Why is originality such a commodity?
Paul Rand once said, “ Don’t try to be original, just try to be good.” However, designers these days as compared to the past are more preoccupied with the notion of originality, where they value the idea of being new and different from the rest. Having their work complimented as being original has become something that most designers would like to achieve. It feels as though being complimented with being original gives some sort of assurance and affirmation that they are good. These days, the cult of individualism elevates the value of originality but at the same time blurs its definition.
That being said, the term originality does not have a clear definition to people. People clearly have different opinions …show more content…
Even though originality is impossible, a new design is very possible to create. Newness is a fact of recent production, but newness doesn’t make it original. (Design Observer 2013, para. 23). Part of why originality is so revered to nowadays may be because of the celebration of original thinkers, geniuses and such. Modern society nowadays celebrate creativity more then ever, with Apple’s campaign even stating dare to “think different” in 1997 by using Albert Einstein, John Lennon, Gandhi. With such influences on society, it is no wonder why people prize originality with such high regard.
For instance, Babara Kruger combines black and white photograph often from magazines that promote the lifestyle she critiques combined with text on a red ground. Barbara Kruger became known for it as her style in the art world, designing mantras that would read, “Talk is cheap,” and "I shop therefore I am.” Yet it would be Obey and even Supreme, the skateboard lifestyle brand that would make the red box logo world famous. The Unhate campaign by United colors of Benetton was not original either, but yet people would only know of them. Having said that, other ideas that are thrown out by famous or well-known brands and designers may not be necessarily be original either, but because they are well known, their words have more weight, their reach out to people are far wider. These brands have simply took inspiration, mixed it with their own ideas and created something
Paul Rand once said, “ Don’t try to be original, just try to be good.” However, designers these days as compared to the past are more preoccupied with the notion of originality, where they value the idea of being new and different from the rest. Having their work complimented as being original has become something that most designers would like to achieve. It feels as though being complimented with being original gives some sort of assurance and affirmation that they are good. These days, the cult of individualism elevates the value of originality but at the same time blurs its definition.
That being said, the term originality does not have a clear definition to people. People clearly have different opinions …show more content…
Even though originality is impossible, a new design is very possible to create. Newness is a fact of recent production, but newness doesn’t make it original. (Design Observer 2013, para. 23). Part of why originality is so revered to nowadays may be because of the celebration of original thinkers, geniuses and such. Modern society nowadays celebrate creativity more then ever, with Apple’s campaign even stating dare to “think different” in 1997 by using Albert Einstein, John Lennon, Gandhi. With such influences on society, it is no wonder why people prize originality with such high regard.
For instance, Babara Kruger combines black and white photograph often from magazines that promote the lifestyle she critiques combined with text on a red ground. Barbara Kruger became known for it as her style in the art world, designing mantras that would read, “Talk is cheap,” and "I shop therefore I am.” Yet it would be Obey and even Supreme, the skateboard lifestyle brand that would make the red box logo world famous. The Unhate campaign by United colors of Benetton was not original either, but yet people would only know of them. Having said that, other ideas that are thrown out by famous or well-known brands and designers may not be necessarily be original either, but because they are well known, their words have more weight, their reach out to people are far wider. These brands have simply took inspiration, mixed it with their own ideas and created something