Foreword by Debbie Millman
For the last decade, we have witnessed a global economy that has undergone a radical contraction. We’ve been confronted with financial turbulence, a global pandemic, unprecedented political infighting, and human brutality in the form of conflicting, warring nations.
For some, the response to this upheaval has been a cultural recalibration of what design is actually capable of. We are seeing design being called upon to solve some of our most complex challenges. I now believe that in order to truly make a meaningful difference in the world, our most valuable contribution can come from designers using our most competitive and creative weapon: invention.
Through the advancements in technology and our mastery of computer communications, design has become more democratized, and the results are not—for once—relegated to tenants that have helped propel corporations to the top of Interbrand’s Annual Top 100 Brands List. These new, progressive efforts don’t have profit and loss statements, they aren’t compelled to adhere to FDA regulations or worry about a return on investment or shelf presence. These efforts have been created by the people, for the people and have no financial imperative. Instead, they connect us with like-minded ideals in a way we’ve never been able to do before. They reflect collective values, they inspire us to take and demand action. Often, they can help us feel part of something bigger than ourselves. Many times, they are communicating something for the first time in ever our culture. These efforts have become movements and moral imperatives. It took 35 years for 150 million people to own a television set. It took seven years for 150 million people to own a cell phone. And it took eight weeks for 150 million people to wear a handmade pink hat. Yes, they are movements, but they are more than that: they are some of the strongest change-making designs of our time. With these movements we declare: this is the world we want to invent.
The art and poetry in this collection extol the virtues of peace, human rights, and ecology. In doing so, the contributors have invented powerful new ways to envision the future.
Introduction by Marlena Buczek Smith
Continuum—where there is no end or no beginning; the continuity of the thread of social consciousness.
Each chapter of this book is devoted to one of three global concerns: Peace/Anti-War, Human Rights, and Ecology. The initial idea was to invite each designer to think beyond the visual. The book presents powerful images accompanied by poems written by the same designer, or in some cases, a separate poet’s work complements the designer’s image and vice versa. Consequently, this book offers encouragement and empowers its readers and contributers to involvement in global issues.
Persuasive poster art and the beauty of poetry lives through our ability to think and express ourselves. Together they become the open vessel for the viewer to be engaged in the ability to see things in unexpected ways, akin to the experience of what is known and unknown. It allows us to be open to different avenues of outcome in achieving our understanding of humanity.
The essence of human beings manifest themselves in what one does, recognition of which pushes us to achieve a higher level of awareness —a level where social contact is an integral part of our existence. We can recognize right from wrong. We can stand up and not be afraid to express our views. In this, we realize the importance of taking part in our mutual existence.
The voice of art language and the written word can become a conduit to change the world, no matter what the scale. Having had a positive global impact is and should be regarded as the greatest reward one will strive to achieve. And, it is not exclusive to a select few: anyone has the ability to do so.
Child’s Play
Child’s play
Peace today
Start from the middle: A
Make way, make way
Set loose the world, let it twirl
Let it speedsparkrollswirl
A game of catch twixt boy and girl
Calm and cool, the holy world
Come live in this reality
What children imagine, children see
Symphony simplicity felicity rhapsody
Peace as breath, breathe poetry
Bring it in from the dark cold
Now the story will be told
The words of children – Behold!
It’s in your hands, the world you hold
Holman US / Seymour Chwast US
Immortal
Immortal unhappiness of a wounded stab weeps upon the ground where it uncovers fringe vanes of white mirrors itself in wrath
IS WHAT THE TRUTH.
Lies in a decay of blood.
Immortal unhappiness of a wounded stab wake up from quivering winter rains weighed down by enemies rage upon images of deceived self
IS WHAT THE TRUTH.
Opens a deception of lies.
Star House
What if you spend hours hacking small aesthetic pieces of yourself to size
non threatening objects on a market table no, not yourself. A simulacrum. A travel
trophy reminding them of such and such like money forgets the hands it passes through
What if you drive on saying I can’t support that mispronouncing the river’s name because Siri
I once saw in captivity three beasts and the sign: American Bison.
It is written into the constitution: we come to forget, are brought to be forgotten
Forgetting ourselves, we are unspeakable renaming children Sickness, Starving, Shame
In western elegies, consolation comes after grief. Maybe a christian heaven
saying how nice, to leave the body behind. Or maybe becoming one with nature again
Nobody asks how many millions of spirits must be crammed together on every star.
No man in shiny boots should overlook the square
only be flame-cut by the protestors cutting windows into flags
Count at least sixteen ways to look at this
Count the bodies as flags
Turning Point
Picasso‘s dove, symbol of peace
Image of peaceful politics and our longing for peace
undisputed
We have a choice: happiness, wisdom and knowledge—
War weariness, defensiveness, the reality of new wars threatening vocabulary
A symbol is being transformed, displaced from visual consciousness
Instead, armor, weapons, defensive readiness, etc.?…
Jochen Fiedler Germany
