Position 04
Over the last several weeks my position has shifted and deepened in terms of the breadth and depth of questions I have been asking about generative design. Initially I was more concerned with issues about usability - how applicable a computational methodology can be to industry-facing or real-world practices. Rather early on this question was answered - it is applicable, and at times immensely powerful, albeit within certain constraints and expectations. Moving on from this focus, I have begun to ponder other questions about this medium, including open-ended design, designing using language, and the influence of algorithmic work, always returning to the idea of rethinking what an interface could be (Reinfurt, 2019). These topics have all been considered within the context of other graphic communication design practices, such as Bruno Munari, Daniel Reinfurt, and the Oulipo, as well as artists and designers dealing with generative media, such as Mario Klingemann and Tyler Hobbs.
There is one major pitfall within my research which was already evident in the elaborate project and has continued to manifest here - the lack of a critical thematic focus. The project has centered on an investigation about methodology - asking questions about a technology - however any inquiry about medium also necessitates a message. I have attempted to focus the investigation through the subject of time-keeping interfaces, which occurred rather arbitrarily through the iterations. However the relative lack of critical depth, or perhaps interest on my part, has led to this theme running its course rather quickly. In future work I will be looking to apply this methodology within a more meaningful critical context, enabling some form of wider social inquiry, reflection, or commentary.
Shortlife, by Dries Depoorter - “A clock to remind you that life is short.” Built to order by Depoorter, each clock is tailored to show the buyer’s percentage life completion based on life expectancy data published by the World Health Organisation.
Image taken from https://driesdepoorter.be/shortlife/
The project has been made possible through a wealth of tools and sources of information online. Resources such as the courses and community fostered by German coder and designer Tim Rodenbröker, as well as tutorials by Daniel Shiffman, a member of the Board of Directors of the Processing Foundation, and an Associate Arts Professor at the Interactive Telecommunications Program at New York University Tisch School of the Arts, have been invaluable to my work. They continue to help the project progress from a technical standpoint, which I aim to supplement with published material. There are also other networks that have thus far not been tapped into, such as UAL’s own Creative Computing Institute, as well as various technical workshops that would aid in the possible creation of physical work.
Over the coming months I intend to widen my technical knowledge by looking into other methods of computational design, such as GAN and the possibility of moving from digital interfaces to physical ones, much in the vein of the work Shortlife by artist Dries Depoorter (2021), among various others. I shall also be developing a thematic critical context by researching areas of interest which generative design would be well suited to as a method of inquiry. Lastly, the themes of data visualisation and visual literacy have become increasingly important aspects to the work and I intend to invest more time researching these topics. At this stage the possibilities and available routes for the development of the project are numerous and now much effort must be put in to focus its direction, to focus on depth rather than breadth. I have my medium, now I must find a fitting message, unless Mcluhan was right all along.
REFERENCES
Depoorter, D. (no date) Shortlife. Available at: https://driesdepoorter.be/shortlife/ (Accessed 20 May 2021).
Mcluhan, M. and Fiore, Q. (1967) The Medium is the Massage: An Inventory of Effects.
Berkeley: Gingko Press (2001).Reinfurt, D. (2019) ‘I-N-T-E-R-F-A-C-E’, A *New* Program for Graphic Design. Los Angeles: Inventory Press pp. 235.
Rodenbröker, T. (no date) Available at: https://timrodenbroeker.de/ (Accessed 20 May 2021).
Shiffman, D. (no date) Available at: https://shiffman.net/ (Accessed 20 May 2021).
