A Research into Deconstructive Features in Visual Communication Design

  • Hong Dong-Sik (Tongmyong University, Visual Communication Design Department)
  • Published : 2006.05.01

Abstract

21st century is called digital and information era. The visual communication becomes more important than any other centuries. Visual communication design has been represented in varied images from ancient society up until the present time. Especially graphic design, which has experienced artistic upheaval from modernism and postmodernism, has been enabled to deliver messages in a more developed and sensuous appearances. Deconstructionist design wasn't well received by modernism, an advocate of practicality and effectiveness; however, as the beginning of subsequent postmodernism, it started to earn a warm welcome from a number of designers. Postmodernism made it possible for deconstruction to be a new paradigm appreciating neutral respect for varied expressions and designers' idiosyncrasy. Corresponding to this new trend, Edward Fella published his artwork 'Letters on America', which introduced a variety of vernacular design works in America. It was the result of years of research, and included materials which were not something completely new to field of communication design but rather symbolic, deconstructive images available everywhere around us. Deconstruction broke away from the previous modernism's unity and standards, and sought to achieve a new tensional deliverance. As a consequence, images were created in destructive and incomplete forms. Graphic design also complied with this new code and its advent fascinated the artists in the fields of advertising, editorial and poster designs. This paper contends that contemporary graphic design still maintains a deconstructive representation, examines its locality in design works from an aesthetic viewpoint, and researches theoretical approaches to deconstructionist and case studies conducted domestically. There has been incessant critical contradiction in terms of the heritage of deconstruction. I would like to present you with a moment in which you can struggle to decide whether it is a result of an effort to get away from modernism or an offspring of postmodernism.

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