Australia’s National Characteristics Through Design

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Analysis
Conclusion
Reference List

Introduction

The designing of any consumer product needs a fertile imagination, the means to make them a reality and an appreciative audience. There are several professions in design encouraged in Australia. They contribute to many industries like landscaping, interior designing, architects, textile designers and furniture makers. Even though the Australian Industry is considered as conservative, the Australian designers explore their creativity and allow their imagination to take off and share with the public through exhibitions and commercial production by keeping in mind that innovation and cost-effectiveness should go hand in hand (Boglel 2002).

Analysis

Figure 1: Barstools by Sruya Grafs (indesignlive 2009).

Figure 2: Twisted Park Bench by Kenan Wang (Homeinteriorsandaccessories 2009)

The pictures above show unique Australian designs. Figure 1 is the design by Sruya Grafs, the barstools were designed in distinct way than it usually be. In the figure 2 shows the bench by Kenan Wang, as can be seen the bench is twisted and longer than usual benches. Those designs have distinctive shapes and diverse from the usual furniture designs even if they have the same function. What are the inspirations for their designs? These designs are derived from the diverse background and culture of the Australians. The form of creativity and uniqueness of these designs is characteristic of the Australian society. The designs are a representation of functional aesthetics. The utility of the need inspired their designs to combine usefulness with attractive intelligent designs. Geniuses are born, live out their lives and fade away and what keep them alive are the institutions they belong to and the media attention. The best way to market and disseminate information and assure recognition is to showcase the work ( Australian International design awards 2008).

Various Australian publications such as Monument and In Style, Art & Australia, Architecture Australia among others, offer the contemporary Australian design not only to the local but also to the International audience. Australian media encourages national appreciation and provides vital opportunity for the artists to market their designs. The Art culture is part of Australian culture and this is evidenced by the establishment of various galleries and art institutions such as Sam Atyeo, Marion Hall Best, Florence Broadhurst, Grant Featherstone, Fred Ward, Avis Higgs and Walter Burley Griffin. The central objective of Powerhouse Museum in Sydney is to display and analyze design. Therefore, it is also a great source for artists to exhibit their piece of art or work (Bogle 1998). Love for art is also exhibited in public places such as the Sycamore ceiling fans designed like a boomerang by Hunter Pacific Fans who won the design award of 2005 (Figure3).

Figure 3: Sycamore ceiling fans by Hunter Pacific Fans ( hunterpacific 2009).

Australia, being far and separate from rest of the world, seems to be isolated in its geographical region and small population. However, with the advent of the internet, the country seem to have been integrated with the global community. The internet has made it possible for people from distinct backgrounds to share information and Australia has not been left out. The World Wide Web has tied and unified the world by making it a smaller and well connected place. This concept has been applied in Peter Cole and Patrick Miller desk design. It shows that the designs are well connected, it can be used as drawers, the two on the bottom) and as desk (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Desk of Drawers by Peter Cole and Patrick Miller (Dhub 2009).

The rest of the world is deprived of the Australian Local Designs; designers like Douglas Snelling, Fred Ward and many others are inspired by distinctive woods and wooden forms of various regions (Douglas 2001). Another designer that inspire by the distinct wood he uses to create his designs is Jye Edwards. He is accredited for designing the NOVEL-TY CHAIR (2007) Wood (figure5). Louisa Vilde mixed the wood with paint and created Darkness in Light design (2007), it is made out of CNC cut chemical wood and paint. Dimensions are variable (Figure6).

Figure 5: the Novelth Chair by Jye Edwards (Dhub 2009).

Figure 6: Darkness in Light by Louisa Vilde (dhub2009).

Besides, some of the works by contemporary artists are awe-inspiring. Lee Mathers, the Memory Taps (2007), are optical 3D sub-surface laser etched glass drops on copper taps (figure7).

Figure 7: the Memory Taps by Lee Mathers (dhub 2009).

Plastics became the wood of tomorrow; composite and new materials were the materials to work with. A modernistic design often reflects a higher realm of science and industrial modular designs. Australian design has its roots in the art and design of the local people. Yet, this is a shrinking world where everyone seems to inspire and influence everyone. Internet, the new age revolution in people’s thinking and the roots of those personal and spiritual beliefs, bring about a unique synergy in the works of art and design of Australians (Morphy 1998). These designs reflect a modern day living yet has a distinctive and deep culture embedded in them. The Australian design is heavily influenced by the sacredness of the land and this theme also ties the Western and aboriginal themes. The subsidiary of art and design which flow into the sea of Australian design are original/aboriginal art, colonial, atelier, landscape, modernist and contemporary art and design forms (figure 8).

Figure 8: Aboriginal design (aboriginalartonline 2000).

Most of the artists of Australia have been war artists for the Australia war memorial working on inspiring peace. Artists such as George Gittoes for Somalia, also a documentary maker, Rick Amor and Wendy Sharpe for the East Timor peacekeeping mission, Lewis Miller for the Iraq War and Peter Churcher for War on Terrorism (Foster 2008). William Robinson has been a favorite since 1980s. Cressida Chris Canning, Elisabeth Cummings, Margaret Olley are mid career artists influenced by Pierre Bonnard. As much as these artists are mainly absorbed into fine arts, their inflences in the realm of design cannot be overlooked. Quite a number of Australian design works portray influences from these artists. the creativity and innovation that exists in Australian design works are to some extent derived from the works of other artists.Figurative art takes the observer into the inner realm of the mind, soul and though

In the Icon to “A Stolen Child”, Julie Dowling has made use of the Yamatji symbol for fire or campfire. This painting is a reference to the stolen misdirected generation which is losing the culture or forgetting their culture most of the times due to change of residence, job or economic prosperity. The painting is powerful because the effect of the juxtaposition of the campfire with an image of a catholic saint through its center is a powerful reminder of origins/birth. This aspect of reminiscence is also evident in some of the Australian designs such as the Garden of Australian dreams which make reference to various cultural ontologies.

Like most Designers world over, the Australian designers are not to behind and they have put their designs on their blogs, gone on social networks like Facebook and others. Students and design enthusiasts have put their homemade and handmade designs on the Internet to share with their fellow designers around the world, hence resulting in an explosion of ideas and understanding (Newman 1996). The Dreamtime art and other aboriginal music and arts are being used as inspiration to create everyday utilities. These are different from the Connoisseur evaluation yet the concept of the art lives on strong. Due to the art awareness, the royalty system has made its advent in the aboriginal art sector too (Stenning 2002). All these aspects have infiltrated the Australian design world, making it extremely unique.

Figure 9: The young family by Patricia Piccinini (patriciapiccinini 2009).

Patricia Piccinini’s Biotech showstopper The Young Family was publicized in 2003. This creation is considered as unique all over the world. There are others which texture their creations with different materials. Ev en though this is an artwork, it is a good representation of the level of creativity that characterize Australian art and design. Australian designers often find their inspiration from the various art forms. (Caruana 2003).

Digital designers have also made their presence felt by involvement in game designing. These games showcase creativity in the way that their visual set ups have been designed. Most Australian designers are doing amazingly well internationally but are sadly ignored nationally. Australian culture has a deep impact on its art and design forms.The roots of aboriginal art lay in ritualism which emphasis and exorcises the psyche. Like the Christians, they too have their stories of origin of the universe and believe that the world was created in what is known as dreamtime. This concept generally influences their art and design work. It has been passed down via tribal songs, dance, painting and other rituals. As the world begins to explore and educate itself, the aboriginals too keep the art form alive but use it in present day context too.

The aboriginal art works at silver, pewter, wood, clay and glass. As the carpet bagging of aboriginal art has been curbed, unique pieces and creations are making their way into the market (Brown 2007). Mostly elderly artists have a waiting list of clients who are willing to wait and not put a pressure in the emotional and physical health of these artists. This stress is exerted due to commercial exploitation by many unscrupulous people of these indigenous people as they are illiterate and have no knowledge of basic or business law. Becoming aware of their importance and uniqueness, the aboriginals are constituting senates and co-operative bodies to unify and preserve their culture and art forms (Issacs 2009).

Figure 10. A Pweter Salad Server – with entwined Australian Eucalyptus leaves topped with the Australian Gum nut. (australianbydesign 2009).

Contemporary artists and designers are taking the cityscapes in a new direction. Like all major cities in the world, the Australian ones too are gaining a character of their own. Buildings and furniture which are being designed in Australian depicts the influence of their culture and traditions. Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum plays a significant role by hosting design exhibitions and design talk. It also has a website and magazine to announce and appreciate the new artists and designs. International demand and recognition are leading to increased demand of design education in Australia. The most sought after course is visual design which is leading to internationally recognized courses and research opportunities offered by the Faculty of design, architecture and buildings at UTS.

Looking at contemporary designs, one can observe that the emphasis is more on utility and smartness like the Everglide bicycle which won the 2007 Dyson Australian Design Award (Australlian International design Awards 2008).

Conclusion

In Conclusion, Australia had its phases of evolution of art and culture, where the condemnation due to racism and carpet bagging of aboriginal art took place. In the late twentieth century, the movement of people and change in psyche, dissemination of education and awareness that the earth is one entity, leads to a more benign acceptance of one another among people. Intellectual curiosity replaced racial superiority. Deep understanding replaced superficial interest for commercial exploitation. Personal interest and spiritual evolution caused deeper learning and awareness that humanity dependent on the land, hence respect and concern for it has emerged as an evidence for all the dream time and other creation stories. The present day research into various aspects of science and ecology showed our dependence on nature, environment, global warming and other environmental hazards like wars, removal of forests and their global impact, open market economy and other factors lead to exchange of cultures and ideas. The need to use fewer resources and increasing utility of the design, many illustrious designers have been making their mark in the international market, hence making a mark for Australian design in the world market. Various art forms like Mambo are alive and kicking and making Australian design known to the world and ambassadors of Australia to the world. The Unique design of National Museum of Australia has been designed by Ashton Raggatt & McDougall in collaboration with Peck von Hartel Trethowen is a symbol of the intellectual landscape of Australia. The future of the Australian design lies in the futuristic designs inspired by the Bionics and Bio mimicry as the inspiration for design. The designs of the vehicles and other architectural designs are as minimalist and economic as in nature.

Reference List

Australlian International design Awards. 2008.
Bogle, M. 1998. Design in Australia 1880-1970. Australia: Craftman House.
Bogle, M. 2002. Designing Australia, readings in the history of design. Australlia: Pluto Press.
Brown, P. 2007. Aboriginal Designs. New York: Ecw Press.
Caruana, W. 2003. Aboriginal Art. New York: Thames & Hudson.
Douglas, A. 2001. Celebrating Australlia: Identity by design.
Foster, R. 2008. Australlian Design.
Issacs, J. 2009. Australian Aboriginal Paintings. Australlia: New Holland Publishing Australia Pty Ltd.
Morphy, H. 1998. Aboriginal Art A&I Art and Ideas. New York: Phaidon Press.
Newman, R. 1996. DIA national conference on design education 1996. Australlia: Design Institute of Australia.
Stenning, B. 2002. Curve. Australia: Beesting Publishing.

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Australia’s National Characteristics Through Design

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