Comment About Art Piece

Art Piece Comment David Carson's design that he created for the Aspen Design Conference is a classic example of his approach to deconstruction. By using the term "deconstruction" a writer is referring to a graphic design which "…exposes and transforms the established rules of writing," according to Ellen Lupton. The deconstructive design is actually more than just a design, it is a way in which the graphic artist uses typography as art, infusing a design with emotions that upon initial viewing, seem to be very confused.

This black and white print ad for the Aspen Design Conference presents the word "Hollywood" in some capital letters and some lower case letters -- which, on the surface of it, is an anathema of good clear graphic design. The grammatically incorrect approach in Carson's typography is part of what makes this design appealing -- or appalling, depending on the viewpoint of the observer.

The edgy nature of the design causes the eye of the beholder to work a bit harder than it otherwise would in a standard (and bland) poster advertising a design conference. According to Lupton's essay, graphic design can reveal "cultural myths" simply by using symbols that are familiar and new approaches to style.

In Carson's design for the conference, he uses symbol of a stick match (a "farmer's match" that has a big head and is wooden, and can be ignited on any scratching surface -- rather than the soft matches found in a matchbook), which conveys emotion because the match head has been lit. Above the burning match is "Star," a Hollywood-based tabloid which is known for trashy, over-hyped gossipy articles (in the same genre as National Enquirer).

Is the burning match designed by Carson there for an editorial purpose? Or is the design actually supposed to be a matchbox, with the word "sicherheits" printed on it (which means "security"); the "strike anywhere" kind of matches -- Ohio Blue Tip Matches -- are actually a thing of the past. Although these matches can still be purchased, the butane lighter and other lighters available have made the "strike anywhere" match a rarity.

Is that what Carson is depicting? Carson's gifts allow him not only to create wonderfully unique designs -- designs that require careful observation because there is mystery and confusion, which usually calls for some degree of deep thinking -- it is also interesting that the typography just below the matchbox reads "IDCA" (representing international design & communication awards).

The lettering below the matchbox lists Japan, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, Mexico and Canada -- nations that have produced some of the world's most successful artist and art forms -- and below that list of countries is the sentence: "NOW WE explore the world's most influential Country," the typography reads, and of course that influential "country" is Hollywood, which is not a country at all, and isn't even a real place in some people's minds.

Hollywood the concept is a place where beautiful people make millions of dollars by pretending to be someone or something they are not. Is this a not.