Design in Our Lives

        This week my art class took its third field trip to the MoMa. This time my class viewed the 3rd floor architecture and design galleries. The class had the choice of picking four different works from the exhibit, two of the works being “high functionality” and the other two being “low functionality.” Having a chance to look at these exhibits really opened my eyes. Only because something is simply made and looks functional does not always mean that it actually is and vice versa.
        The first work that I chose was from Kazuo Kawasaki, this artist created a wheelchair that felt as good as it looked. Kawasaki created a seemly functional wheelchair made out of aluminum honeycomb-core wheels and rubber seat and tires. The artist made this creation after being involved in an accident that resulted in him becoming disabled. He wanted to create something that was comfortable and useful not only for him but for everyone. Another work what I found useful was the “Sea Shelter” by Nikhil Garde. This work of design is a great working raft that I would personality find very useful if I would ever need a water raft. It is properly balanced to one’s weight when boarding. It also has handles on both sides of the raft, with a step that extends under the water to make it easier for one to climb in. For these reasons I consider both of the artist works to be highly functionality. Both artists share a common similarity; they both have a unique style to their work. Kawasaki uniqueness is his medium and Garde uniqueness is the exotic shape of his water raft. This is why I consider both works to be useful and very successful if used in the real world.
        For the “low functionality” works, I chose Bruno Munari “Fork” and the MoMa store “Newspaper Coasters.” Munari’s work is a series of three disfigured forks; if actually used by someone it would be impossible to eat with. The tips of these forks are bended in such a bizarre matter that if someone tried to eat with it, they would probably end up hurting themselves. As for the “Newspaper Coasters,” I find them to be completely useless; cup coasters are usually made out of rubber, glass, or wood, not newspapers. These coasters totally defeat the purpose of having coasters because they are suppose to be used to protect the surface underneath and a newspaper is not going to get the job done. If a hot cup is placed on top of the coaster, the heat coming from the cup will shrivel up the newspaper. Or if a wet cup is placed on top of one of the newspaper coasters the water from the cup will just stink through and wet whatever surface the cup is on. Both of these artists commonly transformed something that is useful in the real world, into a not so useful design. If someone were to bend Munari’s piece into a straighter line or have made “Newspaper Coasters” out of a different material, then it would be considered more useful and ergonomic. 
        Lastly, in looking at these designs I have gotten a new perspective. It showed me that not all works have to be highly functional to be considered a good design. I found the “Newspaper Coasters” to be a good design just not a useful one; the same with Munari’s piece. Art and design I feel are one in the same. They are not different at all because a design is a form of art. We need to have some type of design in order to call something art. Whether it’s a straight line or a weird shaped piece of metal, it is art and a design.

Kazuo Kawaski

"Carna Folding Wheelchair"

titanium, rubber, and aluminum honey comb

1989

Nikhil Garde

"Sea Shelter"

nylon and rubber

2004

Bruno Munari

"Fork"

metal, each: 8 1/2 (21.6cm)

1958-1964

MoMa Store

"Newspaper Coasters"

Turkish newspaper, 100.3"5 diam.

2007