I Profess: The Graphic Design Manifesto
Scene Metrospace, East Lansing, MI
July 9 – August 15, 2004
and other venues (traveling exhibition), 2004-2007
Curators: Chris Corneal and Maya Drozdz
Juried exhibition, based on the following call for poster entries, addressed to faculty members: «Edward Tufte uses the term ‘self-exemplifying’ to describe something that is, simply, an example of itself. As graphic design educators, we each have a philosophy at the core of our teaching practice.
That philosophy is implicit in our syllabi, our critiques, our grading criteria. But how often is it at the forefront of teaching practice itself? Just this once, design a poster that embodies your teaching philosophy. We ask that you actively engage an audience of students and colleagues in intelligent, provocative dialogue about your most fundamental beliefs regarding graphic design, in its teaching and learning, and in professional practice. Design your manifesto.
The premise of this call for entries is that we, as educators, perceive a need to make explicit the beliefs that [often implicitly] permeate the myriad aspects of our teaching practice. To that end, we are soliciting current college instructors of graphic design to submit posters in response to the theme for possible inclusion in this upcoming exhibit.
The exhibit will showcase a wide range of viewpoints and pedagogical and ideological priorities that will serve as inspiration and as starting points for dialogue among students and faculty. With this exhibit, the curators aim to encourage debate and to provoke the next generation of graphic designers to actively shape the future of our profession.
The work will be exhibited at Michigan State University, and will then travel nationally to several galleries affiliated with schools of art and design. A didactic beside each poster will explain the designer’s intent and further articulate his or her philosophy.
This is a collaborative effort between Chris Corneal, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Michigan State University, and Maya Drozdz, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, MA.»
Selected designers on display: Bob Aufuldish, Audrey Bennett, Timothy Brunner, Audra Buck & Erin Wright, Andrew Byrom, Chris Corneal, Rebecca Davis, Beckham Dossett, Maya Drozdz, Edward Fella, Danielle Foushee, Amy Franceschini, Gary Golightly, Stuart Henley, Daniel Jasper, Esen Karol, Susan Agre-Kippenhan & Mike Kippenhan, Susan LaPorte, Wade Lough, Ljubica Marcetic-Marinovic, Steven McCarthy, Jennifer Morla, Ambica Prakash, Scott Santoro, David Stairs, Mark Thomas, Chris Van Wyck, Wendy Walker, Women’s Design & Research Unit.
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This exhibition is among curated shows discussed in the framework of design authorship in the paper by Steven McCarthy, “Curating as meta-design authorship,” in visual design scholarship, Vol. 2, No. 2, 48-56.
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In the following images, some of the selected posters and installations of the exhibition at Scene Metrospace, East Lansing, and at Autzen Gallery, Portland State University.
Thanks to Chris Corneal for providing documentation of the project.
