Positions through Iterating:
Written Response
Design Statement
This project is focused on typography as a medium for independent and free expression, detached from the textual content, to promote dissent against censorship and foster solidarity. I am exploring the ways in which designers have used different media to address censorship and how their design choices can counteract it. Specifically, I am analysing how historical visual cues from protests can be integrated into typeface design and how these designs can convey hidden meanings through visual elements. I am also examining how intentionally complex language can be a form of resistance, and how this understanding can create a sense of solidarity among people.
Additionally, I am exploring how “unrecognisable” typefaces can be effectively integrated into a publication context. Through my research, I aim to develop a critical and effective design that communicates a message of resistance against censorship, while also exploring the extent to which the typeface itself can convey a message without relying on the actual text.
Bibliography of References Part 1
Bolt, B 2015, ‘Beneficience and contemporary art: when aesthetic judgment meets ethical judgment’, Visual Methodologies, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 53-66.
This article has challenged me to think about the potential of discomfort in design and how it can be used to effectively communicate important messages to the public. While I previously believed that design should always aim to create aesthetically pleasing visuals that are easy on the eye, this notion has made me reconsider the role of discomfort in design, and it has inspired me to use design to convey a sense of chaos in order to raise awareness of certain social issues, and to challenge the audience to confront these uncomfortable truths.
I believe that this notion has informed my design choices, such as making the appearance of the typeface frightening, and creating a cover that conveys a sense of terror. This approach will continue to serve as a warning to the audience, making them more aware of the intended message.
Rock, M 2013, ‘Designer as Author’, in Multiple Signatures: On Designers, Authors, Readers and Users, Rizzoli, New York, pp. 45-56, 91-95.
“Designer as Author” has enhanced my understanding of the role of graphic design in promoting independent expression. In the article, the author highlights the importance of graphic design’s independence, and its function as an “author” in its own right. It prompts me to consider the relationship between font design and text content, and whether font design can convey a particular attitude or set of values that stands independent of the text. This understanding is particularly relevant to my interest in using design to promote resistance against censorship and surveillance. By recognising the role of graphic design as an “author” in its own right, I hope to leverage graphic design as a means of conveying opposition to censorship. Overall, I think this perspective also emphasises the responsibility of graphic designers to use our design skills as a tool for social change.
Hencz, A. (2019) ‘The Fear of Art: Contemporary Art Censorship’, Artland Magazine. [Online]. Available at: https://magazine.artland.com/the-fear-of-art-contemporary-art-censorship/#:~:text=Censorship%20is%20the%20most%20common,museums%2C%20or%20by%20private%20individuals (Accessed: 26 April 2023).
This article sheds light on the censorship of contemporary art and artists, highlighting the prevalent disregard for artistic value and political correctness in museums. The article challenges my understanding of designing typeface as a tool for free expression and prompts me to consider how the font’s form and layout can communicate a message about censorship. Its revelation of censorship’s suffocating impact inspires me to use typeface design to convey the operation of censorship, including monitoring, erasing, covering, and isolation. By incorporating blurred designs and difficult-to-read text, I hope to reflect the ways in which censorship operates in society and create a sense of solidarity with those impacted by censorship. The reference enhances my understanding of the importance of typeface design in expressing resistance to censorship and promoting free expression.
Kelly, A. (2021) ‘Censorship by design: Emoji regulation and its implications for meaning’, L’Atelier BNP Paribas. [Online]. Available at: https://atelier.net/insights/censorship-by-design-impact-emoji-communication(Accessed: 26 April 2023).
The blog discussed the expressive power of Emoji as a visual language and its strategic use. It also discusses the social role of visual language, particularly in the context of reviews, which can be manipulated to push agendas. This has challenged my understanding of visual language and the importance of context in communicating with a specific audience. It has made me consider who my target audience is for my design and how to convey certain content effectively. To break through language barriers, I need to specify a particular cultural context for my design. The article highlights the significance of cultural background and the importance of targeting the right audience to effectively communicate a message through visual language.
Weiwei, A. (2021) ‘Nian Nian Souvenir’ [Ink, Paper], Design Museum, London
This project is a powerful example of how form can be used to convey meaning beyond the literal content of the text. Despite the fact that the names of the deceased children are written in ancient Chinese, making them unreadable to most viewers, the composition and style of the texts convey an attitude of truth-telling and reveal a sense of irony about China’s continued struggles with tyranny. The use of ancient Chinese seals further underscores the historical and cultural significance of the message, while also emphasising the importance of preserving and honouring the memory of those who have been lost. This reference challenges me to consider the ways in which typography and form can be used to communicate complex messages and emotions, and how design can serve as a powerful tool for social commentary and critique.
Ringgold, F. (1990). Freedom of Speech [Acrylic and Graphite on Paper, 24 x 35 3/4 in. (61.0 x 90.8 cm)]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
This artwork copies the First Amendment on red stripes to express the importance of expressing opinions freely through religion, speech, or assembly. It enhances my understanding of typography as a medium for promoting social issues. The simplicity and directness of the form in conveying a clear attitude and position through the typesetting of the font is impressive. It highlights the potential power of typography to generate aggression and how this aggression can be used as a positive force to speak for the people.
This work challenges my understanding of typography as a neutral design element that simply communicates a message. Instead, it shows how typography can be intentionally designed to convey a specific attitude or emotion. It prompts me to think about how typography can be used to challenge power structures and official agendas through irony and subversion.
