Last week Happy Creative celebrated International Day (http://tinyurl.com/pp7xdn7) Being a very multi-cultural marketing agency we decided it would be interesting to bring in some food native to your country or something that encapsulates your culture.
The variety of food brought in was delicious and in addition to this we brought in an object that was related to our heritage. The interesting stories told about each object really captured the different walks of life we all came from. Looking at the food I came to realise that although it was different there is always something within your own culture that is the close equivalent to that dish. The kebabs I brought in resembled traditional English sausages in appearance and the samosas could easily have been Chinese dumplings. It’s quite possible that decades or even centuries ago the food we ate could have been inspired from another culture.
When it comes to design I like to think that there is a universal understanding with all countries. Unlike most careers it would be easier to move to another country and start designing without having to start over from scratch. However there are some aspects of design that make a certain country unique in its own way.
Here are five examples of countries who have their own style and art movements and how they have inspired modern day designers.
1. Constructivism (Russia)
Constructivism was a design movement that began in Russia in 1919. The design itself is bold and persuasive making use of bright colours and desaturated images. It is mainly associated with propaganda posters and the style has become one that is closely linked with this.
Modern day inspiration: In early 2004 Glasgow based band Franz Ferdinand used the style for their album cover. The cover itself was visually similar to Russian designer Alexander Rodchenko’s photomontage (see below) Franz Ferdinand loved this Russian movement so much that they even used it in one of their music videos, Take Me Out.
2. Age of Enlightenment (Italy/Greece/England)
During the 1700-1800 the Renaissance movement in Italy experienced a change in thinking. The movement was named The Age of Enlightenment. This movement adopted a more scientific style and allowed painters at the time to think based on observations rather than spiritually) It gave birth to many famous artists and scientists such as Voltaire and Isaac Newton.
Modern day inspiration: Earlier this year London saw the unveiling of the tallest building in Europe, The Shard. Architect Renzo Piano explained that he was inspired by the railway lines near the site and the London spires and mast of sailing ships depicted by Venetian painter Canaletto during the Age of Enlightenment. (See below)
3. Bauhaus (Germany)
Before it became an iconic style Bauhaus was a school in Germany in 1919 that combined crafts and fine arts. The style was known for it’s use of simplicity and functionality.
Modern day inspiration: In 1958 Swedish businessman Ingvar Kamprad put the true meaning of Bauhaus (House of construction) to good use by opening a chain of stores that sold ready-to-assemble furniture. That store was IKEA. It is very clear in the bright colour scheme and simplicity in shape that the German-born style was a major influence for the Swedish business magnate.
4. International Typographic Style (Switzerland)
International Typographic Style also known as Swiss style is a graphic design style that originated in Switzerland in 1950. It is easily distinguished by it’s use of clean typography and layouts that follow a strict grid system. Its style is also known for using san-serif typefaces such as Helvetica and similar fonts like Akzidenz-Grotesk
Modern day inspiration: This typographic style has inspired many designers. The use of Helvetica typeface has been used in almost all aspects of design from signage to mobile phone apps. Perhaps the most obvious is Apple Inc. The multi-billion electronics corporation is known for it’s clean design and very recently released it’s latest iOS system which heavily features simple icons and Helvetica font in it’s user interface.
5. Futurism (Italy)
In the early 20th century futurism took over Italy. The movement was a unique one that spread across so many different disciplines such as interior design, music, architecture and even food. The movement was introduced as a response to the past Italian styles and to glorify modernity and, as it’s name suggest, embrace futuristic concepts.
Modern day inspiration: The movement itself has inspired other similar movements like Art Deco and Surrealism. However a lot of the modern day futurism-inspired work comes from japanese anime alongside the cyberpunk genre. American director Ridley Scott also mentions many times that he found inspiration for his 1982 film Blade Runner from a Sant’Elia drawing of futuristic buildings. (see below)
Hakim Shujaee is a Creative Thinker and Designer at Happy Creative, a full service marketing and creative agency based in Blackpool, Lancashire. To learn more or contact us please go to www.happy-creative.co.uk
