COLD SIGHT

The Wounded Achille’s Heel

of Iranian Graphic Design Education

Farzad Adibi

It can neither retreat nor can it advance; this so-called mythical giant idle with a wounded heel cannot even rest.

Indeed, what is the basis of graphic design except expertise and art? Is anything but education the basis for this modern pompous and desired art? If that’s what we believe, can it stand on a weak and wounded heel?

In this text my aim by probing into the subject of education is to come out of sweet raptures and retell the reality. Perhaps a resolution will be deliberated! To extract a better result let’s divide education into two categories of Scholastic and Para-scholastic.

Scholastic education

Includes all theoretical and practical courses of study taught in public and private schools and universities. Although the most practical courses in institutions and educational centers when it comes to working are considered theoretical but with a quick look we will realize that all courses, teachers, general students and art students suffer from shortcomings that I will point to:

In public educational centers the Cultural Revolution approved course outlines have not become updated yet. In a world where even the most unchangeable science courses must be revised annually with additions and omissions, the art courses as the most flowing studies are even more worth deliberation. What is the timeline and cost of updating courses inherited by the educational system since 30 years ago for the Ministry of Science and Technology compared to the cost of many useless educational seminars? Of course, updating courses and fundamental initiatives do not add any columns to the performances of the organizers of those seminars. Let’s suppose these courses form the skeleton of the body of education. Do all instructors observe the order and sequence in this chain of courses or do they teach as it suits them?

In the same educational system where course outlines have been presented, what is the required academic degree for instructors? If a masters or a doctorate degree is required, what percentage of instructors possess such degrees and what percentage possess a degree related to graphic design? And, do those who do have the related academic degree have practical experience in this field? Can the inexperienced degree holders and the experienced with no degree indeed be teachers? If theoretical and practical knowledge, academic degree and ability to convey that knowledge are prerequisites for a good graphic design teacher, then what percentage of our graphic design instructors indeed have such qualifications?

Is the patriarchal teachings cloak that we have inherited from Momayez, really becoming on us; use of teaching methods, wordings, treating students, etc…'c9 or it is an empty shell that drives graphic design education towards fundamental ill teachings? Has the great quantity of fifth generation graphic designers brought down the quality? Has the large number of fifth generation graphic designers promoted previous generations to become university professors? Can’t we teach the same courses taught in private educational centers to fifth and sixth generations, to the art students in universities? Will all these graphic design students become employed after graduation or will they have to produce single copy posters and become self-postrait artist?

Why does this perplexed crowd become involved in network brokerage in the classroom? Who accepts this unforgiving responsibility that students become brokers? Is it his brother the mobile and car dealer or the neighbor’s son selling food coupons or the financial and credit institutes? If the student obligates not to do brokerage, will he be totally focused on studies or will he just grant his physical presence to the desks in the classroom? Indeed, why aren’t students mere students any more?

Are the art management, educational management and the greater cultural management failing to conduct properly? Are the equipments and facilities intended for the approved courses provided to the graphic design students appropriately? When offering graphic design major in remote towns, are the effects of that major towards that particular environment considered? Do directors of planning and programming know that offering marine studies in desert towns is a waste of time and money and human resources?

Para-scholastic education

Because all of us directly or indirectly are influenced by obvious and obscured, and right or wrong education, it will suffice to only point to a list of such cases:

What is the active and effective graphic design in our society? What percentage of graphic design products offered in the market are produced by graphic design graduates? What is the share of basement graphic design studios? How can this deep rooted visual pollution be wiped from the mind of the society especially the students?

Besides the sick and contagious graphic design market, what else feeds our society’s visual arts? What share does television have in slow and concealed education? Does this effective medium promote the public taste—among which students are also a part of—or does it lower it to trite? Is there visual clownery and pollution on TV at all?

Are all environmental advertising, various elements and statues on city squares, plastic palm trees in green areas, building entrances and names of ministries, shops and institutes that flow like air polluted and dirty? Does the sculpture of “There’s no God but God” in the office building of Hajj and Pilgrimage Affairs that is exposed to all, imply the holiness of the phrase or does it negate it? The same goes for the writing “In the name of God” on the entrance of Mothers Park. How much visual and conceptual harmony lies in the logo of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the Iranian flag? Don’t they all somehow directly or indirectly affect society’s art and cultural education especially graphic design students?

Private workshops can be mentioned as other sources of Para-scholastic education. Are the managers and art directors of these workshops competent enough in art and education? Are they well educated about graphic design and if they work and educate students, are they skilled in what they do?

The presented works in exhibitions and biennials are among other influential events on student education. What goes on the walls in exhibitions and especially in biennials receive acceptance grades and become students’ role models and the work that receives an award becomes even more of a model. How much attention is paid on this part of education when it comes to granting awards? How much can a person be a good role model if he receives a prize from judges in exhibitions abroad who sometimes regard us as common tourists? Don’t these works become students’ role models? If they do why do cultural planners add fuel to what they know is not true and become intimidated by it? Indeed, how much of these commendations and prizes are just. And how much can they contribute to culture development? Because graphic design is a social and flowing art and it reaches the most remote areas in the country and affects the public taste.

What is wrong with our system of education? Is it the source of education that includes institutions, course outlines and information and teachers’ skills or is it the students who are learners of graphic design? Or what links the two. Why don’t these lonely drops and streams find a way towards the sea? I recall Forough: “Nobody will catch a pearl from the humble stream pouring into a ditch.”