Design in Our Lives Reaction

Upon visiting the third floor of The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), I have realized that design has a absolute impact in our everyday lives. I have also learned of the word ergonomics, which is the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, as well as its movements, and its cognitive abilities. This meaning that every device, machine, furniture, and vehicle is designed in that certain way that it is believed to be best suit the needs of a human. To me this is very important because as I walked the third floor of MoMA, I realized how many of the designs and ideas displayed here had “higher functionalities”, while others had “lower functions”.

Of the many designs and ideas I saw at The Museum of Modern Art, two in particular really stood out to me as a “high function” works. To me this means Objects that are important and make our everyday lives, easier, and more livable because of there purpose, ease of use, and simplicity. The first object is “The MetroCard Vending Machine”. I believe that this is a “high function” object because It is a very straight forward machine that displays all your options on a big touch screen and has a very easy to use, user interface. The MTA “MetroCard Vending Machines” lets you choose between four languages. You can then get a metro card out of it or refill a metro card if you already have one very easily and quickly to the value of your choice. It even asks if you want a receipt at the end which is pretty awesome and if you don’t want it, it gets rid of it for you. Metro Card Vending machines primarily help tens and thousands of New Yorkers purchase metro cards everyday to help them get to there destinations. Without them, traveling would be much more difficult and less convenient. My second high functional object is the “AnalogDigital Clock”. This Clock” is a high function object to me because it allows us to just take a glimpse at it and know what time is, as oppose to looking and studying a regular analog clock to get the exact time. The “AnalogDigital Clock” comes into a great use when you slightly awake from your sleep and don't know what time it is so you just glance over at it, notice the time, and then decide to get up or stay in bed depending on whether you have anything important to do or not. “AnalogDigital Clocks” simplify the idea of telling time by helping us recognize time easier, faster, more accurately due to its easier user interface.

However out of all the designs and ideas I came across at MoMa, there were also objects that seemed to have lesser functionality, therefore making them items with “low functions”. To me this means objects that seem they are more difficult to use, are less simplistic, and should have overall less purpose or use in our everyday lives because, there are better versions of that one idea and that idea just does not have any real useful purpose to me. The first lower function design that stuck out to me was the “Sweepers Clock” which basically resembles a traditional Analog Clock with out the numbers making it further difficult to tell the time. The hands of this clock consist of garbage being moved by two men with giant floor sweepers accordingly to the time next to this which is displayed in an Analog Digital format and is called “AnalogDigital Clock”. Although this object was cool, unusual, and artsy, it seemed pointless from my perspective and is more ergonomic through the use of it being a digital clock only. My second low function object was the “SMSlingshot” which can basically shoot digital messages onto building facades and other surfaces, turning them into public messages to be seen by more than one person. They can be removed whenever the controller of the “SMSlingshot” decides to remove it through the screen on it. To me this seems cool at first, but upon thought becomes pointless because i don’t see the real use for this object other than it being displayed at MoMA and to show how far technology has advanced and what we can do with it.

In the end, the overall use of an object as well as its functionality varies by person. I believe that a highly functional object should be simple to use, make our lives easier, and more livable because of what they have to offer. That Art and design are always two separate ideas, and without one the other doesn't exist. However the combination of the two equal to the best possible outcome of an object or item and makes them the most functional

Masamichi Udagawa (Japanese, b. 1964)
and Sigi Moeslinger (Austrian, b. 1968)
of Antenna Design (USA, est. 1997)
David Reinfurt (American, b. 1971)
Kathleen Holman (American, b. 1962)
“MetroCard Vending Machine”
1999

Maarten Baas (Dutch, b. Germany 1978)
“AnalogDigital Clock”
2009

Maarten Baas (Dutch, b. Germany 1978)
“Sweeper’s Clock”
2009

Christian Zollner (German, b. 1981)
Patrick Tobias Fischer (German, b. 1980)
Thilo Hoffman (German, b. 1980)
and Sebastian Piatza (German, b.1985)
of VR/Urban (Germany, est. 2008)
“SMSlingshot
2009

Art and World Reactions

September 11th, 2001 was a very sad and tragic day. New York city on that day lost not only over 3,000 lives but also the most beautiful buildings in the world. All I recall was me being in elementary school at the time and everyone in my classes were being called home, one after another and me not understanding why until later that day.

The first piece of art I pick to talked about is from the 5th floor of the M building at LaGaurdia Community College. It is titled "Medium: Black Plastic Body Bags". This work of art displays two large black body bags that held up vertically represent the World Trade Center. The flaps are open to represent open space in which now the towers are gone. However they also are opened and empty because majority of the bodies that these bags were suppose to hold were all either burned or reduced to rubble. This is a very sad, yet meaningful piece of art that deserves better recognition.

The second piece of art I choose to talk about is from MoMa Ps1. The title to this art work is "Lost and Found 2006". It represents the "If you see something, Say Something" campaign launched by the Metropolitan Transit Authority in 2002. This work of art is interesting because all it is, is a black leather brief case place on the floor in a corner of a giant white room. There is a lock on it so that whatever is inside stays inside without anyone, not even the artist having knowledge on what it contains. This is ironic in the way that if we see a suspicious package anywhere in the transit system we are also clueless as to what might be inside, and also might be to scared to check, so we would just inform a cop.

The third and final piece of art I chose to talk about is also from MoMa Ps1. It is basically a news paper article called "Ground Zero 2003" which was posted in the New York Times. It shows an aerial view of ground zero, with the World Trade Center site being covered by green paper in the shape of a trapezoid. Pretty much this artist by the name of Ellsworth Kelly, who is one of Americas leading abstractionist states that he envisions a large green slate of grass covering ground zero in the future as a form of respect to all that dies that die. He also states that no additional building were needed at the site, but just the mound of grass and a museum. It ended with him saying that making art has to do with honesty, back in 1969.

All these works of art I observed and looked at were all very meaningful. They all had different  perspectives as do I about September 11, 2001. However that day was very tragic and frightening for all New Yorkers, and will go down in history as the worst day in New York City. Rest in peace all the innocent lives that we lost that day, and lets all hope that nothing like this ever happens again in the Big Apple.

Cris Cristotaro
"Medium: Black Plastic Body Bags"
September 2001

Lara Favaretto
"Lost and Found 2006"
2006

Ellsworth Kelly
"Ground Zero, 2003"
2003

Bad Art

Good Art

Good Art Bad Art

     I believe that anything can be seen as art, however some can be distinguished by me as good art meaning i like it and others as bad art, meaning i am not too satisfied with it for a reason. Good art to me consists of colors that flow well with each other or even black and white photos. Images that are classified as graffiti, abstract, landscapes, photography and even 3-demensional sculptures to me are all good forms of art because they are all pleasant to look at, as well as give a good look if you have them around your home. Art that uses the technique of hatching is also beautiful art because it consists of just parallel lines on white paper, in which you can make parts of the image light by keeping a little space in between the lines and dark by drawing the lines closer together all while being very simple.
     Bad art however to me consists of stuff that are weird and unusual such as still life paintings, representational, and art that focuses primarily on the use of shapes such as squares and circles. To me these forms of art are not to pleasing because I feel as if there is not enough imagination going on as well as work. They are also a more soft and calm versions of art which i would classify as more feminine, or well liked by the female gender. However in the end, whether to me it is good art or bad art, all art has a bigger meaning behind it which is what truly matters.