Priscila Lena Farias / Anna Calvera Marcos da Costa ... - Blucher

Who’s who in brazilian design?
characterization of a “source”, but rather a construction, simply
a construction, is reinforced. The dogmas established by Swiss-
German design as transferred to Brazil, originating in the Ulm
Hochschule für Gestaltung without respecting accepted practice
here led to the disqualification of this practice and of the professionals
that were then responsible for this kind of project, were
immediately challenged. On the other hand, we adopted here the
relativity as proposed by Barth, who reiterated the necessity of
not confusing the collective identity with no kind of essentialistic
identity, to the point of suggesting that any a priori judgment
should be avoided and that the elements referring to time and
place which determine the material expression of one’s culture
should be deeply investigated. 12
This means that designers whose origins were rooted in the
Swiss-German model saw themselves as enablers and carriers
of a particular set of visual, as well as moral values that were
beyond question, and taking upon themselves the notion that
their activity could only be realized at a determined level – one
of accuracy and property – stripping away all such activity conceived
according to another standard. This meant that there was
no “good” or “bad” design, but simply design, with no adjective
– superior, and dogmatic because it is unchallengeable. In other
words, this device was used to establish a kind of ethnic dichotomy:
those who are included cannot get out, and those who
are excluded cannot get in. Barth notes both the nature and the
cultural content of this device, in other words the signs of auto
recognition of these groups:
“(i) signs or manifest signals – the diacritical characteristics that
people look for or exhibit to show their identity, characteristics
such as dress, language, home or lifestyles, and (ii) basic
guidelines to value – the standards of morality and excellence
according to which performance is evaluated.” 13
In truth, the maintenance of a profile of identity of the group with
these characteristics – mainly that one which requires its members
to recognize themselves as such – depends on the maintenance
of its borders. 14
To the degree to which the usual borders of design are being
changed in what is an extremely dynamic and contemporary
movement, caused by the assault of a wide and diverse set of
circumstances, the designer’s professional identity also requires
this movement of change, while on the other hand these
changes require, imperatively, a constant critical review.
12 (…the sharing of a common culture is given central importance. In my view,
much can be gained by regarding this very important feature as an implication
or result, rather than a primary and definitional characteristic of ethnic group
organization. If one chooses to regard the culture-bearing aspect of ethnic groups
as their primary characteristic, (…) one is led to identify and distinguish groups by
the morphological characteristics of the cultures of which they are bearers. This
entails a prejudged view-point both on (1) the nature of continuity in time of such
units, and (2) the locus of factors which determine the form of the units.” (Barth,
1969: 12)
13 Barth 1969: 14.
14 “…the fact of continuing dichotomization between members and outsiders
allows us to specify the nature of continuity, and investigate the changing cultural
form and content”. (Barth 1969: 14)
References
BARTH, FREDRIK. 1969. Introduction. In: Ethnic Groups and Boundaries.
Boston: Little, Brown and Company.
BENOIST, JEAN-MARIE. 1977. Facettes de l”identité. In: LÉVI-STRAUSS,
Claude (org.) L”Identité. Paris: Quadrige/PUF.
GIDDENS, ANTHONY. 1991. Modernity and self-identity. Oxford: Polity
Press.
MENNELL, STEPHEN. 1994. The Formation of We-Images: A Process Theory.
In: CALHOUN, Craig (org.) Social Theory and the politics of identity.
Oxford: Blackwell.
About the author
João de Souza Leite is head of the Graphic Design Department of
the College of Industrial Design of the State University of Rio de
Janeiro and Professor at PUC-Rio, as well. Primarily concerned
with historical and theoretical studies, he is the editor and one of
the authors of A herança do olhar: o design de Aloisio Magalhães.
< jsldesign@terra.com.br>
Design Frontiers: Territiories, Concepts, Technologies 152