Since the start of my research project I wanted to delve into the native and cultural particularities and conditions that kind of unwittingly planted the seeds for the recognisable Swiss style of design which emerged in the 50's.
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Looking into the idea of a graphic design style made me think if in the face of todays global culture, do recognisable and regional graphic styles still remain?
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Global culture, the computer, the internet, e-mail, smart phones, television etc allow us to communicate across the world with ease - and with this share work, photos, conversations etc so it seems logical that cultures are much more submerged across the world than ever before. Countries are less isolated than they were in the past, and in the process the graphic design scene is less isolated.
As a contemporary and newer generation graphic design student myself I often find inspiration on the internet, and often it's not 'British' design, even though I live and study in Britain - in the 40s and 50s onwards, how much of the inspiration was from Britain compared to overseas? I don't know for sure, but id bet most of the work they studied and collaborated with was also British - creating a style, working in isolation. Sometimes designers were exposed to a countries work for the first time when they actually went to the country! The Tokyo World Design Conference of 1960 for example.
In todays world, on the surface it seems harder to recognise work as Swiss, or British. A huge factor in this is design inspiration - and online tools such as Behance and Pinterest.
So it will be interesting to see if in todays world, people can still recognise what makes design 'Swiss', or 'British', or 'American' and if these stereotypes of British wit, Italian style, German engineering, Swiss functionality etc still exist - in general culture and also in the design scene.
For example, the food industry and culture is also part of todays culture like everything else, but India still produces predominantly Indian food, which is significantly different to Italian food, or English food. Of course they indulge in western cooking, just as designers may adopt international styles, but as for example Indian food still remains recognisable, does a Swiss style and sensibility for design still remain amongst more international influences?
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One huge factor in this is technology, the computer. One significant factor in food still remaining is the process. Regions are exciting to travel and explore to see the different styles and process of cooking. The process still remains the same, it's in the kitchen using the same tools and ingredients - in Graphic Design the process has changed significantly from the 80s onwards when the computer and the Apple Mac arrived - this has to have played a huge part.
Carrying out the research of globalisation and it's effects on graphic design will allow me to compare collaboration now, compared to then and the resulting work. Compare the process before the computer to now and look into the general effects of todays globalisation and social media on countries identities and cultures. Is the world almost merging into one culture, for example I read recently that the classic Aussie accent, Crocodile Dundee style is almost gone, extinct. The world merging and being closer than ever before, does this mean the world is adopting an almost International Style?
Also looking into new technology such as the Oculus Rift and virtual reality, which is definitely coming. This is what's fascinating about this, you can't stop technology and you can't stop the globalisation of the world at our fingertips. It's a stark contrast to design inspiration and collaboration in the 50s.
I'm hoping to find out as much as I can about this and get in touch with relevant design studios and designers of varying generations to find out their own inspirations in their early development and inspiration to do graphic design, and their favourite designers now. Whether they can describe a countries 'style' of design to see if it still exists, and their own opinions of regional design styles remaining intact in the face of globalisation.
As a result of finding out as much as I can about perceptions of countries design styles as of now, whether they're justified. While paying specific attention to the Swiss design style and asking whether the dna of the style still exists in Swiss and European culture. In turn, hoping to ask 'What is the future of Graphic Design?' In terms of design styles in the face of globalisation.
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