CD˳ Lecture Resp❍nses

Elaine talks about the topic of how decolonization is not a metaphor for the change needed in the design industry. She raises an interesting question about which parts of design we can remove without alienating other people in the process. I think that it’s always been hard to accept the diverse culture in the design field, as Elaine said, the industry still has a lot of work to do. It’s very hard to see inclusivity in today’s world, especially since design is a field that’s predominantly white. Therefore, Elaine initiates that we should "colonize" design, add our culture to design, and build upon it.

Culture and identity are something unique and special to each individual; hence, I agree with Elaine that everyone should make work about their own culture and identity. We should use design as a tool to learn about our cultures and even share them. The merging of cultures and ideas helps you connect with your work the easiest, and it can create something that’s personal to you.

Elaine’s work explores the intersection of culture, identity, equity, and risograph printing. Through the projects that she did, I can see how she is trying to share stories that have been neglected for a long time. Domiknows is a project that was inspired by her Cuban culture. I like how she talked about the cultural background of dominos to let the audience see and learn where dominos are actually from and what they are. The idea that this is an installation that everyone can have the opportunity to take part in makes the project very special; it becomes an engaging and collaborative experience. Not only does this project bring people together to learn about her Cuban culture, but it’s also a memorable experience.

This lecture was very insightful, and it made me rethink my identity and culture. Sometimes we may feel like our cultural identity is not a strength, but Elaine’s lecture and work made me want to reconnect with my culture and explore more about my culture through design. I totally agree with Elaine that we should celebrate our identities. I think that we can all expand design by including everyone’s voices and culures.

Lynn Kiang provided invaluable insights into the process of launching her design studio, Dome Collective, as a two-person team. By utilizing storytelling, design, technology, and strategy, she and her partner have completed projects such as Seat at the Table and Revealing Krishna: Journey to Cambodia's Sacred Mountain. Listening to Kiang’s experiences of the numerous steps and time it took to design and install this project was very inspiring. It was eye-opening to hear how Kiang and her team were able to accomplish such big projects with such a small team and how having the right people with expertise in software development, cinematography, fabrication, motion design, and more is critical to success.

Kiang also gave us an excellent piece of advice for post-graduation: "steal everything". This resonated with me, as I believe that, through our job experiences or even education, we can take away knowledge, skills, relationships, and connections that are invaluable to our future careers if we use what we "steal" wisely. This is also a great time to figure out what our passions are so that we can focus our energy on what truly excites us.

Pascal Glissmann is a designer who approaches design as a mode of inquiry and community-building practice. Different from many other designers, Glissmann focuses on collecting knowledge and crowd-sourcing from people all over the world. Through his projects, he aims to create a language that people from different cultures can relate to, breaking down cross-cultural boundaries.

One of Glissmann's projects was the creation of an online archive about how people preserve a narrative about the present and future in just 45 symbols, starting with an exploration of the similarities between the Phaistos disk and the golden disk. This project was a collaborative effort that involved other designers from around the world, and an open call for submissions was made. Through this project, Glissmann was able to explore different perspectives. It is fascinating to see how different surroundings, environments, and cultures affect the symbols that people designed.

Observation is a key aspect of Glissmann's work, and he pays great attention to what it means to translate something into a visual language. Projects like The Atlas of Everyday Objects and The Atlas of Looking at Water show how he creates meaningful discussions around observation, inviting people from different fields to contribute their perspectives. I think that this approach fosters a learning environment where people can learn from each other's observations and experiences.

Something important that Glissmann noted in the lecture is that designers are not only translating information into visual media but they are also part of creating knowledge. He emphasizes the significance of working with a community to create meaningful projects that engage people from different backgrounds. By involving people in the process, Glissmann creates a collaborative and inclusive environment that encourages people to share their ideas and perspectives, which I think is crucial in design.

E Roon Kang and Andrew LeClair from 908A presented a book titled "1, 10, 100," that they designed for the Communication Design program at Parsons. An interesting aspect of the book's creation was how the team transformed student thesis work from a database and HTML/CSS into a printed book. They used CMS to create a book instead of a website. They explained how the process required using different software programs to convert data and information, so the data can be used and displayed in different mediums. 908A even created a specialized submission form for students that directly writes to the database, making the process more efficient.

To create a printed copy of the book, the team used a tool called Prince HML to translate the HTML/CSS into a PDF. This tool not only allowed them to convert the content but also had extra layout features and was a suitable replacement for Adobe InDesign. It’s fascinating how the visual concept of the book was based on CSS, such as the oval outlines around the text in one of the chapters. This design was produced automatically during the conversion from HTML/CSS to PDF, eliminating the need for manual design work in InDesign. Besides, I appreciate how they paid close attention to the details of the printed copy, including using different paper stocks to distinguish between student works and other content and creating embossing on the cover page.

The books presented for 2021 and 2022 made me realize the importance of creating a system for developing a subsequent book. "Framework 101" followed the same system as "1, 10, 100," with only variations in color and shape, making it a coherent collection of annual catalogues. Overall, the process of creating "1, 10, 100" was intriguing and demonstrated the power of linking and using different software programs and formats to efficiently create a final product.

Kelly Walters' focus on race and representation in design is particularly important in today's social and political climate. Her exploration of the representation of women and their bodies in 20th-century advertisements is particularly significant, as women have always been objectified in advertising. I appreciate how she uses traditional mediums like printmaking and letterpress to create her work, as it adds a tactile and organic quality that is often lacking in today's digital world.  

I find it fascinating how Walters' work is always informed by a historical perspective. Her projects often examine the designs of the past and how design functioned in previous eras. Through her work, Walters addresses semantic changes that have occurred within the discipline and sheds light on how design has evolved over time.   

In addition to her design work, I am impressed by Walters' involvement in the publication of the book "The Black Experience in Design" as a creative director and co-writer. This project highlights the importance of working collaboratively to bring a project to fruition and the value of exploring the experiences of underrepresented groups in design. I think Walters' work is inspiring and thought-provoking, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of considering issues of representation and diversity in design.