cause [Accessed 1 Nov. 2017]. Oxford Dictionaries | English. (n.d.). orient | Definition of orient in English by Oxford Dictionaries. [online] Available at: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/orient [Accessed 1 Nov. 2017]. PARLEY. (n.d). FEATURED PARLEY INITIATIVE. [online] Available at: http://www.parley.tv/ oceanplastic/#the-mission [Accessed 7 Nov. 2017]. Pizzo, M. (2015). How Kendrick Lamar & J. Cole Rebooted Conscious Rap. [online] Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/@djpizzo/how-kendrick-lamar-j-cole-rebooted-conscious-rap-c13237c27399 [Accessed 1 Nov. 2017]. Sargent, A. (2016). 50 Artists Interrogate 25 Years of Police Brutality. [online] Creators. Available at: https://creators.vice.com/en_uk/article/gvwag9/art-responders-history-police-brutality [Accessed 3 Nov. 2017]. Stansfield, T. (2016). How Basquiat challenged police brutality through his art. [online] Dazed. Available at: http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/33756/1/howbasquiat-challenged-police-brutality-through-his-art [Accessed 12 Nov. 2017]. Stewart, J. (2005). MESSAGE IN THE MUSIC: POLITICAL COMMENTARY IN BLACK POPULAR MUSIC FROM RHYTHM AND BLUES TO EARLY HIP HOP. The Journey of African American History, [online] 90(3), pp.196-221. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/20063998?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents [Accessed 2 Nov. 2017]. Tate. (n.d). Dada – Art Term | Tate. [online] Available at: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artterms/d/dada [Accessed 8 Oct. 2017]. Tomorrowmachine.se. (n.d.). Tomorrowmachine.se. [online] Available at: http://tomorrowmachine.se/ [Accessed 20 Nov. 2017]. Trachtman, P. (2006). A Brief History of Dada. [online] Smithsonian. Available at: https:// www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/dada-115169154/ [Accessed 4 Nov. 2017]. Westbury, L. (n.d.). Ai WeiWei :: Creativity is the Power to Act. [online] XXY Magazine. Available at: http://www.xxymagazine.com/ai-weiwei-creativity-is-the-power-to-act/11478 [Accessed 22 Nov. 2017].
Figures List 1. http://www.imj.org.il/en/exhibitions/ai-weiwei [Date Accessed 23 November 2017] 2. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/47006389831375165/ [Date Accessed 12 November 2017] 3. http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/man-ray-cadeau-t07883 [Date Accessed 12 November 2017] 4. https://www.artsy.net/artwork/marcel-duchamp-fountain [Date Accessed 12 November 2017] 5. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2013/ oct/03/george-grosz-first-world-war-art-jonathan-jones [Date Accessed 7 November 2017] 6. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/387098530455874682/[Date Accessed 7 November 2017] 7. http://www.theartstory.org/artist-arp-hans-artworks.htm#pnt_2 [Date Accessed 21 November 2017] 8. http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/b/bauhaus [Date Accessed 4 November 2017] 9. https://www.widewalls.ch/bauhaus-design/marianne-brandt-tea-infuser/ [Date Accessed 6 November 2017] 10. https://www.widewalls.ch/bauhaus-design/josef-albers-club-chair/[Date Accessed 6 November 2017] 11. https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/art/220809 [Date Accessed 10 November 2017] 12. https://www.widewalls.ch/bauhaus-design/josef-albers-nesting-tables/[Date Accessed 6 November 2017] 13. https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/the-dreamed-up-house [Date Accessed 6 November 2017] 14. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/103442122670109890/[Date Accessed 4 November 2017] 15. https://www.widewalls.ch/bauhaus-design/william-wagenfeld-bauhauslamp/[Date Accessed 6November 2017] 16. https://degenerart.wordpress.com/2015/06/19/war-cripples-by-otto-dix/ [Date Accessed 2 November 2017] 17. http://ilovearthistory.com [Date Accessed 2 November 2017] 18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degenerate_Art_Exhibition [Date Accessed 2 November 2017] 19. Authors Own 20. https://www.bauhaus100.de/de/damals/ueberblick/waswardasbauhaus.html [Date Accessed 10 November 2017] 21. https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/399272323196301370/[Date Accessed 10 November 2017] 22. https://albumizr.com/skins/bandana/index.php?key=puQ#2 [Date Accessed 14 November 2017] 23. http://hiphopgoldenage.com/grandmaster-flash-the-furious-five-themessage-1982/[Date Accessed 13 November 2017] 24. http://www.lyricsfreak.com/g/grandmaster+flash/the+message_20062225. html [Date Accessed 13 November 2017] 25. http://www.lyricsfreak.com/g/grandmaster+flash/the+message_20062225. html [Date Accessed 13 November 2017] 26. https://play.google.com/music/preview/Tniahyennemkztmobylhnl66kty?lyrics=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=lyrics&pcampaignid=kp-lyrics [Date Accessed 13 November 2017]
27. https://play.google.com/music/preview/Tniahyennemkztmobylhnl66kty?lyrics=1&utm_ source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=lyrics&pcampaignid=kp-lyrics [Date Accessed 13 November 2017] 28. https://www.carnegielibrary.org/eyez-movie-man/[Date Accessed 21 November 2017] 29. https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2016/07/19/ice-cube-vows-continue-performing-fck-tha-police/[Date Accessed 10 November 2017] 30. https://play.google.com/music/preview/Tgviba5xs7d6amgdlo4j3e3cxvy?lyrics=1&utm_ source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=lyrics&pcampaignid=kp-lyrics [Date Accessed 10 November 2017] 31.https://shadowandact.com/there-are-at-least-7-films-on-the-1992-los-angeles-riotscoming-to-a-screen-near-you-this-year/[Date Accessed 21 November 2017] 32. https://www.idfa.nl/en/film/4b3ddd6e-c950-401f-8702-97ee4ae2c755/uprising-hip-hopthe-la-riots [Date Accessed 10 November 2017] 33. https://shitilovealot.wordpress.com [Date Accessed 13 November 2017] 34. http://www.lilymercer.co.uk/tag/kali-uchis/[Date Accessed 22 November 2017] 35. http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/33756/1/how-basquiat-challengedpolice-brutality-through-his-art [Date Accessed 4 November 2017] 36. https://creators.vice.com/en_uk/article/gvwag9/art-responders-history-police-brutality [Date Accessed 4 November 2017] 37. https://creators.vice.com/en_uk/article/gvwag9/art-responders-history-police-brutality [Date Accessed 4 November 2017] 38. https://creators.vice.com/en_uk/article/gvwag9/art-responders-history-police-brutality [Date Accessed 4 November 2017] 39. https://creators.vice.com/en_uk/article/gvwag9/art-responders-history-police-brutality [Date Accessed 4 November 2017] 40. http://www.jean-michel-basquiat.org/irony-of-negro-policeman/[Date Accessed 4 November 2017] 41. https://www.lifegate.it/persone/stile-di-vita/mostra-ai-weiwei-a-firenze [Date Accessed 17 November 2017] 42. http://www.theartstory.org/artist-ai-weiwei.htm [Date Accessed 17 November 2017] 43. http://www.theartstory.org/artist-ai-weiwei.htm [Date Accessed 18 November 2017] 44. http://www.parley.tv/oceanplastic/#the-mission [Date Accessed 12 November 2017] 45. http://www.parley.tv/oceanplastic/#parleyair [Date Accessed 12 November 2017] 46. http://www.parley.tv/oceanplastic/#parleyair [Date Accessed 12 November 2017] 47. http://br.jetss.com/moda/2016/11/adidas-lanca-o-ultra-boost-uncaged-parley-tenisfeito-com-plastico-retirado-dos-oceanos/[Date Accessed 10 November 2017] 48. http://tomorrowmachine.se [Date Accessed 20 November 2017] 49. http://tomorrowmachine.se[Date Accessed 20 November 2017] 50. http://tomorrowmachine.se [Date Accessed 20 November 2017] 51. http://tomorrowmachine.se[Date Accessed 20 November 2017] 52. http://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/sub_image.cfm?image_id=4297[Date Accessed 10 November 2017]
Appendix Workshop Diaries: Workshop 1: Moroccan teacups are traditionally short slim cups usually made of glass or crystal often with intricate geometric patterns and bold colours. As they are commonly used in Moroccan culture and tradition their general design features haven’t changed much. The way they are used in Moroccan culture is by presenting a few different coloured glasses, generally with a common design feature such as pattern or shape, accompanied by a metal teapot. Mint tea would be poured and would fill only half the glass as they don’t have handles like mugs so in order to allow the user to hold the cup at the top without being burnt. The tea is commonly served with sugar and other desserts after a meal to ease digestion. Workshop 2: I started out by trying a few different models but got frustrated as the instructions were very difficult to follow. After not managing to make any of the models I decided to turn to youtube for a tutorial which would show me the exact movements of the steps. I was still unsuccessful and after many failed attempts I gave up. The thing i found most frustrating was not being able to see a successful final product even after following the steps and how important precision is in creating a successful finished product. I find origami very interesting as i am a fan of Japanese design and admire its use of minimalism and precision. The nature of origami very much falls within this description of Japanese design due to its technique of folding paper in geometric shapes and turning something as characterless as a piece of paper into an object just by strategic folds. Despite being unsuccessful in producing a finished product I still would try making other things using origami techniques because I think when you are successful it feels very satisfying. Workshop 3: if found this experience very interesting as our rate of production increased so dramatically even though each person only did a few folds before passing it on to the next person. This resulted in everyone working more efficiently as they learned how to do their folds well resulting in a better final outcome. Through this method we improved the quality of our origami and produced at a much faster rate than we would have if each person tried to make something from start to finish. This was more representative of batch production rather than mass production though as throughout the process we had several layers of quality control. I think this is likely to be the most efficient way to produce a large quantity of a quality product.
Workshop 4: Functie Manifesto - Functie is an initiative which delivers functionality in a funky way. Abstraction, Morality and Honesty are the pillars of our what we stand for. Within our design we have implemented a factor of sustainability through flat pack designs which counteract the issues of the logistics in transportation and storage as well as immoral manual labour and carbon footprint issues. We are inspired by minimal design that encompasses Scandinavian influences. Functie is also an ethical approach with an aesthetic appeal and strong sustainable qualities, its ability to be flat packed. In terms of tackling immoral issues for example harsh manual labour, our designs avoid this by being more capital intensive, thus requiring little labour in construction. Workshop 5: We decided to redesign a crutch. Our aim was to address issues people have with the way they are currently designed. Having a member of our team be on crutches helped us pin point the issues; too much strain on the wrist, not enough adjustability and not enough grip. We tackled these issues by creating a new product with these shortcomings in mind. the top handle would be more adjustable, making it more suitable for many users. We also made the handle more ergonomic by placing a sensor within, to electronically adjust the upper arm handle and wrist bar to suit the user perfectly. Next we added a spring to allow more agile movements and facilitate walking on a range of surfaces. Finally, we made changes to the base by giving it a larger surface area to help distribute weight and provide more friction making this crutch work better in different environments and weather conditions.