A few years back I went to an exhibit at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit focusing on notable modern graphic design. There was a section on The Walker Art Museum in Minneapolis, Target, and of course, Apple. Each section looked at the history and evolution of these different brands from a design perspective. It was cool.
A colleague of mine and I walked through the exhibit pretty quickly as we absorb design daily both consciously and unconsciously then we wandered around the lobby of CCS where there was a student exhibit showing. Some of it was dark and twisted and some of it flowery, but it had something the graphic design did not. My colleague pointed out how refreshing it was to look at art for art’s sake, rather than used as a tool to promote and advertise. Some of the darker paintings, complete with guns and blood from what I remember, had an honesty and soul. It was humble and personal. I felt a connection not only with the artist but an intimate part inside myself as I responded to my emotions created by the art.
Now, not only with the web, but with high-end inexpensive ink-jet technology, art is becoming more accessible, more prevalent, and more easily shared so we can all respond to the artist’s plea. Check out deviantart.com. It has the standard web community features but what is really innovative, is you can submit your art and also purchase art. It puts it in our hands, not the curators. You can choose from a postcard or a wall sized print, even a print on canvas. Cuddle up, this site is huge, you can spend hours on it. And come away inspired.
