Deconstruction

Deconstruction/

Deconstructivism/

Deconstructionism.

'Deconstruction is an approach to texts which analyses their systems of representation - the systems which frame their communication' (Jacques Derrida I)

Deconstruction complicates to make a point, to physically force a viewer to do what the designer wants them to do.  For example, in writing deconstruction can be seen as overcomplicating a piece of text- changing the kerning; pointsize; leading and even the specific paragraph layout- this not only challenges the 'known' and 'accepted' rules of design (much like postmodernism) but also forces the viewer to actually read the text.  The fact that on a usual article the title is always a larger pointsize than the rest of the type so that the reader knows what the text is about  forces a linear reading from the reader.  They are more likely to skim the page for areas that they recognise rather than reading the whole article and making a judgment on what the writer was trying to communicate.  These rules we have created have helped yet also hindered us.  We expect things to be obvious out of apathy- it is the norm.  However, much more can be retained and understood if we, as readers and viewers have to really look for what is being written.
The designer creates an unspoken voice/ a tone for the visual text.  It is this tone that informs the way the viewer 'reads' the text. 
Derrida deconstructs the concept that speech has more value than writing.  The traditional idea that speech was the primary method of communication because of its aspects - traditional; powerful; original is taken on with Derridas work.  Writing is seen as a secondary form of speech, that copies it, weakening the original message being communicated.


The Cranbook Academy of Art was a deconstructivist school that played with the rules of Graphic Design, they bent the existing rules to create innovate design.
The Cranbook Academy Journal makes you aware of the structure being deconstructed- it takes the accepted forms of journals and slowly changes them, the reader/viewer can relate and begin to understand this way of working.
Barry Deck's 'Template Gothic' is a typeface which deconstructs itself- some letters are slanted and are uneven.  Thus the geometry is destroyed through a 'wobbly' final resolution.

David Carson is a typical example of recent deconstruction.  His work is against the accepted form of communication, it doesn't encourage, it forces the viewer to actually try and read the words on the page, the viewer can draw their own conclusions on what exactly the words are communicating.

  


Deconstruction architecture challenges what society accepts as the norm within form.  
Bernard Tschumi's Le Parc de la Villette Paris doesn't conform to the normal park layout- including a path to follow, this design is considerably confusing, it is like a maze, forcing the visitor to make decisions, but also forcing the viewer to wake up and see, much like deconstruction within type forces the viewer to read what they are seeing.  Deconstruction within architecture is anti authority in this sense.

Defining the 'Avant-Garde'

Originally a French term, meaning in English, vanguard or advance guard (the part of an army that goes forward ahead of the rest). Applied to art, means that which is in the forefront, is innovatory, which introduces and explores new forms and in some cases new subject matter. In this sense the term first appeared in France in the first half of the nineteenth century and is usually credited to the influential thinker Henri de Saint-Simon, one of the forerunners of socialism. He believed in the social power of the arts and saw artists, alongside scientists and industrialists, as the leaders of a new society. In 1825 he wrote: 'We artists will serve you as an avant-garde¿ the power of the arts is most immediate: when we want to spread new ideas we inscribe them on marble or canvas¿ What a magnificent destiny for the arts is that of exercising a positive power over society, a true priestly function and of marching in the van [i.e. vanguard] of all the intellectual faculties!' Avant-garde art can be said to begin in the 1850s with the Realism of Gustave Courbet, who was strongly influenced by early socialist ideas. This was followed by the successive movements of modern art, and the term avant-garde is more or less synonymous with modern. Some avant-grade movements such as Cubismform, others such as Futurism, De Stijl or Surrealism have had strong social programmes. The notion of the avant-garde enshrines the idea that art should be judged primarily on the quality and originality of the artists vision and ideas.  for example have focused mainly on innovations of form, others such as Futurism, De Stijl or Surrealism have had strong social programmes. The notion of the avant-garde enshrines the idea that art should be judged primarily on the quality and originality of the artists vision and ideas.  

 Source: 

http://www.tate.org.uk/collections/glossary/definition.jsp?entryId=38

Avant-Garde is simply defined and described as something that "now", it is "cutting edge".  The term comes from 'Van guard', a military term that was used when elite forces lead the way through the opposition ranks for everyone else to follow.  The vanguard is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force.  Obtained from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanguard_(military_formation).

Avant-Garde is a concept associated with art.  It is deeply modernist, with ideas of 'taking things forward'- being progressive.  The concept of avant-garde in relation to graphic design splits into two groups, elitist and conformist.  The elitist view is an experimental one, where only graphic designers will understand and appreciate other designers work.  This is through using their existing knowledge to communicate an idea that only a select few will understand.  The conformist designer sacrifices personal style for ultimate transparency- it is seen as unoriginal because it uses existing styles and rules that are already recognised within society because of what they signify and because of the connotations they hold.  It is generally used to communicate to the masses.

Marcel Duchamp would be one of the first examples of Avant Garde design with his 1919 'L.H.O.O.Q' re-work of the famous Mona Lisa painting.  This was 'new' at the time, it was a bold move which was taken well, and also, not-so-well.  To be 'avant-garde' you don't have to be successful in gaining approval from a wide audience.

 

 

Even something such as a change in colour or brushstroke which would now seem minor became avant garde, for example 'The Fauvists', who were a group of self taught artists, bent the existing rules of art by changing these things to challenge themselves and their viewers.

  

Within the educational system you are taught to copy artists styles and approaches.  Is this perhaps subconsciously breeding unoriginality and linear thoughts?  Or is it that you first need to know everything you can on a subject before you can really begin to bend its rules and create something new?  If this is the case then surely nothing is avant garde because you have seen it all and cannot help a level of unconscious 'inspiration'?  -many questions.

There is a level of hierarchy within art and design.  Fine art is still more highly regarded than other creative practices because it has existed for so long, so has had time to be accepted by society.  However, the fact that most fine art is commissioned or created to be sold means that it is just as commercial as graphic design, which does not imply that fine art loses value, merely that one shouldn't be valued over the other- times have changed.

Avant Gardism

My own understanding of 'Avant Grarde',
Avant-Garde is a concept associated with art.  It is deeply modernist, with ideas of 'taking things forward'- being progressive.  The concept of avant-garde in relation to graphic design splits into two groups, elitist and conformist.  The elitist view is an experimental one, where only graphic designers will understand and appreciate other designers work.  This is through using their existing knowledge to communicate an idea that only a select few will understand.  The conformist designer sacrifices personal style for ultimate transparency- it is seen as unoriginal because it uses existing styles and rules that are already recognised within society because of what they signify and because of the connotations they hold.  It is generally used to communicate to the masses.
An example of elisist avant gardism within graphic design would be:

So essentially all graphic designers know that as a rule it is not okay to use comic sans as it 'encompasses all that it wrong with Photoshop and people thinking they are designers'- there are too many examples of bad design using this typeface, and not only because of the typeface but general principles of good design, i.e.layout, colour etc.  This is elitist avant gardism because only people with a specific contextual knowledge of type within design will understand not to use this typeface- on almost everyone else...it is lost.

An example of conformist avant gardism within graphic design would be:

Taken from 'Adbusters', this design has taken an existing popular advertising campaign by 'Absolut Vodka', playing on the term 'absolut' of the product and creating a witty slogan around the word.  This specific design uses exactly the same rules as the original campaign, however it takes a more negative pun highlighting what this product can do to the consumer.  At the same time as advertising the product, the design also puts it in a bad light- this is what avant gardism is all about, making fun of existing rules society understands by encompassing perhaps the same imagery, phrases, typeface etc so that society understands what they are communicating- a conformist approach to avant gardism within graphic design as the masses understand it.