Must-Have Book: Design and Art

Just read a great review of this book on Design Boom

(can you tell I'm spending way too much time on that website today!)

content: design and art were once two very separate fields, this distinction is no longer clear. the recent coining of the term 'designart' is a clear signal that the already complex relationship between the two fields is becoming even more complicated. the roots of the crossover between the two can be traced back to the beginnings of modernism in the works of john ruskin and william morris, closely followed by early avant garde movements like the de stijl and the bauhaus. these approaches aimed to integrate art into the design of objects, communication and architecture. however the subject evolved to a new level when the work of minimalist and pop artists began drawing comparisons to design. since this point, the relationship between art and design has become both combative and harmonious; the distinction both blurred and clear.this book examines this ongoing debate through an anthology of writings dating from 1957-2005. it combines the ideas of artists, designers, curators and critics to shed new light on the growing debate. the works in the book are collected from different sources and threaded together to create a consistent narrative from the divergent perspectives. they do not necessarily discuss design versus art, but instead touch on it indirectly. many are focused on art or design exclusively, however placed in this collection the reader becomes more critical, reading the debate into the writing. during this process the similarities between the two fields become obvious, but at the same time the differences are also made more distinct. the aim of the book is to be speculative, pushing the debate forward but making no conclusions. the book creates dialogue, asking as many questions as it answers. it makes no promises to provide a conclusion, it leaves it up to the reader. the way the book reveals the similarities and differences between art and design does however lead the viewer to one conclusion: there is no conclusion. for now, the world of art and design are as different as they are the same.

is it for me? this book contains a very comprehensive collection of writings from many of art and design's greatest minds. they can be read individuallyor collectively. the book is ideal for both artists and designers and anyone interested in the cross-over between the subjects. it is a great source of inspiration for any creative mind.

Click here for more books reviews from Design Boom

This cross-over, as they call it, is exactly what I am interested in for the context of my gallery.

P.S. Check out the new Eclipse Gallery logo!