Can the simplicity of a piece of art and design affect the perception of it? Art and design are creative processes, in which ideas are communicated in a visual manner. The emergence of minimalism in the 1960s to early 70s allowed artists and designers across a range of creative fields to explore new methods of communicating ideas visually, experimenting with the idea of stripping the design back to it’s necessary elements to expose the essence or identity of the subject. This movement allowed many artists and designers to create pieces of work that were very conceptual in nature, involve few creative processes and allowed each viewer of the piece to draw their own completely individual response to it. Many artists and designers today work within the minimalist genre, utilising current and modern trends and technology but still producing effective and conceptual pieces of work. However, some designers choose to create very complex pieces with many shapes, colours, forms and techniques layered on top of one another, forming a complex composition, but do these pieces allow for a deep response which is unique to each viewer of the work? Does the inclusion of more elements in a composition allow people to understand a designer’s ideas and emotions about the piece more easily? Or does it control the depth of thought the piece provokes in the viewer?
Sometimes, designers combine the idea of minimalism and maximalism, creating pieces that appear complex, but have a very simple layout and composition or vice versa. This idea seems to be very popular with modern building design, having a very solid and simple geometric shape whilst the layout or design inside represents a very complex series of thoughts, emotions, or ideas; with the interior complementing the exterior as they usually have similar design styles, which are manipulated to create differing but balancing outcomes. An investigation into how complexity/simplicity can enhance a piece of art or design will provide an deeper insight into how to make the composition more effective and how designers and artists use this to get the most effective response possible. Studying prominent creative minds from a range of creative disciplines such as Damien Hirst, Mark Weaver, Radim Malinic (Brand Nu) and Thomas Heatherwick will aid my understanding of how each artist/ designer utilises minimalism, maximalism or a combination of each extreme to achieve successful creative outcomes.
Damien Hirst (born 1965) experiments with a variety of installation, painting, sculpture and drawing to explore the relationship between art, life and death. Much of his work investigates and challenges contemporary belief systems, and explores the uncertainties and tensions of the human experience. Many of works are influenced strongly by the idea of minimalism, to create a very conceptual outcome, as the response from the viewer is very important to the idea of the work. “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living” is an example of a piece that is very minimal aesthetically, but very conceptual in nature, allowing for a large range of interpretations. The shark could symbolise brute strength or will power, completely exposed from every angle, like a nerve, creating a sense of vulnerability or pity about it. To further this emotion, the rigid, geometric frame provides a strong resistance to contain the raw power encased within. On creating the piece, Hirst commented “If I can get one in a big enough space, actually in liquid, big enough to frighten you, that you feel you’re in there with it, it would work.” Having experienced the work in an exhibition, the sheer size of it creates the sense of primal fear that Hirst wanted to invoke; despite the fact that I knew the shark couldn’t do anything. There is a strong contrast between natural and geometric form, possibly provoking a reaction of containment or capture and humanity interfering with natural lifecyles. This piece benefits from the minimal aesthetic of the formaldehyde, acting as a negative space that works around the shark, emphasizing the natural curves of it and showcasing the entire specimen- which is what makes this piece so effective- and allows a smooth transition of tone from the shark’s colour to the pure white of the frame. The Spot Paintings are one of Hirst’s most recognisable series, emerging from an attempt to create “a structure where I could lay colour down, be in control of it rather than it controlling me.” This series again is very minimal in execution and conceptual in character. Each spot is a different colour, each possibly representing an emotion, adding a human influence to the work. Seeing this in an exhibition strengthened this idea, as the canvas was almost like a large mirror, casting a reflection of the audience, and showing them how complex human nature can be; with all of these feelings layered on top of one another. Each spot is the same size and separated by equal space, creating an orderly structure in a piece that could easily become chaotic and visually grotesque. There is a strong use of geometric shape as well, suggesting the idea that people conform to social and political views and trends in the 21st century, that we have lost our individuality and personal opinion. This structure is central to maintaining the minimal aesthetic which makes this piece successful- especially when combined with the complex undertones and themes that lie beneath. I think that Hirst’s work is very successful as minimal art, I particularly like the brutal simplicity of the first piece, and this contrasts nicely with the benign nature of the spot paintings. Hirst utilises minimalism to the greatest effect to allow an audience to make their own deeply personal response, and to allow for a more intimate connection to the work through their own inferences.
Thomas Heatherwick (born 1970) is an English designer known for his innovative use of engineering and materials in public sculptures and monuments. He heads the Heatherwick studio, an architecture and design studio; recognised for innovative work across a range of creative fields, including architecture, sculpture, three dimensional and furniture design and urban infrastructure. Heatherwick explores the thresholds between standard design and through studying three-dimensional forms; he has earned an international reputation for creating stunning pieces across a range of creative fields. The B of the Bang was a 56 metre high sculpture composed of 180 giant steel spikes, although the model displayed here is made of wood. It was constructed outside of the City of Manchester stadium to commemorate the 2002 commonwealth games. As the name suggests, it has quite a cosmic aesthetic, similar to a black hole or a space nebula, it seems to be simplified though, to a complex line structure; possibly to indicate the massiveness of the Big Bang, that we cannot comprehend what it would look like, supported by it’s true size. The piece seems to be a mixture of complexity and minimalism, created by a monochromatic colour ensemble, which emphasises the tone on the structure, and contrasted by the complex composition of the spikes. The fact that the spikes extend from the centre is interesting, almost as if it is a gravitational field, looking for things to pull into it. Seeing it on display allowed me to appreciate the physical depth of the structure, it was as if it were extending beyond the constraints of it’s display case and extending towards me. The work is an unusual combination of simplicity and complex creative thought that results in a very successful three dimensional piece. The 2012 olympic cauldron was composed on 206 stems, each with a copper leaf at the top. When it was lit, each of the leaves arose until it was vertical and converged in the centre, forming a cauldron shape. The structure itself has a very floral aesthetic, and mechanically moved as if it were an organic form of some sort; all giving the illusion as if it was alive. The convergence also has strong links to unity, one of the staples of the olympic games. After seeing it in an exhibition, I have begun to think more, not only about what a creative piece could look like and work when completed, but how each component of the piece works alone and contributes to the final outcome. Heatherwick has successfully created a piece in which function and aesthetic marvel is achieved, which is unusual as one is often sacrificed for the other. The piece has strong minimal influences, but is constructed to appear complex to the viewer; the fact that the structure appears to be constantly reflected to create the symmetrical form. This does slightly manipulate the viewer’s thoughts towards organic forms, but allows for variation in what the form may be, some may think it is tranquil, while others may say it is reminiscent of something aggressive. Heatherwick’s work is successful as design pieces, as it communicates ideas clearly and is aesthetically pleasing at the same time, the repetition of shapes and forms is the main aspect in his work that I like, as it allows an idea that is minimal in concept become very intricate in realisation. I think that it is the mixture of the two styles that makes his work so unique and popular.
Mark Weaver is a New York based graphic designer, who has produced work for a number of high profile clients, including Wired Magazine, Hewlett Packard and Stella Artois. His designs revolve mainly around printing methods, creating minimal compositions that are ideal to be used in editorial publications and commercial material. His prints usually explore ideas of humanity’s interactions with the natural world around us, often exploring anthropomorphic forms and ideas. This allows him to be very experimental when developing his compositions and exploring ideas.
The “North American Wildlife Series” is a series of prints that demonstrates a clear idea of humanity’s links and interactions with wildlife. It is a series of three prints depicting three animals native to North America, an elk, a ram, and a bison. The choice of these three animals is interesting, as they represent different characteristics and attributes in Native American culture; the Elk is a symbol of nobility, pride, majesty and agility, the ram symbolises strength and determination, while the buffalo and bison represent healing, good fortune and survival. I think that these animals were chosen specifically for this, as these are characteristics that humans respect and desire, deepening the link between the nature and people. The composition is very minimal, with the defining shape being the animal itself, increasing it’s dominance in the work and making the composition feel more organic. Everything else occurs inside the constraints of the animal, increasing the depth of the composition, which contrasts with the linear, negative space surrounding the animal. The colour palette maintains the minimal aesthetic of the designs, and adds a hint of surrealism to the prints, as these colours are very unnatural for the animals but the use of primary colours again underpins the idea that animals and nature are pivotal in the evolution and growth of humanity. This series of prints is very minimal, and this is important to the success of the work, as it allows people to make their own inferences into the importance of animals in society. This is achieved through the carefully considered composition and colour palette, also through the careful consideration of the several meanings behind the compositions.
“Beetle” is a part of Mark Weaver’s “Make Something Cool Everyday.” This print is more abstracted and conceptual than the North American wildlife series, it also utilises more creative thought when considering the composition. The choice of the beetle is interesting, as the beetle symbolises creation, regeneration and resurrection in ancient egyptian belief, it is clear that Mark Weaver chose this as the subject to distort, and abstract. The beetle again is the defining shape in the composition, with all other components working inside of it. The beetle has been cropped and distorted with geometric pattern, removing parts of it and exposing it; making it vulnerable and pitiful. The focal object inside of the beetle is a man, which is intriguing, as if humanity had tried to harness the mythical restoring attributes of the beetle, but in the process has destroyed it. This act defines humanity, as humans are the only species that would harm or destroy another for a reason other than survival. The composition has a very organic feel due to the natural shape, although partly obscured and dismantled, which is still prominent. There is a block of text added to this composition; following the geometric lines of the missing parts of the beetle, implying that language is prominently human. The colour palette is minimal and muted, creating harmony within the composition. There is mainly secondary and tertiary colour used in this print, suggesting that the purity of the beetle has been tarnished by human interference. This print is very minimal and shares aesthetic similarities with the “North America Wildlife series”, but subtle differences in the use of colour and composition alters the ideas and thoughts provoked by this piece, including a stronger human presence and more abstracted expression in the composition to allow our minds to fill in more assumptions about shape and form than in the first series of prints. I like Mark Weaver’s work a lot, from his minimal and organic compositions, to the underlying ideas of human interactions with nature and the vintage style that each print has. I look forward to creating a visual response to his work utilising some of his graphical elements. His minimal approach to design allows for highly polished and conceptual prints which have a wide spectrum of interpretations inside the basic idea outlined in each composition. In my own illustration, I feel that there are strong links to Mark Weaver’s work in the minimal composition, the colour palette and geometric shape use combined with the natural form of the birds. I wanted to create an explosive feel of depth in the work, but keep it simple at the same time. I think that it is successful as it captures Mark Weaver’s style well, and has direct influences of minimal design, in the colour use, the composition and the limited number of shapes.
Radim Malinic aka Brand Nu is an award winning graphic designer and illustrator based in London. He works with leading household brands and upcoming businesses to establish their product advertisement, brand design and illustrative prints. He is one of the most successful and prolific commercial illustrators working today, known for his unique, innovative and intricately detailed designs. The compositions of his designs are very complex and usually delves into human desires and luxuries, exploring technology and fashion. His work is very abstract, bold and explores geometric shape as a way of communicating the idea of necessity. Malinic created branding and advertising material for QV Melbourne, masterfully utilisng computer processes to create attractive, explosive outcomes. The typography used is quite basic and minimal, but that is complemented by the outburst of charisma in the form of geometric and organic shapes, an assortment of brushes and photographic elements. This allows a structure to be created from the combination of so many elements that our eyes can work around and absorb several forms, colours, edges and contrasts. The combination of so many elements does manipulate our minds slightly into the idea of a natural and explosive personality behind the company, but also that there is a diverse range of people and ideas in the company through all of the little contrasts provided. The colours used in these advertising campaigns are very bold and vivid, adding to the explosion aesthetic, but the photographic poster uses a more limited palette, possibly to emphasise line and form, but more likely to bring the female figure to the front of the composition, making her more dominant than any other object in the composition. Although the first composition seems very botanic, the second seems to have a more cosmic feel, influenced by gravitational fields or planetary orbits. All of the elements in these compositions have a very polished finish and shine, which provokes a thought about the texture and how it would feel to touch and move around this composition, furthering the perception of depth in the work. Malinic manages to manipulate the formal elements of graphic design to create highly complex and intricate designs that have almost obvious implications, but that is more likely due to the large amount of elements in the compositions adding another idea or concept to the entire outcome. This complex form of design is more suited to advertising and branding, as it is easier to infer and deduce the concept of the company in question and provide a definitive picture of the ethics and personality of the company. I quite like Malinic’s work, as he successfully commands the elements of design to create visually intricate and stunning outcomes. When dealing with so many shapes and colours, it is easy to produce a piece that is overcrowded and messy, but he manages to create an outcome that is complex and intricate, but use of scale makes the composition balanced and harmonious.
With the development of creative thought and processes, it is clear that artists and designers across a range of disciplines are becoming more experimental with how to create and convey a concept within work. Through the evaluation of the work of the chosen artists and designers, I think that minimalism allows a piece of art or design to become more abstracted and prone to a greater number of possible inferences, and more personal responses. Meanwhile, as the complexity of a piece increases, it appears that while the number of inferences doesn’t decrease massively, there is more inclination towards what the designer is wanting the audience to think or feel, and these are usually less personal responses. My insight into my own work has also been influenced, it has made me think more carefully about communication behind a piece of work, compositions, colour palettes, and forms; and how a less congested composition can be more effective than a complicated and intricate one. It also will depend on the client, as a minimal composition may be well sited to editorial publications and architectural design, complex and intricate aesthetics may work better for commercial material and branding identity.