This week's lecture looked closely at what makes a critical designer. We discussed the value of research, both practical and theoretical, in the studio and/or during creative practice. We also looked at an extract from Andrew Blauvelt's article Remaking Theory / Rethinking Practice which was very interesting. I will discuss the key points of the extract and also my notes I will link at the bottom of the post. 

KEY POINTS OF ARTICLE:
1. 2 arguments - overintellectualising of practice/design - theory can be seen as disruptive towards creative mind, other side is that theory is too vague - 'does not and cannot' respond to real life practice.
2. "impasse between theory and design must be bridged" - design is a form of social practice, theory - engage in the making of design as a means of critical intervention
3. "importance to recognise that design, no matter how it is practiced, fashions it's own theories about making that help give it meaning, significance and legitimacy", designers can actively redefine their practice from within
4. Theory is designed - "by understanding that theory is fashioned, re-fashioned and self-fashioned - not merely fashionable, pre-ordained or predestined - we can begin the process of putting theory to work"
5. "what design lacks in terms of interesting work these days is not necessarily more visual variety, but rather more provocative and polemical answers"

Returning to art history after the Easter break, we looked at post-modernity and visual culture. It's quite a difficult concept to get our heads round really, as it's just the time after the modernism era - one quote which stood out to me was: "We have lost the ability to locate ourselves historically" - Madan Sarup. We discussed the key themes of Post-Modernism and how it differs from Modernism. I will include a brief glossary of some key terms and my I will upload my notes at the bottom of the post. 

GLOSSARY:
Post-Modernism: a late 20th century era in the arts, which departs from the previous era of modernism, characterised by the use of earlier conventions, mixing various artistic styles, and a general distrust of theories.
Modernism: a style/movement of the arts which aims to withdraw from previous classical and traditional forms. 
Meta-narrative: an account/narrative of a series of events that provide a pattern/structure for people's beliefs/theories and gives meaning to their experiences.
Micro-narrative: a 'standalone item' - literally anything, that helps people understand their relationship with the world (individual/personal narratives).
Rationalism: basing opinions and actions on reason and knowledge - rejecting religious beliefs.
Iconoclastic: the attack of settled beliefs or institutions, opposing religious images.
Post-fordian economics: a change in industrial production - moving towards the use of small flexible manufacturing systems rather than the large-scale mass production methods.
Post-internet: Post-Internet is a 21st century art movement involving works that are derived from the Internet or its effects on aesthetics, culture and society.
Cyber culture: social attitudes and practices, closely linked to the advanced progress of the technological world - rise of computer systems for business, entertainment and communication. 
Hyper-real: presentation of images without reality or meaning, exaggerated in comparison to reality. The real is 'produced' the hyper-real is 'reproduced'.

I read an extract from Madan Sarup's introductory to Post-structuralism and Post-modernity. I find his discussion of the topic really interesting, and there is a section on feminism and post-modernism which I found fascinating. The pages above are the sections of the extract I found most interesting.