In the the exhibition "Born Out of necessity" I found very interesting objects that captured my attention. Some of them were: a plaster sculpture, some electric light-bulbs, and a water collecting cone. They were created in different times and used for different purposes. The first design is the sculpture created for the artist Antoni Gaudi. The white and big sculpture called "Stars and Doves" did have an apparent low functionality in terms of how a person could use it, yet that artwork did change the landscape in which we are living. Instead of walking around on an empty space, people who visited the church in which the sculpture was placed could gather around the object and admire it, so when I think in those elements, I realize that the sculpture was functional in that environment. I think that the presence of art in our lives adds harmony in our space, and that makes our lives more interesting.
The second design I founded interesting was these old and huge light- bulbs. Although these objects continue to be one of the greatest inventions of all times, and people use them everyday, these particular type of light-bulbs are due because they do not meet our necessities today. Yes, we do need light at night to read and to see in the dark, but the world today demands a lower consumption of any kind of energy including electricity, so new bulbs use lowest watts, have a better light output and save energy costs. Despite that these giant old-bulbs look great and could still function, the time in which we are living determined that these bulbs are outdated and that they waste our energy resources as well as our money.
On the other hand, the third design I found was this amazing device shaped as a cone, which collects water from the rain and the moisture of the environment. This cone has been designed to aid people who lives in remote places and who do not have access to any source of potable water. Now, thanks to this device, drink water, prepare a meal, or wash some hands are not a struggle anymore for many people. This brilliant design solves a big problem for many people who lives in the dessert or in extreme latitudes, so I consider it as a great design, it is simple but combines a perfect balance between a creative mind and a high functionality that assists people's basic necessities.
The fourth design that I found outstanding was located in the exhibition "Foreclosed: Rehousing the American Dream." When the economical crisis started in the U.S years ago, many designers and artists combined their efforts to find solutions to some issues related with housing and lifestyle. This incredible project called "Nature-City" combines the urban life with the health benefits of the country living. Some of the features of this ambitious project were: housing affordability, an ecological infrastructure with access to agriculture, public open spaces, renewable energy and natural processing of waste. This project is the perfect solution for the issues that our society is living today, since cities are overcrowded, houses are expensive, there are not enough green spaces and pollution continues growing steadily. Because this design addresses all those problems, I believe that it could be the city of our future. There is not doubt that art and design are blended together to create a highly functional city like this.
In short, art and design are not two separate ideas, they create objects which are indispensable, usable or not. We tend to categorize these designs and their functionality depending on how well they assist our necessities.
Antoni Gaudi
"Stars and Doves"
Plaster
1883
George Agule, Charles V. Weden
"Electronic Tubes"
Rhodium-Plated Cooper, Other Metals, Heat-Resistant Glass
1954
Stephan Agustin
"Water Collection Device"
Plastic Water-cone
1999
Amale Andraos, Dan Wood
"Nature City"
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