Working between the Lines of a Subject: Art or Design?

March 8th, 2010 at 09:16am malikagreen

Is it art or design?  In graduate school we read extensively within this topic.  People like to categorize things into one or the other, black or white.  For me, working within the theme of shoes, intention and process help define what it is and hopefully my form conveys it.  Before graduate school at Cranbrook I would have said definitely yes I am an artist, not a designer.  Studying design and design issues for 2 years definitely changed how I view my work, and I position myself as working within both art and design fields. Fashion allows this fluidity.  Just look at some of the work of the late Alexander McQueen or Jean Charles de Castelbajac.  Some of the current footwear design is so out there and creative amazing.  I try to not compare myself to these big fish.

My process is often intuitive. I am a lover of forms. I get obsessed with shapes and conveying an emotion.  Sometimes my inspiration comes to me easy, I wake up with an idea or concept and it is very personal to me.  Other times I can be more rational and arrive at well thought out design solutions through elimination and research.  Shoes are architectural, with volume and an interior and exterior shape.  I hand craft them, using traditional materials, leather, wood, cork, fabrics.  My obsession runs deep.  I have always wanted to escape the bounds of labels.  I work with the themes of the body and the mind, unconscious desires and waking dreams.  There is a sense of whimsy and perversion in my work.

Sometimes people just see my work as cool shoes.   I take it as a compliment and know this is what alot of artist deal with, misunderstanding of intent.

Entry Filed under: in the studio