Designer vs. Artist

All of you who study in this semester must have been familiar with some questions such as "What is design?", "Who are designers? Are they different from artists?" etc. The short conversation below between Paul Rand – a well-known American graphic designer and John Maeda – a Japanese American graphic designer in the night before Paul Rand’s lecture at MIT Media Lab will explain somehow.

PR: I’ve waited eighty-two years to come to this place. I knew Gyorgy Kepes and Muriel Cooper, but they never invited me. I’m wondering why Mr. Maeda invited me at this late date, but I’ll do my best.

JM: What is design?

PR: Design is the method of putting form and content together. Design, just as art, has multiple definitions, there is no single definition. Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that’s why it is so complicated.

JM: What is the difference between a designer and an artist?

PR: There is no difference between a designer and an artist. They both work with form and content. I try to create art, whether I make it or not is not up to me, it’s up to God.

JM: What is the difference between good design and bad design?

PR: A bad design is irrelevant. It is superficial, pretentious… basically like all the stuff you see out there today.

JM: What are the fundamental skills of a designer?

PR: The fundamental skill is talent. Talent is a rare commodity. It’s all intuition. And you can’t teach intuition.

JM: Most of your design have lasted for several decades. What would you say is your secret?

PR: Keeping it simple. Being honest, I mean, completely objective about your work. Working very hard at it.

…

Several days after the lecture, Paul Rand passed away on November 26, 1996 after he agreed to join MIT Media Lab as professor.

I hope that you get back some ideas about design and art after reading the short conversation above.

Reference
Maeda, J 2000, ‘New’, Maeda @ Media, 1st edn, Thames & Hudson, London, United Kingdom, pp. 305-337.