Camp

Camp: consciously artificial, exaggerated, vulgar, or mannered; self-parodying, especially when in dubious taste.

Camp is something that people use to make a comical reference to to something in reality. It is much like a visual parody. We use and interact with Camp everyday, even if we don't realize it. Pinterest is borderline Camp at times with their projects.

Campy Teapot that resembles a hitch trailer.

Campy Pillow made to look like dog.

For more examples of Camp, check out my pinterest!

http://pinterest.com/anthonyperrotta/camp-id-212/

Function and Beauty

"The Theory of Decorative Art" pretty much describes the importance of the coexistance of architecture and interior design and how architecture is like the big picture; whereas, interior design is all in the details.  Architecture is like the exterior of the building and the roadways and sidewalk traffic on the outside as opposed to interior design which is the flow of people taffic on the inside.  

In "The Significance of Applied Art" Hermann Muthesius discusses the significant points of art.  He categorizes art as artistic, cultural, and economic.  He also goes on to talk about how interior design is a different language.  It is an artistic langage to be interpretted by those who experience it.  Muthesius also compares modern art to other art periods like the Renaissance period and others.  Modern art is just like all the periods before it, only simplified.  By simplified, I think it is actually simplified visually, but interpretting madern art is far more complex then deciphering older art works in my opinion.  I think a perfect example of this would be the Mondrian paintings.  They are so simple aesthetically, but they can be interpretted so intricately.  Mondrian painting

Crafting

In this reading, I understood that craftsmen and artists are equally important, but they are not the same thing.  I feel that a good designer is both an artist and a craftsman.  Both are seperate skills, but they are highly related and vital in interior design.  

Type needs: Type-Furnature

Le Corbusier mainly touched on the point of function v. beauty.  Both must exist in order to be good design.  Just beacause something is functional doesn't mean it can't be appealing to the eye.  Practicallity is vital is design, but the practicallity must look good.  The combinations of looks and function allow for one to exist peacefully in a space which is the main goal of design.  

These stairs are functional, but they are not aethetically pleasing in any way

These stairs are both functional and beautiful

The World of Hand-made Artificiality

By reading "In Praise of Shadows" by Tanizaki Jun'Ichero I was again reminded how small - mostly visual - things in our everyday life are what creates the memorable moments. It does not matter if it was a sight of a skyline or a view from a mountaintop, we cherish that moment just as preciously.
Using lacquerware makes me remember a tea ceremony I once took part at in Japan. I would most certainly agree with the author about the character of the lacquerware. If we treated every aspect of life with the same sort of great respect he shows towards the dish and its use, the world would be a very different kind of place.
As a designer the text also makes me think about how disposable our culture is today. Too many things are too easily replaceable which causes the lack of respect towards small things in life, we often forget it. A person I know bought the new iPhone 5 after owning the previous version of the phone for less than 6 months. She did not buy it because she needed it, she bought it because she was able to.

Plastic dishesDish made from organic material

The reading "Hand Work - Machine Work" by Adolf Von Hilderbrand made me think of how we treat obejects by their material today. Relating to the disposability of things we so often choose the artificially fabricated object and consume it with no special care instead of choosing the object made out of organic and natural materials. What gives an item value it is not so much about what the item is used for, but about its journey to be the item it will become.

Both of the readings were about giving value to beautiful objects in traditional ways. I must agree with the readings, since personally I always wish to choose the products and objects that are more unique. I value objects that tell a story.

What Lacques in Our Lives

I have a serigraph by Leroy Neiman called, “Great Dane”.   I love the painting for its subject matter and that there is a mystery associated with the play on words in the name.  Most importantly though, throughout the day, different colors appear according to the angle of the sun in relation to my house and where we hung it, until finally, artificial light is cast onto it, and it appears different again. 

I envision lacquerware to be much like this.  The quality is in the experience of it visually and of course in the moments they are used.  One understands how much work goes into producing the bowl, or cup, but it’s the holding, observing, and experiencing it that makes the moment special and unique to that moment, not to be recreated exactly, much like my painting.  You’re never with the same people, discussing the same things, at the same time of day, under exactly the same conditions. 

In the article Hand Work – Machine Work, by Adolf Von Hildebrand, the same thoughts are being conveyed, in reference to the quality vs. quantity aspect of products these days.  While some have preserved the act of creating the art, or functional piece like a ceramic cup, one must question the “value” of the machine made piece.  I think when looking at it from a strictly economic viewpoint, the handmade, good quality, reputable artist's piece is always valued higher.  It’s simply supply and demand driven. 

Although this isn’t always the case.  Art that is valued by some and priced accordingly, may not be the best examples of art.  I saw some pieces by Sir Anthony Hopkins while I was in Hawaii and the craft isn’t there.  But they are expensive. 

The same could be said of taste.   I would never own a Thomas Kincaid, but lots of people love his stuff.  I’m sure he spent a great deal of time on the originals and certainly mastered the craft of conveying light in his work.   I don’t however think his stuff will stand the test of time.  A true work of art like lacquerware does.

The assignment also asks the question whether we as a society have lost something by living the lifestyles we are now.  I think the answering certainly, yes.  In our home, we are trying to preserve some quantity of “stop and smell the roses”.  We eat together every night.  It may only last 20 minutes, between screaming kids and bedtimes, but the effort is there for all of us to be together.  Our vacations are very family centered. 

I have stepchildren and 2 live here near us.  We have also imposed the traditional Italian Sunday dinner routine, but they never show up.  Not everyone values eating and sharing stories or our days and weeks.   Some don’t smell the roses.

The Important Things

After reading "In Praise of Shadows," by Tanizaki Jun'ichero, I was reminded of how the small things in life can change an experience depending on the person and the situation. As designers, we must pay attention to the details that really make living life enjoyable and memorable. While lighting in a space may seem minute, one can see through this experience in the restaraunt that it can change an entire situation completely. I have never used laquerware, but reading about its history and the enjoyment that accompanies it, most definitely makes me want to experience it. I feel as though it represents the quality and richness that you can acquire from a meal, not just how quickly you can force food into your mouth and proceed to carry about your busy schedule.

In the second reading, "Hand Work-Machine Work," by Adolf Von Hildenbrand, the idea of "quality over quantity" is again reinforced. He paralells hand made objects to those that are mass produced by machines. One must look and realize that the significance lies in the way its made, not its perfection. While machine made products may look nice, they most certainly do not posess the same amount of beauty in regards to the time and effort it took to make it special and different from the rest. You must decide what is most important to you.

Handmade dishes

Machine-produced dishes

Works Cited:
Tanizaki, Jun’ichirō (1977). In praise of  shadows. (T.J. Harper and E.G. Seidensticker, trans.) Sedgwich, ME:
     Leete’s Island Books, Inc. (original work published in 1933).
Frank, Isabelle (editor) (2000). The theory of decorative art: An anthology of European and American writings 
     1750 – 1940. New York: Yale University Press.