News of the ACDC Design Catalyst Forum: Positioning Design in Visual Culture. 

In October 2010 I was asked to deliver a talk at the ACDC Design Catalyst Forum. No, not an opportunity to discuss the contributions of Aussie rock legends AC/DC to design but, a national industry forum exploring the role of design in contemporary visual culture (thus ACDC is an acronym for the Australian Craft and Design Councils). An opportunity for invited members of the design sector to provide evidence and opinion on how practitioners and organisations are responding to the changing nature of design practice the forum's aim was to deliver valuable insight to the Australia Council for the Arts. Greater recognition for the value of design from our major arts funding bodies is critical. How design should be supported and progressed within visual culture at both federal and state levels is currently under investigation. The forum tabled the following key issues: How can the new developments in visual arts production, such as innovation and entrepreneurship be encouraged? What is its relevance and value to the sector? How can transdisciplinary models of design practice be supported within siloed funding programs?And, How should government be supporting design and creative micro enterprises?

Coinciding with Unlimited: Designing for the Asia Pacific, the inaugural triennial program presented by the state of Queensland the forum was hosted by Artisan, Queensland's peak body for craft and design. Documented, filmed and summaries extracted the ideas and dialogue resulting from the forum have been submitted to the Australia Council. While we can wait for the dissemination of this material and look forward to how government and funding bodies will respond, ultimately it is every designer's and manufacturer's role to better represent and support contemporary design in Australia. 

Reproduced below is my contribution to the ACDC Forum presented 5/10/2010. 

Models of Practice: Design and Business
Simone LeAmon

In an attempt to use this time effectively I have chosen to lead this ‘thought burst’ with a brief conversation on what I see to be the distinctive characteristics of the Creative who practices in the sphere of contemporary design – and through what paradigm their production is delivered and how it is changing. Following this I will speak on the emergent design approaches and models of enterprise that I see my peers and colleagues pursuing.

“Design is demonstrating the potential of an idea...”
Simon Curlis, Lecturer Industrial Design RMIT University

Design is not an isolated practice. The research and practice methodologies that designers embrace to conduct their inquiries and investigations necessitates collaboration.
For the majority, collaboration will entail the co-operation of individuals, communities and enterprises to gather knowledge, information, resources and facilities to develop and produce a design idea. And then, if a design idea is to be shared another tier of collaboration is required to display, reproduce, market and distribute its value in society.

“Who are you challenging?”
Seth Godden, American blogger and author of ‘How to Differentiate Yourself’

I would argue, that for many contemporary designers there motivation for practicing is to challenge to the status quo - to investigate alternative ways of thinking about conditions, issues, objects and the environment - As design is understood to perform a critical role in shaping our ideas of the world and our agency within it.

Designers often direct these challenges in the company of a personal ethos.
They may exhibit and prioritise creative, cultural or social imperatives. They may have developed their own unique methodologies and styled a business model that services both the production and sharing of their work.

For many contemporary designers I know conducting a self-funded, micro business – the sanctity of the design idea is prioritised over the calculus of economic value.

Why?

Because design practice is about ideas – and, whenever I look at design production I look for the idea - and it typically manifests through a point of difference. And - if the design problem or issue isn’t clear I ask myself what makes this design outcome a genuine alternative from those existing?

“I didn’t go looking for design – design found me”
Judith Glover, Australian industrial designer, maker, visual artist and entrepreneur

In recent years through the conversations I have been exploring in my own practice as both designer and artist I have encountered numerous creative’s who like me were led to design practice through the rigorous pursuit of their interests. Put simply, as our conversations evolved so did the shape of our creative practices. The desire to activate and demonstrate our ‘thinking’ in an area was best achieved in the context of the issue – the culture – or the market we were critiquing.

For my practice, it was necessary to move beyond the gallery and locate my production in the commercial space of my ‘subject’ – which was the design and manufacture of products. Following years of making art about design – I realised that perhaps it was within my reach to penetrate the systems that were responsible for authoring the thinking and production that I was critical of – with the objective of bringing about change. Hence years of working as a visual artist led me to contemporary craft and then to industrial design.

And so, I began to knock on the doors of industry – hoping to find companies and individuals who shared my belief that serial and mass produced objects could be so much more – that they could deliver positive and transformative experiences - be conceptually rich – explore alternative narratives – be authentic and possess aesthetic, spiritual, symbolic and social value.

And this remains my position –– and, when enabled through this belief system Design is an exciting form Cultural Production.

“Its not what you do – its why you do it”
Oluffuer Elliason, Icelandic, Berlin based Visual Artist-Designer

Allow me to make a short segue and lay some context for design production. Implicit within the field of design – specifically industrial design have been two key sites. The conceptualisation of objects has traditionally occurred in the company of the home and the shop – both if you like have been a default position to which much design activity has been directed. However in recent decades design activity has been moving further and further away from these sites. The ‘lens’ through which designers conceptualise has grown exponentially.

And thus designers are continuing to seek out contexts for design thinking and design activity. And it’s the ‘why’ – that connects us with our cares and concerns  - whatever they might be, and if we can share these concerns and communicate them to people then we can become a participant in delivering a very interesting future.

“People and ideas are blending, and clashing in unpredictable ways. The flows are fast, furious and diverse. Design has a pivotal role in controlling the metabolism of these flows”.
Alastair Fuuad-Luke from Design Activism: Beautiful strangeness for a sustainable world

The variety of design practises emerging can make categorising design ‘activity’ complex. Designers are mediating natural, cultural and man-made forms of capital in ways that can see projects traverse disciplinary and cultural frames – and they can sit ‘awkwardly’ and consequently can be hard to categorise.

In my community designers extend to industrial designers, furniture designers, interdisciplinary designers, designer-artists, designer-makers, craft practitioners and architects. And, it would be remiss of me not to mention the designers working in digital technologies.

Design ideas and production appear in the forms of one-off, prototypes, limited edition, serial production, mass production or ‘action’ such as an event, website or exhibition.

In the struggle to commit ideas, energy and know how to the fore of the cultural experience designers can and will engage in numerous activities and perform many roles.

Some of the activities I engage in include research, developing concepts drawing & computer modeling, physically working with materials sometimes as the sculptor, sometimes as the craftsperson and sometimes as the manufacturer. I am the proponent of an ideas, the administrator, the entrepreneur and the sales person.  

“In short they don’t know how to speak of your work”
Judith Glover, Australian industrial designer, maker, visual artist and entrepreneur

So, lets quickly look at some of the different ‘types’ of design outcomes that designers can produce – this does not attempt to define the production itself but merely speak of it’s intentions. 

Typology of design action including prototypes, artefacts and scenario’s.

Propositional – Explores theory, concepts and ideas, typically forward looking – not nostalgic or sentimental. May take the form of design research, one-off artifact or designer’s prototype.
Demonstration – Testing an idea with the view of developing a better alternative. May take the form of a one-off artifact or manufacturer’s prototype.
Provocation – A protest, designed to confront, poke and enable reflection on past and present thinking and production. May take the form of a one-off artifact, designer’s or manufacturer’s prototype, limited edition or serial production or event.
Service – Humanitarian imperatives, commonly social justice, relief, welfare. Will take the form of a system, event or product re-produced according to the needs of the context.
Entrepreneurial – Ambition is to out-compete the status quo of the marketplace – a more imaginative & compelling alternative. Will always take the form of limited, serial or mass produced object.

“Design isn’t an industry, it’s a culture… In the creative world the only thing constant is change”
Chris Bangle, former design director BMW California

Designing is done is the company of narratives and since industrialisation there have been many. Certainly, the narratives that I see many designers exploring challenge modes of production, practice and enterprise. After years of exhibiting and focusing my pursuits overseas – because I simply felt out of place in Australia – I am now witnessing a steady rise in the visibility of what European system calls designer-artists and interdisciplinary designers here. These creative’s may conduct a solo practice or grow a creative practice with a number of employees. They are cross between an old school Atelier, an artist’s studio and a design consultancy.

Hence, there is an interesting schema of practices out there. The ‘designer-maker’ style practice that we’re familiar with has given inspiration to creative’s who want to:

• Conduct Action Research – engage with the world to gather knowledge and learn, investigate and test ideas
• Be creative  - explore and develop their own methodologies and challenge the status quo to deliver alternatives
• Produce – materialise the design idea and be a part of the making/production process
• Exhibit – show the community, industry and stakeholders
• Share –market and sell to individuals, galleries, distributors, retailers & brands who will benefit and be positively affected
• Self-reliant – be impartial to outside interference to allow the sanctity of creative expression and artistic imperatives
• Sustainable practice – own a business, an enterprise model that supports and sustains the core drivers of the practice.

And, through what design approaches and models? Well, here is a few that I see dominating the landscape at present.

Emergent Design Approaches and Models

It is important to mention that in the following models the efforts of the designer may be self-funded, sponsored, commissioned or engaged in a joint venture agreement. This said, I have noted these particular design frameworks because I see a great deal of designer-sponsored / designer funded activity occurring. In the majority these creative’s are freelance designers – working for themselves in their own micro business. However larger design practices with 2-5 employees which have a united ethos commonly initiate and self-fund design activity which the community.

Collaborative Design – Designers develop and co-author projects with individuals from other disciplinary fields / with communities or industry. Designers collaborate to enrich the breadth and scope of their practice and advance the design ideas.   Designers may lead, co-author or work with teams of people.
Example: Paper Plane Academy, Melbourne
www.paperplaneacademy.com.au

Slow Design – Contests the fast pace at which unsustainable flows of resources are used for the production and distribution of goods. Like the ‘Slow Food’ movement designers investigate and use local knowledge, resources, enterprises and labour. Designers embrace craft modes, work with craft practitioners and fund limited /serial production for local wholesale and retail markets.  Design and production is often subsidised by the designer.
Example: Judith Glover – GoldFrau Australia
www.goldfrau.net

N.B. This production will be exhibited in galleries, at trade fairs i.e. Salone del Mobile Milan, Tokyo Design Week and Design Miami.It is of interest to curators and dealers and it can intersect with the market of design I.P – a design is sold to a design-manufacturing brand for commercialisation on a larger scale. In most occasions the ‘slow’ characteristics are maintained.

Strategic Design– Designers and industry working together. Designing is subsidised by the designer, prototyping and product development is subsidised by industry (the manufacturer) – a joint venture arrangement is formed. The designer or manufacturer will sell and distribute the item and compensate the partner from the profits.

Example: Helen Kontouris and Palamont PTY LTD & Simone LeAmon and Rakumba Lighting Australia PTY LTD
For further information go to www.howwecreate.com to read the article on ‘Palamont’
N.B. The ambition of this activity is to bring the designer and manufacturer together. The designer is ‘ideas’ person and the manufacturer holds the intelligence and facility to deliver the design to the market. Designer and manufacturer are united – both believe in the Australian design and made product.

Meta Design – Designers exploit technology to deliver alternatives and solutions to design issues with the aim of ‘freely’ sharing the outcomes or selling the I.P.
Example: Eness, Melbourne
www.electronicmiracles.com

Social Design – Design, which improves people’s wellbeing, education and livelihood. A designer will often collaborate with community stakeholders, individuals and/or government.  A designer may set up a program or a system and design to a problem/issue.
Example: The Social Studio, Melbourne
www.thesocialstudio.org

To conclude:
• We need ‘a bottom up approach’
• Look to the practitioners for breaking news of creativity – the form it is taking and how it is being distributed
• Set a course for documenting the activities of Australian design creative’s – build a knowledge bank of the activity.
• Invite designers to tell their stories of exhibiting and presenting their design activities here and overseas – hear from the ‘horses-mouth’ how brilliantly Australian content is received – the opportunities, interest and invitations from galleries, museums, manufacturers etc – and why Australian designers have a history of not capitalising on these opportunities. 
• Examine preconceptions on ‘commercial activities’ – design needs to be distributed to affect people and enable dialogue (just like other creative activities).
• Micro creative business are critical to creating jobs in the economy - Idea - Extend the research wand development tax concession to micro-creative businesses where ‘design outcomes’ are imminent.
• Embrace design as a valid and exciting form of ‘cultural capital’.