Week 3 – Critique & Composition

Typophoto & In Defense of the Poor Image


László Moholy-Nagy



Hito Steyerl



Discussion

  • What does Hito Steyrel think a “bad image” is?
  • What is a “typophoto?”
  • How do the two texts relate about the time period they were written? Are any parts timeless?
  • Do you agree with Steyrel’s statement that as they lose quality, they gain a different meaning? Why or why not?
  • What do you think about the act of collecting images popularized by sites like Pinterest and Instagram? Do you think this practice has evolved? How does it impact graphic design?

“The poor image is no longer about the real thing—the originary original. […] It is about defiance and appropriation just as it is about conformism and exploitation.” – Hito Steyerl


Critique Process

Inspired from Lauren McCarthy’s presentation at The School for Poetic Computation’s Learning to Teach, Teaching to Learn seminar.

Describe, analyze, interpret, evaluate


Describe

Take a look at what you’re looking at. What does it look like, literally? What are you seeing? What stands out to you? What is getting your attention?

Example
I’m seeing a lot of pink.

Analyze

After describing what you see, take a step back and consider how it’s impacting the design

Example
I’m seeing a lot of pink objects which is making the design feel chaotic.

Interpret

What do you think the designer’s intentions were with this project? This is a good time to ask questions to get more information.