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Criticizing
Designers, movements, manifestos, and editorial commentary that argues for new ideas and used visual communication to raise awareness of political and social issues.
Graphic designers can be sharp critics—often in times of social, political, cultural, and economic change—and have been instrumental in creative revolutions that question long-held values as well as the role of art and design in society. Whether starting wide-reaching movements like Arts and Crafts, Futurism, and Postmodernism, or creating cartoons, magazines, posters, and manifestos, graphic designers have made visual communication a relevant and vocal medium. Both hyper aware of the past and seeking freedom from traditional styles and methods, designers have used experimental approaches like collage, bold typography, and provocative photography to grab attention.
Topics
- The Arts and Crafts movement
- U.S. political cartoons
- Futurism
- Dada
- Supermannerism
- Postmodern design
- First Things First manifestos
- Critical practice in the Netherlands
- Critical editorial design