Deconstruction reading response

From this reading, I can define deconstruction as the questioning of certain structures that exist that contain meaning in the way they are represented. This draws from Derrida’s question of how representation inhabits reality. As he argues, some concepts are intertwined, such as speech and writing. For Derrida, the two are inherently and unquestionably linked; writing shares a connection with speech in that both of them contain meaning. Deconstruction has evolved into more of a theory that is present in art, particularly as an “intellectual background for abstract expression” (8). In regard to design, deconstruction allows designers to give meaning to design pieces in the way they are arranged. I understand it to mean that designers make certain choices with imagery, typeface, arrangement of text, and grid that communicate an idea just with these choices. This may not be apparent to people who are not trained in design or who are not viewing the design work from a deconstructionist perspective. The image I chose to represent this idea of deconstruction is Paula Scher’s “Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk” poster. To me, this poster represents a more modern idea of deconstruction. The text is expressive and arranged in a manner that gives movement to the piece. This movement mimics the movement you would expect to see at a funk/dance event, thereby creating a metaphor within the imagery. Even though the text is legible (which is oftentimes not the case in deconstruction), I believe the energy and movement manifested by the grid and arrangement of typography effectively communicates an idea just through these design choices, and in this way, it is an example of deconstruction.