Design Miami/ Basel 2008 - Controversial

"Design-art" is a commercial phenomenon, not a cultural one

writes Alice Rawsthorn in an article published last month in IHT. I will add - a sociological one, too. It is true that commercial interests are behind the strong drive, but they are also a result of the social developments. Design and designers are trying to find their role in a new type of society, and the society is trying to estimate thir influence, too. I think that the term "design-art" and the phenomenon of design auctions has a positive meaning, too - this is a way for the wide audience to value more design and the work of designers and to admit their important role. I agree that

"often uncomfortable chairs don't deserve to be aggrandized by the intellectual
trappings of art"

and that

"there are deeper, more complex areas of design than "design-art"; and that
all
of the hullabaloo about it distorts public perceptions of design, and
distracts
attention from its overriding mission of building a better world,
not
ditzier chairs."

And I like only some of the products of some of the Designers of the Future prize 2008, but I am also convinced that all that attention in the end will bring to the world some really good achievements.

A very true comment on Dezeen about the products of the Designers of the Future prize 2008:

"Cowbench is so disturbing. i think its good to use anatomy of an animal
(sea
lion-like or a headless dog) as a metaphor for design but this one
becomes too
literal to the point that it becomes weird. i would imagine that
it would feel
like sitting on a dead animal ? so bothering"

I like the experiments of Max Lamb. It appears that Brad
Pitt also like s his bronze poly chair’ (above)
A positive comment from Kenny Schachter in Frame of mind - the visual arts blog:

"the quality of the design on offer is better than it has ever been and the strong crowds are full of famous names."

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