Treadmill

BA (Hons) Graphic Design / Summer Show 2010

Treadmill

Treadmill

‘The University is a treadmill’ Guy Davenport As a word -‘treadmill’ can mean: an apparatus for producing motion by the weight of a person or animal continuously stepping on steps arranged around the inner surface of a revolving upright wheel; a monotonous routine or round of work – labouring on a treadmill.

Shorter Oxford Dictionary The word ‘treadmill’ is inscribed with both positive and negative connotations. Once a symbol of un-ending, back-breaking labour, since at least the 1980’s it is also seen as a signifier of human energy, striving and endeavour, particularly in terms of maintaining a fit and healthy body in order to keep up with the speed of contemporary life.

In Victorian times the treadmill was used in prison as a form of punishment on which prisoners would be forced to hard labour for days, weeks and months on end.

It was such a regime which broke Oscar Wilde’s spirit when serving his sentence in Reading goal.

The transfer of energy from the human body to the treadmill built up capitalism’s capacity from human labour and under-pinned the industrial revolution. Karl Marx read this through his theory of ‘exchange value’ and made the actual treadmill a symbol of the worker’s incarceration.

Brett Clark, co-author of “Ecological Imperialism: The Curse of Capitalism”, in a paper written for a conference on “Civilization or Barbarism”, expands upon Marx’s use of the treadmill metaphor: “To understand the significance of Marx’s critique it is important to recognise the role that the treadmill occupied as a means of terrorising and torturing workers who were consigned to it for a variety of offenses. Thus in 1818 William Cubbit reintroduced English prisoners to the treadmill, which, according to a description in the October 1971 Scientific American, employed men in “grinding grain or in providing power for other machines. Each prisoner had to climb the treadmill a total vertical distance of 8,640 feet (2,630 meters) in six hours. The feat was

Notes Baudrillard, J Selected Writings ed Poster M, Stanford University Press, 1988 Bellamy Foster J interview for Monthly Review.org 2010 Clark, B Ecological Imperialism: The Curse Of Capitalism – paper delivered at the Civilisation and Barbarism Conference, Serpa and Moura, Portugal, 2004 Davenport, G The Geography of The Imagination: 40 Essays David R Godine/ Picador 2010 Marx K, Engels F The Communist Manifesto Signet Classics 1998

the equivalent of climbing the stairs of the Washington Monument 16 times, allowing about 20 minutes for each trip.”

As Capitalism developed into Late-Capitalism and heavy industry into light service, the word treadmill was re-employed to describe the changing times but still not as a positive metaphor.

John Bellamy Foster, interviewed

by Aleix Bombila about his book Marx’s Ecology And The Ecological Revolution uses the ‘treadmill’ metaphor in relation to the current obsession with consumer growth: “The only real social and ecological solution is a society not focused on accumulation or economic growth per se, but on sustainable human development. No matter what measures you introduce to modernize capitalism ecologically, the system requires a constant growth of the treadmill of production. If we substitute public for private transportation, introduce renewable energies, and adopt other collective measures it can help.”

From the 1980’s onward the gymnasium became the site of the signification of human-fitness ‘working that body’ to keep up with the ‘image-repetoire’ of fabulous bodies which advertised consumer goods. Baudrillard listed gyms amongst his ‘signs of re-cycled nature’ -saying that the traditional, primordial relationship of man to raw nature no longer existed. The body becomes the site for dozens of overlapping and intersecting discourses - the gaze, health, beauty, obesity, technology Etc , the body itself as commodity fetish.

With Late-Capitalism’s floating hedge-funds, 24 hour media and the digital industries, and the World Wide markets themselves undergoing massive instability and critique, Marx’s much quoted ‘all that is solid melts into the air’ seems even more apt - it is now machines which pass their energy back into the human body and simulations which influence its look and shape.

Bellamy Foster explains the changes the ‘treadmill’ metaphor has gone through: “Context is always instructive, and a glance at the most frequent collocating verbs gives a clue as to what is probably the crucial feature of a treadmill: the idea that you are on it against your will, and that it is inescapable. The two sets of verbs most commonly appearing around treadmill are “be on”, “find yourself on”, and “be trapped on”; and “get off”, “save from” or “rescue from”, and most common of all “escape from”.

He goes on to describe corporate America and gymnasium treadmills equipped with individual TVs:

“The reference here is to a fitness machine found in most gyms, which rather surprisingly, in view of the word’s negative connotations is also called a treadmill. (The US is full of stressed executives who get in their cars and drive to a gym, where they then simulate walking and cycling.)

The real change here is not so much in the nature of the machine itself, but in the fact that its use is voluntary no-one forces you to be on this type of treadmill ,and nothing prevents you “escaping” from it. Now, since metaphors tend to originate from well-established literal meanings, we might expect to find this more positive use of treadmill generating its own figurative uses. And indeed the US news corpus does contain a line hinting at this possibility, when it refers to a business that is embarked on “the biggest continuous improvement treadmill of them all”.

This shift from the idea of “hard work as endless drudgery” to the notion that “hard work brings rewards and improvement” reflects profoundly on changes in the Anglo-Saxon economies over the past 20 years.”

Nevertheless, this more positive use of the word is still strictly within the context of ‘positive Capitalism’ and very much marked as being before the recent crisis in the world-wide markets.

And the connection to Graphic Design? Well, we have arrived at an interesting moment. Graphic designers affect and reflect the made world. Students of Graphic Design -the designers of the future, have the potential to change, affect and influence how things turn out -they are the ‘producers’ of the ‘imagerepetoire’ of the future at a crucial time for culture and the world as a whole.

Do they merely wish to swap one form of ‘treadmill’ for another; to go from the ‘treadmill of learning’ onto to ‘the treadmill of labour’, cogs in the machine; or do they wish to stick a spanner in the works, renew, change, affect, inform, use their energies for positive good?

In the current uncertain economic/ political climate - where the incoming government is forcing upon us an austere period of cuts and belt-tightening, the future for Graphic Design and the culture industries in terms of jobs or creative endeavour might be perceived as being bleak. A University degree, in the same unfavourable terms, might also be viewed by some to be a yearly cycle of modules a ‘treadmill’ leading to another ‘treadmill’ of the life/work cycle.

However, in contrast to this gloomy prognosis, previous austere times have also often coincided with a renewed sense of cultural energy.

As a Graphic Design course we could easily present ourselves as a glossy, slick adjunct to industry, the future rosy, the work all slick surface and imbued with the latest fashionable trends. We could show you images of students jumping in the air against cyan-coloured skies or gazing rapt at i-Pads and i-Pods, we could list the competitions or students have won or done well in. We’d prefer to open up a critical dialogue with ‘industry’ about the way forward, to offer these hard-earned, honest fragments of enquiry into some crucial issues, to prod, provoke, have fun, tread lightly in heavy times, but with a serious intent.

The publication Treadmill then, takes an honest look at this state of affairs and pitches into it a series of projects, proposals and texts -part and fully realised -which agree with, explore, refute, see through, beyond or sideline this prognosis.

These projects aim at furthering the practice of Graphic Design -the manipulation of image/text/sound within an over-arching concept-in the face of difficult times. How to utilise ‘the treadmill’ for positive good, how to subvert it or stick a spanner in the works, how to get off it all together, into new ideas, new territory.

Keep walking.

Matthew Hobson Senior Lecturer BA (Hons) Graphic Design

Treadmill / Student work

Student work

Sam Caldecourt samcaldecourt@yahoo.com Re-Inform

Matt Chelotti mattchelotti@hotmail.com Drowning At Sea

Ajay Deora ajaydeora@yahoo.co.uk 20°17’ S, 57°33’ E - Mauritius My project utilises the longitude and latitude of Mauritius in a T-Zer campaign to attract the UK business community to the opportunities there.

Typically known for its idyllic tropical setting for holiday or honeymoon – the aim is to highlight its up-andcoming status as a financial centre in Africa – plus all the sun and sea.

My project aims to transform the identity of an up and coming band across various elements and media platforms. I created a new logotype, image selection, colour palate, CD and Vinyl sleeves, campaign posters and flyers to advertise their gigs. Other elements included looking at their MySpace pages, video and net-presence. The design aimed to unify/simplify their look. It needed to balance keeping within their ‘genre’ so as not to lose their audience, with developing a cleaner look to help them stand out.

Alexis Dominik Maria Lazi d.lazi@me.com The Bird’s Eye My project involves a new way to navigate cities in the future.

The Bird’s Eye combines the practicalities of a printed map with the customisable features associated with an online site. The Bird’s eye is an interactive shopping map that allows users to maximise their shopping experience in navigating shopping districts. Users are able to print a tailored map to their personal preferences from the Bird’s Eye which is located in an information kiosk.

Khadiza Ali kaz.ali247@googlemail.com Lost Mind My project explores Alzheimer sufferers living in the everyday. Most people do not see mentally disabled people in everyday situations. It is often assumed that they are in some sort of care home, away from the general public. But we can come into contact with an Alzheimers patient and not realise it. I want to show how the unfamiliar can happen quite easily in the midst of the familiar.

Daniela Orru d.orru@btinternet.com Luxury Or Necessity

My project explores how consumerism plays on our notions of luxury. In our contemporary world this means designer labels and exclusive brands. This ‘dress’ is fashioned from patterns which literally strip these notions of consumerism to their bare bones and incorporates extracts from my dissertation as if written on the body – a deconstruction of the signs of luxury.

Andrew Harris caffine409@hotmail.co.uk Structure and Possibility

Beth Hayes beth.hayes@yahoo.co.uk The Immortal Salient And The City Of Peace My project explores the history of the small Belgian town of Ypres, a place that found itself at the centre of some of the most horrific fighting during the First World War, but against all odds has managed to rebuild itself to become known as the City of Peace. Ypres sets an example and sends a strong message to the rest of the world not only about war and its tragic effects, but the strength and beauty of the human spirit.

“Our obsession tends to be language, and in our case textual or visual language, and we like to explore the edge between structure and possibilities.”

Neville Brody - the Design Museum Presidents Lecture Nov 2009 My project attempts to establish a graphic design outcome through looking at architectural structures and seeing how they can create possibilities.

My project was to create a series of viral idents for a new creative group called Re-Inform - who produce an on-line magazine as well as acting as a design agency. The aim was to use the web to boost exponential growth - reaching a large audience through minimal effort.

Benedicte Isaksen benedicteisaksen@hotmail.com Another Alternative London My project was to develop an alternative guide to London - particularly aimed at young Norwegian tourists visiting London for the first time - who might at first be drawn towards the traditional tourist attractions but who want to get a more realistic glimpse of what lies beyond the tourist treadmill.

Whilst focused on Norwegians - this guide could be used by anyone who wants an alternative vacation.

Emily Tabet emily.ann.tabet@gmail.com Good Omens “According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter – the world’s only totally reliable guide to the future – the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact.

Just after tea...”

My project attempts to translate the funny fantasy novel ‘Good Omens’ by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett into a set of designs posters, storyboards and costume designs - towards a film adaptation of the novel.

Lorena Cominges lllabesua@hotmail.com Basque Art: Culture and Identity My project documents and explores Basque art, culture and identity in a journey from Basque Constructivism to the Basque Cromlech – metaphysical theories and beliefs which underpin the culture. Using image, text and video, the various elements form an aesthetic exploration of the Basque spirit.

Joshua Dean mini_world123@hotmail.com A Biker’s Tale

Øyvind Johansen oyvind_r_j@hotmail.com Rock Festival My project was to provide an identity for a laid-back, local-communitybased music festival in my home country of Norway, that originally started fairly spontaneously and then began to grow year on year. The aim was to consolidate the festival’s identity into a more cohesive feel without losing its spirit and becoming ‘corporate’.

My project focuses on motorcycle clubs such as the Hells Angels and how they are seen by the general public. The illustrated book “A Bikers Tale” shows the typical bikers club weekend away which included partying, drinking and drug taking.

In my experiences as a biker, motorcycle clubs give a bad name to the rest of the motorcycle community - although this might not be intentional.

Anne-Sofie Lund lundsofie@gmail.com The Beauty Of Coding My project takes the code from the websites of the three main political parties in Gt Britain and flows them together. In the context of the recent election, with ‘third-way politics’, parties changing image and tactics, shift and re-alignment- the demarcation lines between parties get harder and harder to fathom.

This theme is explored through a poster and three ‘flick-books’.

Samantha Christie Home My project deals with the notion of ‘home’. The difference between a rural upbringing in The North and an urban home in the South and moving between both. Is the sense of home ‘portable’ or does having two homes mean you are settled in neither? Does the journey back and forth between them become home?

Deniz Besikcioglu denizbesikcioglu@hotmail.com Infobesity My project explores the ways we interact with information in the digital age. The world is our oyster and it is digitised to fit perfectly on our screens and even in our pockets.

With the massive information overload around us all we have to do is ‘click’ on a screen to access any information in any form, to celebrate some great freedom or slowly drown in a sea of information.

Treadmill / Student work

Melisande Nicholson mellsandenicholson@yahoo.co.uk Blue My project explores depression how it is perceived subjectively and objectively - and how it can colour someone’s world view.

Tiziana Lardieri tizylar@tiscali.it London In Colour My project is a personal visual exploration of London through colour.

My aim is to document London by exploring different aspects which are characteristic of it, using colour as the main language with which to represent them.

Kim André Bøe kimaboe@gmail.com Biography Of John Kåre T. Bøe Elisa Bjork Thorsteinsdottir elisabjork5@gmail.com Gabriel My project is a book aimed for children aged 7-10. In this book, the character Gabriel introduces Leonardo Da Vinci by showcasing his work.

Children will learn about the artist’s life and work from Gabriel, through reading and playing interactive puzzles. It is envisaged as being one in a series.

Aleksander Sandvik sanale@c-k.no Bluer Than Blue My project explores the Blues the root of so much popular music.

It uses both the formal qualities of the blues - two repeated lines followed up by a ‘punch line’ and the 12 bar structure, together with the tradition of the 12inch LP graphics, plus its wilder, cathartic side as a ‘conceptual grid’ for letterpress and photographic pieces.

Fiona Horan fiona.horan@btinternet.com Monsters My project illustrates a variety of monsters conceived by the human psyche through all periods of history.

These creatures and humanoids embody ancient and modern terrors and concerns – fear of nature, of technology, of unfamiliar landscapes, of solitude, of insanity, and of the dark.

Natalie Chen natalieyuli@yahoo.com A-Z of Twins This project explores the issues of twin stereotyping and identity.

The idea was developed from my own personal experiences of being an identical twin which has provoked many repetitive comments, questions and jokes that ‘compose themselves’ into a whole dictionary of preconceived assumptions.

Steve Allison s21a@hotmail.co.uk Irritation My project is an exploration of things that irritate me. Namely, feeling guilty that ignoring beggars may condemn them to a night on a doorstep. Being stopped by the police for driving/ walking/standing in a suspicious manner or fitting the vaguest description of a suspect. Or being exposed to the hazards of smoking and forced to traverse the maze of nicotine addicts frequently found at the entrance to buildings.

My project is a biography on my grandfather, John Kåre T. Bøe.

A fisherman along the Norwegian coast and arctic regions from fourteen to sixty-five, he risked his life to support himself and his family. Sometimes spending a year at sea, traveling as far west as Newfoundland by way of compass and map, his way of life, while only a few years removed from today, was vastly different from ours. The book is based upon extensive interviews and research.

THE ADOLESCENT AIN LEUH ABUTTING, DISMANTLING COMPANY JEROEN VAN AKEN RENDERED YARDS PSEUDONYMS FIRST MILE, LAST MILE DU MEINE LEISE Engineered by Alex Aldi (Gigantic) and Champ Bennett (Viking Studios & Pencil Factory) Mixed by Alan Weatherhead (Sound of Music) Mastered by Mark Christensen (Engine Room Audio) Design & layout by Jon A. Gulbrandsen

GREGOR SAMSA REST

Martin Vinh Nguyen vinhmartin@hotmail.com Bethnal Green My project explores the area of Bethnal Green from a personal perspective. The work – utilising both photography and illustration – is an attempt to capture and reflect the vibrant, eclectic nature of the area – an outsider’s viewpoint.

Melinda Puzsar qmp120@hotmail.com Alcohol

Jon Anders Gulbrandsen jon.a.gulbrandsen@gmail.com Music On Vinyl

My project explores the idea of an alcohol awareness campaign in a drinking environment, using different media, telling true stories of recovering alcoholics and the effect alcohol has had on their lives, conveying this in an honest, accessible way to raise awareness of the problem.

My project explores ways of packaging digital music. The solution I have come up with is objects made of 100% recycled vinyl. The actual music is stored on a MicroSD card inserted in the object. The object itself can be anything; whatever suits the music.

This project investigates the act of memorising journeys through the media of illustration and paper-cut design. Memory preserves the images that we draw from our experience and is dependent on many factors including personality and gender. Here, journeys are memorised by recollecting visual and audio aids that stand out or appeal to our specific senses.

Heidi Stormoen heidi.stormoen@gmail.com Norwegian Spirit This design manual and posters serve as an introduction to Norway by focusing visually on its traditions and culture. They provide you with a graphic expression of the designs as well as showing you some examples of how to use them. Instead of showing you all the elements separately, every page operates as a separate, though thematically connected, “visual work“.

Jakob Naess naess.jakob@gmail.com Ink My project involves the setting up of a new social space, café and gallery-which displays new products - where ‘creatives’ of all persuasions can gather, exchange ideas and work.

Emma Jennings emma_jenn55@hotmail.com Footfalls

DESIGN & CULTURE MAGAZINE

KANGAS ENTREPRENEUR ISSUE 01/2010

Nicole De Oliviera nicole-gira@hotmail.com Cyclegeography My project documents a series of exploratory journeys made on bicycle through the city of London. It is based on the idea of ‘Psychogeography’, which Guy Debord describes as the study of the effects that the geographical environment has on the emotions and behaviour of individuals. The bicycle, both as a travel form as well as a working process, has supplied my project with an alternative and enhanced awareness of the urban landscape.

Marcela Kocisova marcela@gmx.co.uk A Magic Dribble My project explores the notion of child obesity and how juvenile literature can directly impact upon this sensitive health and safety issue. ‘A Magic Dribble’ encourages children to seek adventure away from their Nintendo Wii, making them see eating fruits and vegetables as something magical and promoting the idea of growing their own food.

“WORKING FOR THE MAN”

Annina Kivikari bannine@gmail.com Young Entrepeneurs My project deals with a magazine to promote entrepreneurship amongst the young. All aspects of the magazine were covered -both the editorial aspect of interviewing real-life entrepreneurs and writing the articles, to consideration of title, layout, paper and illustration.

Jessica Martin jes7x@hotmail.com Grim[m] My video-piece tries to re-connect with the original Grimms fairytales in all their un-santised glory -before the age of Disney. It uses a stop-frame animation technique and influences from German Expressionist cinema .

Knut Synstad knut@synstad.net Family Recipe

Andrew Harding Andy_h_255@hotmail.com Stereotypes My project engages with the well of pre-set stereotypes that we sometimes automatically draw upon when meeting someone for the first time – often against our better judgment. This is explored against the background of an increasingly bureaucratised society – when we are supposed to fit into specific categories.

Heidi Suul Næss panserlugg@gmail.com Norwegian Fashion

My project explores the culinary traditions within my family, which have been passed on for generations – food being a site for social interaction and cohesion. In the book I present not just a handful of the recipes, but also the stories behind them and their authors.

My project is inspired by the Norwegian fashion illustrator Fam Irvoll, taking their fashion collection as a starting point and ‘translating’ them into illustration.

Helene Stålem Sørensen helenessorensen@hotmail.com Harriet Munch Olivia Rosen livvy_grace100@hotmail.com Vanity Suppressed The media plays a huge role in affecting how the public perceive ideas of ‘perfection’ and ‘imperfection’ with regards to the way we look. The ‘digital mirror’ tends to reflect us back to ourselves unfavourably. My project emphasises the unhealthy effect this has on women in particular.

My project consists of different elements of identity for a new clothing brand called Harriet Munch.

The designer’s main inspiration for their garments were film noir, sophistication and playfulness, which informed my approach to these designs.

James Tuitt looneytoon959@hotmail.com Pleasure To The People My project brings together two of life’s great pleasures; food & sex.

By using bold sexually explicit lyrics it aims to desensitize the audience to the frankness of the material in order to encourage a society which doesn’t shame or judge people who take part in unconventional or ‘niche’ sexual activity.

Erd Yakingun erd@iamanoctopus.co.uk Francis E.Dec:On The Fringes

Nicola Gregory nicola.gregory1@googlemail.com Seeing The Bigger Pixel My Project is a campaign that works across the line to raise awareness in the increase of computer addiction and the over use of online networking. The aim of the campaign was to create advertisements that encouraged people to go out more and improve their social skills, general health and well-being.

My project focuses on the outsider, specifically one outsider ­Francis E. Dec. An outsider is often defined as ‘a person not belonging to a particular group, set or party’ ­in this case, society. The focus is primarily on the shift from Frances being a law-abiding citizen of society to an eccentric, recluse living alone in a house he claims to have fool-proofed against the ‘Computer Gangster God’.

Charlene Raymond leen.raymond@googlemail.com Cocoon This project explores the subject of escapism, the people who indulge in it, the way they perceive the world, the way they are themselves perceived by others. Focusing specifically on the subject’s bedroom, this short film highlights the unhealthy consequences of shutting oneself off from the world and how this can distort their own reality.

Victoria Child child@talktalk.net Disability My video deals with the disadvantages that disabled people face everyday – whether that is the difficulty of simply getting up a flight of stairs or dealing with people who pick upon them because of their ‘difference’. It features children and is aimed at them.

Nina Støver ninastover@gmail.com Alternative London

Philip Ng dragon_crimson_eyes@hotmail.com Fairytales

My project is about showing students coming to London from Norway a different side of the city than they’re used to – that London is [at least] two cities – one for tourists and one for its inhabitants. The aim was to present a more honest look at London.

Original fairytales are often dark, playful, sometimes with concealed political or psychological undertones – i.e. contemporary in theme but sometimes old-fashioned in terms of the style in which they are portrayed.

My project attempts to create a more contemporary type of graphics for some traditional fairy tales.

Chris Cowley punker104@msn.com Down To Earth My project explores positive and negative reactions to the issues of climate change. Mass-media coverage, aim at a general overview, and at communicating the scale of the problem, cannot always get through to the individual or encourage them to visualize their own capabilities in making a difference.

Wu Jui Yao wuyuiyao@yahoo.fr Synthesised My project attempts the visualisation of the generation of the digital sound.

When a digital sound is remixed, it gathers new conceptual bits of information at each stage of its development. This piece tries to capture the surface immediacy but also the complexity of sound at the point of its creation.

Laila Myrseth Tryggeseth laila_tryggeseth@hotmail.com Knitting Patterns

Tine Marie Lund Kristensen tine_marie85@hotmail.com Norwegian Folktales My project is a redesign of Peter Christen Ambjørnsen and Jørgen Moe’s fabulous Norwegian Folktales.

I have chosen five of the most well-known tales, and added color and humor in the illustrations [the original books consisted mainly of large text blocks and a few illustrations in black and white] in order to appeal to today’s children.

My project takes the traditional Norwegian knitting pattern and subjects it to a contemporary and ironic makeover - deconstructing the kitsch associations it has and playing with the process by which National sterotypes are formed.

Nicholas Scott scottydog100@ntlworld.com Mind Riot Mind Riot 1: Bed Installation. This piece aims to express the physical and mental constraints suffered by stroke victims. Beds, which are usually associated with relaxation and comfort, here become threatening and signify ‘entrapment’.

The principle subject is my father.

Daniel Cameron cameron.daniel@hotmail.com Fragments Of A Love Story My project explores the manifestation and expression of emotion in a specific biblical text The Book of Hosea, juxtaposing this text with the more contemporary writings of Roland Barthes in A Lovers Discourse. It addresses the relevance of biblical teachings in contemporary society, using the mediums of both moving and still image, text, sound and time. It aims for a radically simple view of “love’.

Hannah Danilchyk anna.11@mail.ru Angels & Demons My project deals with the subject of relationships, violence, male power and the direct or indirect effect this has on children.

Treadmill / Competition successes

“The scope of debate is shrinking; it must expand.

Consumerism is running uncontested; it must be challenged by other perspectives expressed, in part, through the visual languages and resources of design.”

First Things First 2000

Competition successes “Design – is a method of action” 1 Charles Eames

Jon Anders Gulbrandsen

Roxanne Skinner

2007/2008 RSA Design Directions Roxanne Skinner NESTA Award of £1,000 Think Again Project

“Those who cross the sea change only the climate, not their character.” 2 Horace

2008/2009 RSA Design Directions Ana Rico Robles Shortlisted A Changing World

This year, again we have an outstanding group of honours level graphic design students completing their studies. By showing as we do each year, their highly innovative creative work, one is struck primarily by the overwhelming evidence of creative individuality3. In some cases we see projects that are the culmination of very personal journeys and indeed, many of these exhibit quite surprising conceptual depth, academic rigour and making skills, however, arguably, as future design practitioners the most important attribute will be individuality. These soon to be graduates will be moving into increasingly diverse, challenging and highly competitive careers, where the ability to stand out from their peers, with work that shows personality and a real creative voice, will be crucial for their future success.

2009/10 RSA Design Directions Jui Yao Wu Shortlisted A Matter of Life

Helene Stålem Sørensen

2009/10 Design Museum Design Factory Competition Elizabeth Hayes, Helene Stålem Sørensen, Jon Anders Gulbrandsen and Kim André Bøe Selected to go through to the symposium day.

Elizabeth Hayes

Kim André Bøe

Jui Yao Wu

Ana Rico Robles

When the BA Graphic Design Course was established here at the Sir John Cass Dept of Art, Media & Design4 in 2004, it was clear that it needed to be different, as it would have to ‘compete’ with a range of older and more established graphic design and visual communication courses in London. From the outset therefore, it was decided that in order to offer a real alternative to prospective students, two key elements would be combined to create an innovative programme of study. Firstly, the overarching principle of curricular emphasising design as thinking and doing, through studio practice and secondly, the equally important need to allow students to characterise early on, their own concerns as young graphic designers. This was a bold idea, with an educational perspective that references and draws on thinking from a very diverse conceptual palette including the work of artists such as Joseph Beuys5, designers, from Eames6 to Fletcher7 to Spiekermann8, Cranbrook Academy of Design9 the content of some masters programmes and, of course, the extensive professional and academic experience of the BA Graphic Design teaching team. Attempting to meld these ideas and philosophies was an ambitious undertaking - but then, whenever was it easy to design something well?

Surprisingly, however, from this starting point, the ethos of the course is rather simple; to provide students who first and foremost wish to practise as designers and are therefore attracted to the notion of questioning what practice and design itself actually means with the academic environment in which to do so. This is in contrast to those courses catering for those who simply wish to become ‘involved’ in or around the creative industries. In a very brief overview of the course

BA (Hons) Graphic Design / Summer Show 2010

Looking forward The model pictured opposite represents the abstract architectural reproduction of the exhibition rooms of the 2010 Final Summer Show: Treadmill. The scale is 1/50, Overall, the model offers a clean and simple view of the exhibition space and helps give a sense of how the show was structured spatially.

Model designed and constructed by Joanna Bucur Level 1 student BA Graphic Design.

we see that in year one, students undertake modules such as Designer as Author11, Visual Research & Awareness, Design for Persuasion, Design for Change and Design for Information. In year two, topics such as Print, Motion and Illustration are underpinned by further visual research and industry practice, with year three consisting of dissertation, work for major design competitions and a final, largely self-directed, major project.

Creativity and process With the eclectic nature of graphic design being as it is and with the inevitable fragmentation and blurring of discipline boundaries, graphic design was destined to become a multi-faceted term and thus defining it actually quite problematic.

Consequently, as graphic design practice develops in progressively disparate directions, students are actively encouraged to consider their our own creative concerns and we can see the work of young graphic designers leading increasingly to multi/cross disciplinary creative outcomes that cut across and at times challenge the nature of design practice, whilst engaging with content that questions many aspects of accepted social and cultural boundaries.

I do believe however, that there is a right and a wrong way to practise design, the right way being the most appropriate way, with the ‘wrong’ way characterised by practice that wastes the intellectual and practical potential that design offers. Even in these relativist post-modern times, there is such a thing as bad design or more politely, inappropriate design and unfortunately we still see this evidenced all too often, so there appears that there is still much to do.

Of course, adopting an excessively prescriptive methodology is equally flawed, typically in the modernist mode, trying to find ‘solutions’ to existing problems, is rather like closing the door after the client has decided, as it were and total personal expression, in a kind of creative

Notes 1

http://www.eamesfoundation.org/

Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) born Venusia, Italy) 65 BCE - 8 BCE. Roman lyric poet & satirist.

2

In June each year the Sir John Cass Dept. of Art, Media & Design, (JCDAMD) at London Metropolitan University show work from a wide range of design courses, representing student work produced during the preceding academic year.

free-for-all, (envisage typography made in a Carsonesque pastiche style ad nauseam) is simply self-indulgent and clearly not part of the endeavour that graphic design can and should be. By appropriate practice, I would suggest a combination of freeform, stochastic inquiry combined with pragmatic, creative development focused always on the human perspective; society/designer (author) and client.

This approach sounds comparatively straightforward practically and pedagogically speaking but from experience and evidence gathered from the course to date, the most dynamic element in the above mix is, inevitably, the individual student, his or her academic needs, pre-conceptions about design and personal career aspirations. These can be various and often incompletely formed. In order to acknowledge and work with these factors, the course philosophy therefore returns us to the idea of creative voice, not for its own sake but rather to allow students an academic space, a platform, for inquiry into and around these ideas, in an intellectually challenging educational environment.

Labels, tags and pigeonholes Arguably, the popular notion of design and its practitioners, as seen in the media, that slightly strange breed, a little eccentric, obsessed with the way things look, occasionally petulant when asked to justify a point of view or explain why they feel the design ‘works’ and slightly suspicious of anyone in a suit (usually a client) is thankfully changing - but too slowly.

Much of the rhetoric directed at and circulating throughout the design profession and arguably, some

Ray G, Beckmann L and Nesbitt P Joseph Beuys: Mapping The Legacy D.A.P./ Ringling Museum also see http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/ exhibitions/beuys/

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BA (Hons) Graphic Design is a three year (full-time mode) undergraduate programme at JCDAMD. 4

There are many excellent retrospectives on Beuys, including: 5

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http://eamesoffice.com

Fletcher A. The Art of Looking Sideways Phaidon London 2001 & http://designmuseum.org/design/ alan-fletcher 7

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http://spiekermann.com

Katherine McCoy (at Cranbrook Academy of Art) was co-chair of the Design 9

areas of academia over the last two decades about just what a design practitioner is or perhaps should be, can be seen as a reaction to the disappointments of the late 1980’s and early 1990’s when we saw the fall of design studios that had grown large and stock market-listed on the revenue from amazing (for the time) fee income. This almost exponential growth prompted some studios to attempt and even arguably achieve for a short time, to emulate their counterparts from that sexiest of creative industries of earlier decades, advertising. Certainly in the early 2000’s, many graphic designers wore their share of hair-shirts, in part attempting to atone for aiding the marketing men in the decade of surface styling and desktop publishing, when graphic designers, (agreed, with some notable exceptions) made us purchase all those unnecessary products, but also, for losing sight of quite an important idea, that a graphic designer might consider the notion of respect for the discipline of design12.

With this in mind, in order to at least attempt to posit the notion of a deeper understanding of design’s wider intellectual value as a tool but also its role in self-development, to some extent, our teaching approach utilises a dialogue between designer and personal practice that might be more familiar in a fine art context.

The idea of consistency of creative voice, here in the case of graphic design, being extended and mediated by design students self-questioning and reflecting, not only about what they do and why, but in addition, how in due course the design profession, clients and wider society might react and be affected. Adopting this point of view is aimed at empowering our graduates to take up their responsibilities as designers at an early stage and assists them in contributing to the process of mapping-out where design as a profession and as part of our culture is moving, in a way that is active rather than passive. Indeed, one could suggest that the effect of constantly responding to ‘what the market wants’ has undone much good work within academia and design education. (There is of course an important and much wider debate about the overall role and position of

Department in the early 1970’s and with colleagues and students advocated a ‘deconstructed’ interpretation of transferring and communicating meaning with image and type. Her work has been influenced by post-structural theorists such as Roland Barthes and in particular Jacques Derrida. & http://www.cranbrookart.edu/ See Treadmill 2010 Treadmill Press, London 10

There has been much discorse on this topic but see: Rock, M What does it really mean to call for a graphic designer to be an author? In, (eye magazine) 2001.

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Garland, K first things first (“written and proclaimed at the Institute of 12

design within commerce and the UK economy, as articulated in documents such as the Cox Report 200513 and the excellent work undertaken by the Design Council14, but alas space here is limited). We have over recent years seen many instances of design programmes altering their course titles, presumably to remain, understandably, relevant to their core design student customers, but these are changing times, and no sooner it seems than the ink is dry on the prospectus, some cultural or pedagogic shift in education suggests that educators move the goal posts of what defines and constitutes a three year course of study in graphic design. It is no wonder that prospective students are sometimes confused by the myriad choices on offer. Perhaps some educationalists, whilst attempting to manage complex course offering, wish to define/re-define the scope and boundaries of design and thus the designers’ role and sphere of influence as practitioners, and by so doing, choose a whole range of descriptive viewpoints, often to locate design in a narrow cultural context.

For example describing a designer somewhat narrowly, with a return to an artisanal notion of practice, based on the designer/maker with arguably the other extreme being the course for budding imagineers, (think, “I’m an ideas person” but in a bad way) with very little practical value for the student. Theoretically, these themes may be valid, however the issue educationally, is one of clarity when describing the course to prospective students. The Course should do what it says on the tin. This is important, because graphic design students should begin to appreciate fairly quickly what they are about as designers and society and commerce should be significantly better informed about what designers can achieve, if given the opportunity.

Looking forward The need for graphic designers to seek out strong, well researched and above all socially relevant projects, either client led or self initiated, has never been more important and as we’ve seen, the BA Graphic Design programme here at the CASS endeavours to provide the academic and intellectual arena to nurture this ethos. We, the students and teaching staff, feel optimistic about the future.

If graphic designers are allowed or indeed demand an audience for their work, then they must not only have something to say but something worth hearing! We invite onto the Course students who typically, are adroit and adaptable, demonstrably creative and are not afraid to be experimental and are curious about the world, design and the possibilities inherent in human communication.

Due to this, the range of graphic work produced across all three years of the Course can be viewed as increasingly broad in scope whilst illustrating growing conceptual depth and for the individual student, this process culminates in the Honours Level show, which again includes graphic communication, type and typography, illustration both 2&3D, photography, moving image, animation and installation.

Contemporary Arts”, December 1963 and published (in) The Guardian 1964 London.

Available to read at: http://www.kengarland.co.uk/KG%20 published%20writing/first%20things%20 first/

role in society of graphic design and communication:

The graduating students who contributed to the show and worked so hard to make it a success and the entire teaching team hope you enjoy and respond to the diversity of the work.

William Brown Course Leader BA (Hons) Graphic Design

also see

“The scope of debate is shrinking; it must expand. Consumerism is running uncontested; it must be challenged by other perspectives expressed, in part, through the visual languages and resources of design.”

Rick Poynor’s editorial piece on the above in Poyner R First Things First Revisited (first published) Emigre 51 1999.

Published in Adbusters 2000 (et al) Copyright: The 2000 signatories and Adbusters.

In 2000, the original call to arms of First Things First, Ken Garland’s manifesto from 1964 was reborn, when 33 well-known and influential “graphic designers, art directors and visual communicators” decided that the time had again come for a re-appraisal of the

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Cox Report 2005 The report looked at how best to enhance the role of creativity in the UK. The Review was led by Sir George Cox, Chairman of the Design Council.

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http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/

Teaching modules: BA (Hons) Graphic Design Year 1 The Designer as Author Encourages students to recognise, understand and debate their central role as a creative individual and professional, that both uses and shapes current and future practice, within the context of art and design.

Visual Research & Awareness 1 The module forms a strong platform from which to commence a wide range of design outcomes at this and higher levels on the course. It is expected that by the completion of the module you will be fully aware of the research potential of your design practice of both the everyday environment and the more established visual research environments of museums and galleries.

Design For Information This module introduces you to practical and theoretical processes and issues relating to the concept of Design for Information, which include identifying, researching and structuring information in the broadest sense.

You will have opportunities to explore motion, print and illustration within this context.

Year 2 Context of Design Context of Design provides an introduction to modern, global design history and it focuses on the social, cultural, technological and economic contexts shaping and shaped by design through a defined historical period. As a key module for students’ HE Orientation, this module will enable students to learn and apply skills for effective study and achievement at HE level.

Design for Change Provides a broad and critical introduction to design for change. Change in this context is understood as developments and potential issues related to culture, society, technology and human interaction that might be better understood, addressed or solved through creative design thinking.

Design for Persuasion A broad and critical introduction to design that influences peoples’ choices in products, services and behaviour. You will have opportunities to explore motion, print and illustration within this context.

Visual Research and Awareness 2 Focuses on furthering the development of the theory and practice of visual research within a broad design context. It will provide you with the opportunity to select, analyse and record visual, textural, audio, digital and hybrid source material and formulate creative outcomes synthesising this material in response to a given brief.

Understanding Industry Practice To gain insight into professional practice and the world of work, students will work within creative teams to initiate, research, plan and deliver a project through to ‘concept presentation’ stage. In parallel, development of the individual ‘personal promotional information’ (including professional CV and practitioner statement) is intended to aid reflection and awareness of the character and constraints of organisational culture and the place of creativity within it.

Year 3 Design by Definition The module has been designed to provide a broader insight into the underlying principles that strengthen the term graphic design and the creative world of problem solving and visual communication. The interpretation of key principles and processes underpinning the relevant specialist pathways of motion, print and illustration will be explored to encourage improvements in graphic literacy and to prepare students for the Graphic Design Final Major Project.

Print Introduces and develops the theory and practice of design for the printed medium, whilst looking at 2D information within a broad design context.

Illustration This module will focus on the study and practice of illustration and will aim to develop your visual language and research skills as well as broaden your knowledge of current practitioners.

Motion The module establishes the key principles and elements of digital motion graphic production.

A series of lectures and technical workshops will encourage the creative exploration of digital and traditional media whilst providing you with the key skills to engage in innovative forms of expression and communication.

Thinking Design Focuses on recent and contemporary global design and design practice in the contexts of such ethical thinking that addresses cultural diversity, gender identity, consumption practices and social and environmental responsibility. This programme of study will develop students’ research, oral and writing skills to appropriate HE standards.

Design Professional Practice Consolidate understanding of the design process and its connection with branding, marketing and market research processes and raises your awareness of wider trends and issues which impact on design (e.g. sustainability, globalisation, corporate social responsibility) and the legal and regulatory aspects of the creative industries.

Design Application 1 & 2 This single/double module provides a framework for developing professional application.

Student will employ aesthetic, intellectual and technical skills in answering established creative briefs and enter into designated professional competitions. Students demonstrate personal commitment to their design specialism by creating sophisticated design solutions.

Graphic Design Final Major Project This module provides students with the opportunity to select, research and respond creatively to a subject of self-directed study, producing a substantial graphic design outcome, whilst combining and fusing many of the practical skills, conceptual ideas and interests that have resulted from previous study on earlier modules.

Plus other modules in: Image and type Photography Illustration

Teaching staff William Brown

Frances Bloomfield

Matthew Hobson

Adrian Beasley

Annabelle Hartmann

William (Bill) studied Graphic Design at Portsmouth and MA (Distinction) at Kingston University. Since the late 1970’s he has held a range of posts/roles in design, covering most aspects of visual communication, including several years at a global consultancy designing and managing communications projects for UK and overseas clients. In 1987 Bill established his own design practice, advising at boardroom level on creating/producing corporate, financial and employee communications, working with diverse clients including Jardines, The National Trust, The London Stock Exchange, Ogilvy & Mather/WPP, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Pepsi, British Airways, Nabisco and ImbroCitygate. Personal work includes installation and interventions, particularly around issues of the marginalised in society, still/moving lens-based work and typography, involved in the Locating Design E1, Design History Society conference 2005. Bill is a member of the Chartered Society of Designers.

Frances studied Fine Art at Ravensbourne College from ’74-77, then exhibited widely including shows in London, Kettle’s Yard Cambridge and as part of Joseph Beuys’ Free University at Documenta IV in Kassel. Alongside this she started working as an illustrator in magazine publishing for Marshall Cavendish and also for Island Records and the ILEA. In the 80’s she worked as an art director for Newman’s advertising agency and then as studio manager for promotions for South Eastern Newspapers. In 1985 she started working in education and pursuing freelance projects. Clients included Amersham & Wycombe College, Norse Data, HMV, and Swing Out Sister. In 2009 she designed typography for a Public Art piece commemorating the steel works in Ebbw Vale. As an artist she has been developing a body of new work in the last two years, which has been exhibited in a number of shows in Brighton (www.francesbloomfield.com).

Matthew studied Graphic Design at Nottingham Trent 1977-80, then established the East Orange design partnership working for the art, fashion and music industries in the ‘80’s-‘90’s for clients such as Kitchenware Records, CBS, Arista, London Records, Rough Trade, Northern Arts, The Laing Art Gallery, including designing the cover of Prefab Sprout’s debut LP Swoon. He has collaborated with artist Stephen Nicholas and various artists/musicians in exhibitions, performances and installations both here and abroad.

He was co-editor of Pop Fiction: The Song In Cinema [Intellect, 2005].

As poet Matthew Caley, his debut collection Thirst [Slow Dancer, 1999] was nominated for a Forward Prize. His 3rd collection Apparently [Bloodaxe 2010] has been featured on BBC Radio 3’s The Verb.

Adrian studied at London Guildhall University receiving a 1st Class Hons 1997. He worked as a traditional art-worker, senior Graphic Designer and co-manager of an agency, then freelance designer, including collaborative design and consultancy for Next, Routledge, Dulux, Schweppes, VVK, Viking Homes, TSI plus branding, annual reports, packaging, point-of-sale and illustration for numerous blue chip clients. He also worked on an award-winning branding/ interior design for an Indian Cuisine Restaurant, Brick Lane. Adrian has also created illustration for clients including Midway Games and work in Digit magazine. He has an MA by Project in Pedagogic Study.

Annabelle Hartmann is an artist and illustrator, originally from Germany.

She graduated from Kingston University in 1998 with a BA (hons) in Illustration and in 2009 from London Metropolitan University with a MA (research) in Fine Art. Annabelle is particularly interested in childhood memory, the potential of the souvenir and art as a form of ‘play’ and works on several other self-initiated projects, often including found objects. Recent work includes a series of ‘shrines’ dedicated to childhood memory as well as objects for the Enchanted Palace exhibition in Kensington Palace with set designer Echo Morgan. In collaboration with Danish graphic designer Kenn Munk, Annabelle has recently hosted ‘A Monster for London’ at the V&A’s Friday Late - an activity where people produced their own special city-trashing finger puppet monster using a series of rubber stamps.

Other interests/some favourite things: Scotland, Martha’s Vineyard, being near the sea/all things maritime, jazz from Miles to Metheney (and Vaughan Williams), building bonfires, the view from the Rainbow Room, collecting things, The Singing Ringing Tree, and the architectural work of Richard Nutra.

William Brown is Course Leader for BA (Hons) Graphic Design at JCDAMD.

Other interests: Having completed a postgraduate diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling in 2001 she works as a counsellor in private practice, her daughter who is a photographer, travel, especially Indonesia and Malaysia, the work of Anselm Kiefer, animation work of The Brothers Quay, collecting all manner of odd things and a fascination with signs.

Frances Bloomfield is a Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design at JCDAMD.

Visiting Lecturers

External Examiners

Kieran O’Connor Graeme Brimecombe Jill Tattershall Heather McDonough Janet Brook

Liz McQuiston Steve Keegan

Tutors Helen Ingham Spencer Rowell Richard Roberts Gabby Cahane Aina Bergerud

Other interests: the Czech Republic; the experimental novel; Marianne Moore; Brixton, Late-Modernism/ post-Modernism; the ‘triangle of image/text/sound’, Townes Van Zandt; running the occasional 10k.

Matthew Hobson is a Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design at JCDAMD.

Marianne Forest Marianne studied 3-D design at Middlesex and Silversmithing at The Royal College of Art, Graduating with a Masters Degree in 1983. Since graduating she has established her own business creating timepieces in a wide variety of materials. Her company has grown to encompass all forms of timekeepers from the tiniest possible wristwatch to huge architectural pieces for the urban environment. Marianne now has her own range of manufactured wristwatches and continues with her business alongside lecturing at JCDAMD. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers and has the freedom of the City of London. She exhibits worldwide and her work can be found in all areas of Britain from her famous giant timepieces in Birmingham, Portishead and Ebbw Vale’s Town Centre to the collections in the Royal Museum of Scotland, The Goldsmiths Company and the V&A. Other interests: Exploring materials, journalism, widely published on the nature of making and the process of creation, off road mountain biking, the writings of Mervyn Peake and Dante’s Inferno.

Marianne Forrest is a Senior Lecturer in 3-Dimensional Design at JCDAMD.

Other interests: Typography and the process of visual interpretation PHD proposal, his two and a half year old son Daniel, the Divine Proportion, the psychology of perception and the music of Mark Hollis’ Talk Talk.

Adrian Beasley is Course Leader for BA (Hons) Design at JCDAMD

Other interests: http://zeit-geister. blogspot.com, collaborations with other artists and designers, writing & illustrating: Annabelle’s first children’s book, As Big As A Mountain 2003 (Pavilion), London Marathon 2007, travelling in person - and in mind, to interesting places.

Annabelle Hartmann is Course Leader for BA (Hons) Illustration at JCDAMD.

Treadmill was written, designed and produced by staff and students of BA (Hons) Graphic Design JCDAMD, London Metropolitan University, 41 Commercial Road, London E1.

Layout and design Jon Anders Gulbrandsen and Aina Bergerud.

Treadmill exhibition model designed/made by Year 1 BA Graphics student Joanna Bucur.

Treadmill location filming by Emma Jennings, Daniel Cameron and Daniel Collings.

Special thanks to Alyson Hurst at GF Smith for support with the Private View limited editions, printed on Colorplan. http://www.gfsmith.com The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Sir John Cass Dept of Art, Media & Design and/or London Metropolitan University.

Typeset in Univers Printed on 100% recycled newsprint 50gsm.

Limited Edition Private View covers printed letterpress by Aina Bergerud and others.

Copyright Treadmill Press 2010 ISBN

978-0-9565964-0-6

Printed in England 2010 by Sharman & Company Ltd. Peterborough E&OE