DESIGNER, MAKER, USER
@ THE DESIGN MUSEUM

As I’m sure many of my fellow art degree students would agree, we often get unimpressed looks when it comes to telling others about our choice of study, which is usually followed with mumbles of “what will you do with that?” and “so you’re not really doing a proper degree then?” However, after a visit to The Design Museum this week I feel that if anyone ever questions my degree again I will simply direct them to this exhibition, where in just 3 rooms the essence of why art degrees are so fundamental is summed up to a T.

Ultimately art in every form is everywhere.

At the introduction to the exhibition a plaque reads “if you used any of these objects, services or systems, you were using something that has been designed.”

Each choice you make, every second of everyday involves something that has been designed with a specific user in mind and with the aim to make our lives better. It is hard to imagine how life would be if creative, dedicated and innovative designers and teams didn’t invent the products and systems we rely on. As active consumers we constantly seek new ventures or products and consequently, as users, we exert an immense pressure on the designers and makers to keep up with the demand. Yet as creatives we strive off the possibility of bringing desires to life, whether they are our own or that of the end user. Through art and design we are able to make the real world operate seamlessly and the fictional world a reality.

I am passionate about the career path I have chosen and I refuse to agree with those who do not value the impact of art and design. So I encourage these people to open their eyes to the world we live in and appreciate/understand how the world functions due to great design. Perhaps take a visit to The Design Museum and see this exhibition for yourself.