First Things First Manifesto 1964 Study Task 2

First Things First Manifesto 1964 

Todays session introduced us to a method of validating an argument/statement within an essay by introducing at least three academic sources to support your statement and avoid it coming across as bias. Using just one source suggests weak support for the argument as well as a lack of research into defending the statement or argument within the essay. 

Looking at two points helps support the statement a little more and show a little more understanding but three sources or even more will give a much stronger support through a variety of third party opinions to back a statement and drive at a more definite conclusion. (use quotations within the essay in a way which shows a continuous flow and ease of reading, don't just throw them in there randomly) 

For this session we looked over Ken Garlands Original Manifesto the First Things First Manifesto of 1964 and compared it to 4 reviews and interpretations of the text to give an introduction on how to pick out points from various texts to deepen statements, arguments and conclusions.

First things fist manifesto - Ken Garland - 1964

First things first manifesto - Lasn - 2000

First things first revisited - Poynor - 1999

Ten Footnotes to a Manifesto - Beirut - 2007 

An incomplete manifesto for growth - 1998 - Beirut

In groups we highlighted key criticism and evaluations the writers have presented within there texts to help pick out demonstrate how to pick points out to support arguments or statements within this triangulation concept and deepen our understanding of the original manifesto. 

First Things First Manifesto 1964 & 2000 Comparison

Received positive impact through its publication in the Guardian

Comes from Graphic Designers & Students wanting to make a difference

Highlights aspects of commercialism & consumerism been established deriving from the war 

A reversal of priorities within designers is presented 

It presents and looks at idealism

Compared to the 2000 version it looks at cultural design rather than consumerist driven design

Suggesting that thoughtful designers should aspire to greater purposes 

2000 version presents more extreme examples and language to suggest consumerism 

First Things First Revisited 1999

Presents a socialist view of consumerism compared to Ken Garlands activist approach 

Influential use of language 

The text suggests urge designer has twice the responsibility producing both graphic design and advertising within the same context

Naivety

Corporate work is never a political affair 

Presents concepts and ideas of a conformist, democratic resistant 

Ten Footnotes to a Manifesto 2007

(Our Groups analyses)

Points 1-5 overall explained a reliance on advertising over actual visual messages presented through graphic design suggesting a consumerist driven design industry. 

Suggests the industry is all about getting the money in, not about creating culturaly influenced work. All about that commercial work nothing is based around aesthetically pleasing work, its just all Sell Sell Sell. 

Its something we have come to accept and live by now and cultural work is now a lacking aspect of good graphic design compared to the cultural visions of the designers involved in the 1964 manifesto questioning current ethics within the design industry. 

Graphic designers are seen as stylists for hire, people who just make things look pretty and the advertisers sell the product.

The rest of the points in the manifesto suggest consumer culture is an oxymoron.

Generalizes commercial design as an accepted thing.

Over simplification. 

An incomplete manifesto for growth 1998

Presents positive ideas 

These ideas don't always fit or produce the desired result or are just completely stupid

Individual rather than a collective responsibility

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Study Task 2

Using this exercise as a base of knowledge of these texts I am going to critically analyze a piece of Graphic Design bringing in at least 3 or 4 of these texts providing quotes to strengthen my statements and arguments using the idea of triangulation. Including socio-political contexts within the analysis and the responsibilities of the creative who produced the work. 

The designer I chose comes from Vince Frosts studio (Frost* Collective), a designer who was involved in the 2000 First things first manifesto so will add a certain relevance when reviewing there work.

They were tasked with a brand identity for the merging of Woolworths Liquor and BWS, they needed a strong brand position to sit comfortable where Woolworths Liquor once sat. It needed to distinguish itself in a crowded market and encourage loyalty. 

Aesthetically I like the stripped back overall style it really helps draw focus in on the high impact typography and bold colors used to draw attention in on these bargain beers & spirits. The concept of an engaging and dynamic brand has been achieved by this subsequent impact through the use of iconography, bold type & images made up of type and the use of bold contrasting colors & type on neutral backgrounds. 

The strategic approach they adopted took the history of the company BWS reputation for having great deals through masculine and bold visual expressions and their focus on offering great special offers for their target audience, they wanted to make buying alcohol a "special experience" hinting at a consumerist & commercial focus within their whole brand strategy from the outset. 

Michael Beirut (Beirut, M. (2007) 'Ten Footnotes To A Manifesto', in 'Seventy Nine Short essays On Design) argues that ethical and cultural design is dead highlighting that designers that "build there reputations on cultural work" are no longer recognized in the design industry through the concentration of commercializing and producing design work for "nasty things" like "cigarettes". This statement is supported by the strategic approach, Frost used to create a "special experience" within the customers purchasing of alcohol suggesting a consumerist driven concept behind the whole brand. 

I find this quite contradictory considering Vince Frost the founder of this studio was part of the signing of the 2000 First Things First manifesto showing he too is now supporting Michael Beirut's claims of this generalization & acceptance of commercialist design. Rather than sticking to his previous ethical routes showing that he too has adopted a "reversal of priorities" within the aims of the work he produces. 

The company they produced the work for have a more ethical approach to business though. When it comes to the sourcing of there ingredients and products using the services of local farmers, producers and manufacturers they do actually demonstrate a certain consideration.

Brauce Mau (Mau, B. (1998) 'An Incomplete Manifesto For Growth) highlights an interesting point that definitely outlines Frosts intentions when pushing this consumerist brand, suggesting that "forgetting about good" is a good way to produce good company growth by arguing that "as long as you stick to good you'll never have real growth" suggesting the intentions of BWS company and the way Frost pushes there brand is all focused on this "special experience". Pushing promotions like this in customers faces making them feel a sense or want and need for these alcoholic products that are clearly know real benefit to them.

In Frosts concept description on their web site they suggest that "With national coverage of this scale, BWS has the potential to be an incredibly strong, recognizable and meaningful brand" The term meaningful I don't quite understand, they suggest that they're ethical in the sourcing of ingredients and products but there is no real evidence of this in Frosts promotions of the brand. 

Rick Poynor (Poyner, R. 1999 'First Things First: Revisited', Emigre 51) suggests the globalization of Ken Garlands original manifesto through the broadcasting of a section of the document through the BBC. "This publicity meant that many people, not just in Britain but abroad, heard about and read First Things First". It subsequently went onto be published in a number of design magazines translated into French & German to solidify its recognition within the public domain. This very influence can be reflected in Frosts intentions to solidify the BWS brand as a publicy accepted majority alcohol supplier by positioning this brand image of bargain alcohol's through their concept of "specials". 

This rebrand presents a consumerist driven intention coming from a once ethical company who's founder supported and backed a manifesto that wanted to create a more culture conscious design industry. This shows an obvious contradictory aspect as I outlined previously in my analysis. 

To end this analysis I want to touch on a point I mentioned of Vince Frost's studio been contradictory to its original intentions described in Lasn's 2000 Manifesto (Lasn, K. 'First Things First Manifesto', Adbusters) it is said that "Consumerism is running uncontested; it must be challenged by other perspectives expressed," but infact they have supported consumerism in an obvious way throughout this rebrand of an alcohol supplier. 

Maybe if they highlighted the fact that the company BWS is ethical and considerate in the production of their products (through local sourcing of ingredients and materials) they would have stuck to there original intentions they agreed on in the manifesto they signed off, but in not doing this they have become part of the bigger picture of "the exalting commercial take-over" (Poyner, R. 1999 'First Things First: Revisited', Emigre 51)

Social Interaction theories of identity Study Task 1

Social Interaction theories of identity Study Task 1

We were required to read the document "Theories of identity" pages 331-341 to achieve some key things these been to:

Understand how to close read an academic text.

Use a secondary text as an introduction to key theoretical texts. 

Discuss how identity theories can inform my Graphic Design practice. 

After reading the text we were then to summarize key concepts and terminology of each theory (Strykers & McCall/Simmons) gathered from a group discussion. Then compare and contrast each theory. 

Summary gathered from discussion & reading of document

The identities & salience hierarchy section of Strykers theory communicated to me some key things noticed in modern society today and can be placed into real world examples of these theories. 

Salience Hierarchy is the:

"The various identities that comprise the self… are ranked. The highest are most likely to be invoked in situations that involve different aspects of the self" (Andreassi, Desrochers & Sargent).

An expectation of others is one obvious one, people of different levels of a hierarchy within certain areas have a certain fulfillment to achieve. One example of this I thought of was the hierarchy within a workplace, the middle layer of management i.e. assistant managers are expected to carry alot of work on for the benefit of people higher above them in the hierarchy. One element of this is to impress them for future promotion and one is for them to take all the credit for all there hard work, and this system works even further down the hierarchy, the work these middle layer managers present to there colleagues is carried out by people at the bottom of the hierarchy. Standard workers who are tasked with all the middle layer managers jobs they are given. 

This theory of how hierarchy works within the workplace touch's on structures within the connections of people, and the environment there in. People invent and portray a certain image depending on the environment there placed in, in the workplace they portray a professional image, in social interactions this professional image is transformed into a more casual output with more conversational language been used more relevant to every day situations rather than business languages used in the workplace. This also suggest's how a persons identity depends on the situation & the location.

A certain element of stereotyping is obvious within Strykers theory of identities and salience hierarchy. An image someone portrays of themselves in social & professional environments often puts them into a certain categorization within other peoples opinions. For example somebody who dresses up in a suit & tie is often stereotyped to be a person of a business profession, or someone who doesn't care about there appearance and dresses casual can often be portrayed as someone lower class. A similar example of this was through the sub-trend of the Mod's who dressed up in smart clothing but were often more middle class or lower class people. 

Social hierarchy is another aspect that is obvious within this section of text linking back to previous mentioning of social class's and how they are stereotyped along with aspects of role performance & professional working environment hierarchies were different classes of workers have different roles, expectations and pay grade's. The higher the pay grade the less work that person physically does, instead work is passed down and down the hierarchy to lower leveled workers who get less money and less recognition for the job role they do. 

An element of self-esteem is highlighted to effecting peoples salience of hierarchy within there roles in society, what I get from this is if people believe in themselves subconsciously they can build and progress within these certain hierarchies advancing in there roles in society. 

George J.McCall & J.L Simmons theory of identity 1960
Analyzing this document will help me contrast and analyses key theories from this text and the Stryker's theory. 

Role performances are improved within the suggestions in this text. 

Suggestions on these role performance improvements come from a reflection of an idealized self, subconscious positive internal image recognition in ones self can help advance there roles within the salience hierarchy mentioned by Stryker.  

This positive reflection of ones self identity is the driving force of there behavior to achieve the success they desire. If someone desires something enough in there conscious mind subconsciously they can achieve these things. 

Hierarchies of prominence is similar to the hierarchy of role identity's I have previously mentioned based on social and professional environments. 

Interactions between these hierarchies are descried in an ambiguous & unstructured way compared to Strykers opinions on the matter. 

Altercating is:
"A tactic for persuading people by forcing them in a social role, so that they will be inclined to behave according to that role" 

This definition hints back to an aspect of stereotyping but on a more personal level, if a person is placed in role they are expected to achieve certain guidelines within this role. For example someone lower down the hierarchy in a workplace is giving a variety of job roles to fulfill with promised opportunities of promotion and recognition but really its all false promises as recognition hard to receive due to people higher in the hierarchy taking credit. 

A key thing I got from this document was how cultures see brand identity's one example I found of this was how Samsung is perceived as a high brand in more lower developed companies but in countries were they are very technology developed this brand can be perceived as just a standard mediocre brand.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Task
Blog a 300-500 word discussion on the similarities/connections between interactionist identity theory and psychoanalysis: 

Ego-Ideal (Freud) - (In Freudian theory) The part of the mind which imposes on itself concepts of ideal behaviour developed from parental and social standards.

Desire (Freud/Lacan) - A strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.

ID, Ego, Super Ego (Freud) - Super ego - the part of a person's mind that acts as a self-critical conscience, reflecting social standards learned from parents and teachers.

ID - Identification

Ego - Noun - a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance.
Psychoanalysis - the part of the mind that mediates between the conscious and the unconscious and is responsible for reality testing and a sense of personal identity.
Philosophy - (In metaphysics) a conscious thinking subject.

The mirror stage (Lacan)

Chose one or 2 specific things to analyze in detail. Defining all the terminology in the task will help me undertake the task more successfully. 

Response
For this task I am going to focus on theories on Ego-ideal theories from Sigmund Freud's writing and compare them to the thoughts I read into of Strykers & George J.McCall & J.L Simmons theories on identity.

Frauds theory suggests that the ego ideal is part of the super ego (part of a persons mind that acts as a self critical conscience reflecting social standards learned from there up bringing) psychoanalytic theory of ones personality. 

The rules a person follows for there every day life often derives from paretal figures in there initial infant stage (ID) and living by these set of rules leads to feelings of pride, value, accomplishment or negative feelings of guilt can be portrayed when you go against these codes. 

The ego ideal is outlines by Freud as an image we have of our ideal self. The person we want to become, its an image people live by and is often influenced by people we know and love. Inspirations and influences form people we strive to be. 

This theory can be compared to one of Strykers theories I expanded on based on elements of self-esteem and how it can effect peoples positioning in the salience hierarchy, based on the psychoanalysis theories of Freuds suggestions of one turning there subconscious thoughts into a reality brings me to an understanding that people can achieve what they want to achieve if they think positively enough. 

Expectations of others (Stryker theory) is something that is also quite comparable to Freud's, the moulding of ones identity comes from somebody surroundings. Their ideal self is influenced by their positioning within this salience hierarchy as well as there environment so their Identity can vary greatly depending on there upbringing or positioning within a social environment. 

This ego ideal (Frued) can be moulded around ones reflection of an idealized self (George J.McCall & J.L Simmons) an progression within their roles within certain environment. If they produce an internal image of themselves in this position there conscious mind will produce it into a physical reality. 

Ones upbringing (Freud) can also have an instant impact on there salience hierarchy (Stryker) someone coming up from a rich background can put them in a better position within the Hierarchies of prominence. (George J.McCall & J.L Simmons)

Identity lecture & Thoughts of future investigation

Identity lecture & Thoughts of future investigation 

Pre modern era, modern era, post modern era focus within the lecture. 

Essentialism

Biological make up makes us who we are.

Different ways of thinking.

Phrenology is the different thought process's of the brain. Categorization of your personality. 

Physiognomy 

Study of physical features. 

Judge there personality and intelligence from facial and body features. 

Suggestion of angles of face, the more horizontal the angle the more intelligent you are, hints of racism through the suggestion on the picture where the angle is quite obtuse on black people. 

Hieronymous Bosh (1450-1516) Christ carrying the cross, Oil on panel c 1515

Typical presentation of religion influenced art within its aesthetics and message. 

Portraying anti semanism by presenting the jews as inbred monstrous people involved in the death of jesus. 

Chris Ofili, Holy Virgin Mary 1996

Black painter portraying his suggestion of Virgin Mary been black, rebelling against the suggestion of racism. Arguing why does the Virgin Mary have to be black?

Pre modern Identity 

Secure identities present pre conceived identities and your roles in society. 

Through obvious elements of sexism and racism. 

Modern Identity 

Flaneur (Gentlemen stroller) "eur" is male ending to the word Flan, "eus" is female. But the latter is never used suggesting obvious anti feminine outputs from the artist. 

Simmel suggests upperclass identities through there appearance, the way they present themselves suggest they don't work due to there absolute wealth suggesting conspicuous consumption. 

Suggests lower class start to emulate cheaper fashion styles of the upperclass to rise there appeal and recognition within society, to stop them been negatively stereotyped over there appearance. 

Simmel also suggests isolation in Edvard Munch's Evening on Karl Johan. 

Post modern Identity

Construct your identity based around who you want to be, like the interaction with social media allowing an invention of your self portraying a different personality through online presence. 

Michel Foucault presents discourse analysis suggesting that they inform cliche's and stereotyping.

Possible Discourses to present these cliche's and stereotypes.

I shop there for I am by Barbara Kruger, is it an advertisement of clothing or a manipulation within aspects of consumerism. Making people think they need things when really there just been subconsciously sold an item that they don't actually need.

Further considered discourse that commonly present cliches & stereotypes represented commonly in todays society. 

Class:

Worktown Project 1937 presents life in Bolton in the 1930's.

Upperclass London characters documenting middle and lower class live, almost mocking them. Seeing what these class's get up to compared to there daily activities while they don't have to work a day in there lives. 

They present there lifestyles as dull and boring through documentary photography.

The kids are playing with chickens feet presenting that they had to make do with everyday objects to entertain themselves. 

Martin Parr, New Brighton

Condescending mocking documentary photography of the british holiday maker.

Ascot 2003 presents a modern day emulation of lower class dressing up to appear more upperclass by going to these type of events. 

Connotes un-classy aspects through the composition of the photo and the focus on the woman spilling her drink down her. 

Nationality
Think of England & Germany by Martin Parr presents connotations of heritage through a mocking and stereotypical way.

Alexander McQueen plays with nationality and history to create a strong contravosial reaction through the concept of "rape been presented" from the way the models were dressed and walked around like they were drugged and abused. But in fact was presenting historic clash between England and Scotland. 

Race/ethnicity:

Chris Ofili first black artist to achieve success by drawing attention to stereotypes of white people against black people.

Stephen Lawrence presented through No Woman No cry, using Jamaican national colors and photographs of Stephen within the tears. An emotional and powerful painting. 

Alexander Mcqueen provoking social opinions on racism through his controversial aesthetics within the "its a jungle out there", the materials used in the clothing emulate racist connotations of black society. A disgusting campaign in my eyes. 

Gender & sexuality:

How gender is perceived and presented in the fashion industry is presented in Wilson E's Adorned in Dreams: Fashion and Modernity.

Paradox of a man modeling woman's clothing.  

Highlighting how men design for woman, focuses on what they perceive to be suitable for woman, could be perceived as quite sexist. 

Stereotyping of sexual activities and playing on woman's been stereotyped as a sexual object through Tracey Emin's mocking tent installation presenting everyone she's slept with, but look closer it includes innocent sleeping with parents, grandparents when young and sleep overs with friends in there younger years. 

Thoughts to take forward from this lecture

I enjoyed the lecture but my initial thought on a lecture about identity made me think that it was going to help influence my PPP and my COP essay on finding yourself, your specialism's and what kind of designer you are. 

But it didn't really do that, it made me think how other peoples identities are portrayed and how stereotyping is a common thing within the creative industry and advertising so what I can take from this is the methods they use to portray controversial stereotyping, cliches, racisms, sexisms, consumerisms etc to influence how to provoke reaction within my work.

I obviously wouldn't be trying to provoke negative reaction but creating bold statements like some of these artists is a way in which your work can be perceived as successful. 

A subject I found interesting and will defiantly influence further investigations is the idea of essentialism.

"Essentialism is the view that, for any specific entity (such as an animal, a group of people, a physical object, a concept), there is a set of attributes which are necessary to its identity and function. In Western thought the concept is found in the work of Plato and Aristotle."

I take from this the idea of a make up of a person and there personality, these attributes that all add up to create a personality/person. When doing branding work this idea of essentialism could be considered when producing a branding project, what attributes make up the companies main service (background, ethics, innovation, history, heritage)  take all these attributes and present them within a physical and conceptual outputs placed across brand collateral/products. All these attributes add up to create a unique outcome much like someone personality so considering every attribute and creating a visual or conceptual representation in some sort of design/branding output would create a fully developed brand. 

Again coming from essentialism, everyone has different ways of thinking. Taking these alternative thoughts and considering them when analyzing a target market will help produce design work that is specifically focused on the intended target audience. 

Taking note from Chris Ofoli's rebellion against white supremacy presented in modern and pre modern art I feel like rebelling against common themes in art & design will make for more recognizable and high impact work. Don't follow the trends, create a new understanding of something, a new style, a new movement. Although this is aiming quite high I feel at least creating unique and out of the box concepts rather than following "design trends" will give me better opportunity to begin developing my own specialism and style.

Chris Ofoli's painting influenced by Stephen Laurence shows how art can present political messages, Im not a very political person and presenting this kind of work isn't really my strength but the emotion this portrays makes me at least consider trying to give my work emotional meaning through past and present political or news events portrayed in the media. This could create questionable work but thats what gets you noticed right?

Visit to Hepworth Wakefield, Influence on my practice & work from TwoPoints International Studio

Visit to Hepworth Wakefield, Influence on my practice & work from TwoPoints International Studio 

I make regular visits to the Hepworth in Wakefield due to it been quite close, they don't change exhibitions very often, usually quarter yearly but through the permanent exhibitions and temporary exhibition's I have been gaining contemporary and historic influence over the past few years not just through university but through my college and foundation studies. 

I know I want to position myself within the branding sector, an area of the creative industry that is quite focused in its direction of what kind of work can be produced but I like to gan influence from sources further a field.

The recent exhibition's I visited over this year at the Hepworth have influenced my practice in diverse ways. 

I see branding as a way of creating work that lasts, while in a prominent digital age at the moment with focus on interactive and digital design I still think its important to consider the more traditional approaches to design, more craft oriented and tactile with strong theoretical and historic values. I don't want to create corporate style branding work, I want to add more of a creative spin on typical brand identities taking influence from historic and contemporary ideas to produce sustainable and ethical work.

These works from Barbara Hepworth, Naum Gabo, Stanley William Hayter and Lynn Chadwick explore engraving, etching, linocut, lithography, monoprint, screen print and woodcut during a time span from 1890 to 2003 and its interesting to see how when you look at these pieces of work you cant really put an estimate on the time period of production as they all share quite a contemporary aesthetic, these types of production methods have been around for years and the proof is here that they still give off a contemporary and modern aesthetic so if something from this time period can give off this aesthetic why do people seem to think "print is dying out?" it still holds miles of potential for emulating effective ideas in tactile ways. So much more so than digital printing reproductions that have a cloned aesthetic, this method of production produces unqiue outputs, incorporating this into relevant brand collateral will add character and create material that people want to keep, resulting in the target audience remembering the brand more. 

The abstract layout and use of geometric shapes is been replicated in modern day design to date so it shows its not just me taking note from these works, there is definite influence to be had from these types of works. 

Touching on how modern day creatives are influenced by traditional artworks I noticed the detail within this screenprint by Eduardo Poolozzi in 1971, it definitely visualizes this era in its use of bright and contrasting tones, psychedelic patterns and collage aesthetic that uses iconic political figures, robots & telephones to cleverly communicate american consumerism. 

Compare it to the work of TwoPoints design studio I see a modern interpretation of the shapes, colors and patterns used here in a much more minimal aesthetic that thats consideration into graphic design technicalities like layout and more future oriented aspects like interactive digital design. This shows a clear transition and influence of traditional and modern techniques. 

The use of layout and aesthetics within editorial design are going full circle too, it was the pioneering period for editorial design and theres a clear link between the layout here and use of column grids.