PART I
Imagery: All images are Modernist - meaning early 1920s/30s. You can tell by the clarity of the message and grid-like structure underneath the well composed visual elements. Very pristine compared to the deconstruction pieces we looked at last week.
"Law of the Letter"
I found the first reading to be a highly intriguing retrospect of typography's evolution. The historical information given allows the reader to fully understand how typography spawned from the organic Humanist era of the Renaissance and transformed over time into the mechanized Structuralist era of the last century. From what I understand, Structuralism emerged from linguist Saussure. Thanks to the trademark opposition-based styling of typographers like Bodoni and Didot, as well as the revolutionary importance of the pantograph and router, it becomes evident how the geometric-based Structuralism came to be in the early 20th century.
Saussure opposed the notion that language is only useful in representing ideas. He preached that ideas can only flourish once two components, thought and sound, are carefully combined into units or signs. In the end, writing is merely a language representing another language, that of signs. Saussure thought that linguistic value of a sign was paramount citing that the identity of sign is defined by its relationship to other signs in the surrounding system.
His teachings helped inspire Avant-Garde supporters to spearhead the Modernist period - a time that pushed the structural boundaries of type and other mediums. Bottom line, Modernist groups like De Stijl and Bauhaus sought to defamiliarize writing. This was consistent with the Avant-Garde's "Shock of the New" effect on the world. The font that blew my mind the most was Strzeminksi's abstract 1931 typeface that consisted of right angles and circle arcs. In the late 1960s, Crouwel's "New" typeface became integral later in the 1980s when typographers attempted to revitalize the Modernist style. The illustrations were helpful in comparing the prominent typefaces of the Modernist period with the Neo-Modernist period of the 1980s that aimed to resurrect this defamiliarizing of type.
I enjoyed the fact that the article spoke on the Post-Structuralist movement of Deconstruction. Whereas Structuralism favored a more mechanical viewpoint, Deconstruction favored a more organic approach. The article makes great comparisons, pointing out that Deck's Template Gothic was the direct opposite of Albers' stencil-based font. The Beawulf typeface, with its changing edges, was probably my favorite of the typefaces showcased from the Destruction era, while Crouwell's "New" appealed to me the most from the Structuralist point of view.
"Language of Vision"
This article came off a bit biased to me, as it went out of its way to disagree with the perception-based teachings of Arnheim, Kepes and Dondis in favor of promoting a more culturally relevant outlook on graphic design. The author spends the most time breaking apart Arnheim's "Visual Concep" theory using an example (the Mexican sombrero) that Arnheim did not seriously endorse. That said, I understand where the author is coming from in saying that the concept of the object should be equal part visual and linguistic. I think that is the main objection from this author when it comes to all three of these well-respected minds of graphic design - that type is given "sloppy seconds."
The article is quick to dismiss Kepes' "Visual Language" theory on the grounds that Kepes favors a so-called sensual approach. I would like to agree, but the evidence presented was not enough. It came off a little half-baked, in my opinion. Wasting no time, the author quickly moves onto Dondis. Dondis generalizes that all abstractions have universal meaning, when they do not really. This maybe the only point in the article I can fully support because the example of Luria's anthropology studies seemed to highlight this problem easily. That said, I agree with the author that graphic design needs to have better cultural meaning but I do not know if the author fully convinced me given the unbalanced nature of the essay.
PART II
Imagery: These are selections from Fiore's work with McLuhan, to my knowledge. You can tell it is his work by the use of the double page spread. Repetition is present in the second piece in terms of how the text is layer out on each page. Both pieces feature an extravagant black and white photograph as well.
"Massaging the Message"
I enjoyed this case study on the work of Fiore. In fact, I have already ordered the two books with McLuhan after being mesmerized by the page layouts featured in the article. I think what makes his work all the more courageous is the fact that no one has really done his style before him and after him since. The article mentions that Fiore's work was known for repetition among imagery and text in his works, which does not surprise me because Pop Art was in full swing. Given my curiosity in regards to the 1960s, I can honestly say this was a worthwhile and inspirational read.
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