Neshan 43

The graphic design scene in Iran is evolving as designers are increasing pursuing other academic and experimental disciplines such as painting, calligraphy, and architecture. Most of these designers have become familiar with the various areas of graphic design in an experimental and creative way and have made significant efforts to respond to the community’s needs. As the academic discipline of graphic design continues to be developed at universities, graduates of this field are increasingly engaged in a variety of professional activities. Alt... > more

The twentieth century witnessed tremendous achievements across all fields of human knowledge. These achievements have irrefutably changed our perspective and approach to the issues and problems resulting in a change from the common paradigm of Positivism to Constructivism. This shift took place following two transitional periods of Postpositivism followed by Critical Theory. Of course, the outcome of this transition was overwhelmingly at the expense of two terrible world wars, the cause of which were underlying political and economic conflicts... > more

I recall the days when there was a sortage of professional theoretical resources, especially in regards to modern foundations in the visual arts. When the book “A Primer of Visual Literacy” by Donis A. Dondis came out and later was translated and published in Iran, it served as a starting point for Masood Sepehr, a pivotal presence in our field of work. “In the age of technology, the meaning of art, as well as its specific form and application, generally known as visual communication and statement has greatly changed, but many of the aestheti... > more

The word “left” has a negative connotation in Iranian culture, and the expressions and collocations including that also indicate this issue: getting up on the wrong side of the bed (referred to as the “left” side of the bed in Persian, as causing a bad mood), cockeyed (as referred to “left-eyed” in Persian), and feigning ignorance (as referred to “going down the left way” in Persian) and so forth. To make it worse, until a couple of years ago, left-handed students were compelled to write with their right hand because of the belief that to be... > more

Reviewing the work of graphic designer, Mirza Gholam-Reza Esfahani would be next to impossible outside of the context of his era. Due to the close relationship to and use of technology, the profession of graphic design has always been in the process of transformation. Recent examples of new media design often defy contemporary definitions of graphic design, feeling more ate home find among the visual arts. Similarly what the Qajar calligraphers practiced in their era is also not considered graphic design today. The function, engagement, and pu... > more

“John is good at math and art!” said John Maeda’s third grade teacher to his father. Little John was over the moon, full of joy and glory and this statement of appreciation. But the next day, when his father recounted the story to everyone it was told in a rather different way. Proudly his father declared: “John is so good at math!” But why did he eliminate the word art? Is being good at art a bad thing? Young John would ponder this question would for years.... > more

We work both together and for other companies. The process in product design is quite interesting because there’s a constant need to add or remove parts of the initial concept. There is a strong motto in industrial production that the minimum is the best. Our methodology is to draw, sketch and make mockups and often we keep on repeating this process until we reach the desired outcome. The idea of repeating the process is to omit as many unnecessary details as possible without adding anything to it.... > more

The “Die Neue Sammlung” was established in 1925 and proudly names itself the world’s first design museum. Its roots go back to the foundation of the “Deutscher Werkbund”, an association created in 1907 to connect and promote commercially working artists, architects and entrepreneurs. Long before the term “design” was established, the Munich-based museum began collecting prototypes: ideal examples from graphic, furniture, product design and even jewelry. Today this collection spans over 100,000 objects and is considered to be one of the world’s... > more

Throughout his career, Parviz Tanavoli has continually pushed the structural and conceptual boundaries of artistic media. Beginning in the late 1950s, his work has explored a wide variety of mediums including poster design, print making, painting, mixed media assemblage, to tremendous cast sculptures, always straddling the line between art and design. At times Tanavoli might be considered an artist, a researcher and scholar, an art collector, or even a designer. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he created invitation cards and posters for his ow... > more

Talking of inter-disciplinary design reminds us of the discipline of design, which has long been open to collaboration with other fields of study and professional competences, encouraged by its strong, inborn “dialoguing, relational” spirit. Having developed an identity and a structure whose boundaries are blurred and always open to change, interdisciplinary design occupies a specific place within the larger discipline. Long before the notion of inter-disciplinary work became a talking-point, it was hinted at through the notion of a designer... > more

A project by Monir Zarnegar attempts to correlate several urban issues. The whole project consists of 365 concrete cubes of 15 cm with printed graffiti hearts on it, along with 365 photographs used as a postcard from the location and diagrammatic guide to the parts. The artist tries to interact with the audience by redefining interest as a game. The intent is to generate joy and excitement while you search for your heart and simultaneously building your understanding of the city and its dreams. ... > more

In modern societies, collective life is assembled through the overlap of scientific and technical controversies. The inequities of growth, ecological crisis, and all other major contemporary issues emerge as a tangle of humans and non-human actors, politics and science, morality and technology. Because of this growing complexity, public life is becoming more and more difficult. To find our way in this uncertain universe and to participate in its assembly, people need to be equipped with tools to explore and visualize the complexities of scient... > more