Comment: Good Design and Risk Taking
Sadly in the last decade or so, I spent too much time with too many very ordinary designers who were convinced that they were something special. Despite this risk of becoming far too cynical myself, I still think that design is indeed a lot of fun and exciting – when it is good design. It is just that at the moment there is so much bad or very ordinary design flooding our visual environment.
Of course good design means taking risks. Not many designers I have known of late would be classed as risk takers (but there are a few out there!). Today’s designers tend to reflect the current attitudes within society. It is the time of the conservative. It is the time of the no risk designers. They are bloody everywhere being marketed as being good designers. There is some very ordinary architectural designers occupying the airwaves at present. Look at any professional design magazine and it is full of project porn that is about pretending what they are doing is something special.
Risk taking should be far more part of our society. Here’s an article about design and risk taking.
And I have to admit that previous to reading this. I had not appreciated that pole in that Degas’ painting.
PS: the last graphic – I am the chosen one – is from the cover of one of my favourite magazines – NewPhilosopher. They have a good designer – click here.
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Paul Costigan