Independent essay

Are we still able to make our own decisions? Or closer to independence.

you do not know your own toughts

We believe that our toughts and dreams belong to us. We think that we know what is successful life, beautiful body, secure environ-ment. But it could all appear to be just a trick and delusion. Do we notice that we buy particular things because they are well branded, has a nice packaging and are adver-tised on every corner? Do we notice the image of perfect "perso-na" comes from mass media culti-vated obsession with celebrities ? Our very own decisions are not so personal property anymore, they are under the outer pressure all the time.

Without realising our desires are constructed by someone else and step by step these constructs are overtaking contemporary world and making very artificial environ-ment to live in. When we have rec-ognised all these dangers and are aware about our dependence we can question the situation further : Do we want to be independent? What is independence and is it any beneficial? And moreover- what independence means to a creative individual?

What is independence?

go as far yo

u want to go

as h

ight

you

can

go

in a way you love toindependence is freedom to develop yourselfwithout limitations

Term "independence" could be interpreted as an ability to think and act without oppression, manip-ulation and unwanted influence. For a creative individual it is ability to develop own skills, express cre-ative potential and improve the practice without limitations. If the decision is made free from stereo-types and narrow ideas about what is correct it can be classified as independent decision. We also should be aware that we cannot be independent from anything and the most possibly it is not neces-sary.

There can be good aspects of dependence as well-for example, in a creative teamwork everyone is dependent on it's own colleague. Filmmakers couldn't make any-thing without a team that is tied together, and there is nothing bad at such a situation.

But also if we even would have all opportunities, choices, possibilities open for us we probably wouldn't know what we want, we won't really be able to make decisions that are best for us. Our personalities are very complex- unconscious urges are combined with instincts, cul-tural layers, ideals, family back-ground, education. To know what we really want and think we should gain a deep state of trance or fall into hypnosis as it happened in the film "Seconds" by John Franken-heimer.

Ultimate independence is an illusion.

you have been always tied with others

We are tightly controlled in this modern society, our bodies are under surveillance, our purchases are softly forced by ads our toughts are influenced by newspapers. That sounds all bad! But is it new, just popped tendency? Can we blame just contemporary world with it's technologies and media that we are so manipulated and controlled? A brief look back into history shows that people have always been dependent on something- wether it is religion ( Medieval church in Europe is good example of mass media.

Only educated priests could read Latin bible to the public which came to the local church every Sunday), family traditions, totalitar-ian regimes and other sources that shaped people decisions and toughts long tome before advertise-ments, magazines and modern tools of manipulation. This long history of dependence tells some-thing about human nature.We have never been ultimately indepen-dent, and it is difficult to tell if we could survive in world without limits.

Closer to relative independence.While ultimate independence is unreachable some level of inde-pendence is essential. If we assume that there are several layers and levels of independence we can try reach the most superficial and easy to access ones. It could be called "relative independence" that every-one should reach. There are two terms- an "absolute hight" when distance is measured from sea level zero to the highest

Commercialisation of every aspect of human life, control and system-atisation is ongoing and seems that it is not about to stop. Isn't it good to think about alternatives as it becomes more difficult to over-come many obstacles that leads to dependence and limitations in a creative practice? Why should the illustrator, for example, live in the city, pay high rent and if most of communication happens via phone and e-mails?Why not to live in a forest? There are jets now as well, flight from some small European cities takes 2,5-3,5 h

Utopian landDesigner in the forest

Of course there are many argu-ments against such a choice, but still, it is worth to reconsider alter-nate models of life and work, espe-cially when the way how we com-municate has changed and allows to do that.

point and "relative hight" when distance is measured from lowest point on the ground to the highest point. One is more objective in the whole world geography data but other we can experience and un-derstand with our senses. So in a creative practice an design-er should seek for this relative independence- independence from totalitarian ideologies, mass media constructed narrow thinking, highly controlled spaces, corpora-tive sponsors and other oppressive systems.

closer to selfand the practice

Types of dependence increasing factors in designer’s life.

what space is suitable for an artist?

Designer normally needs a field to experiment, to question order of things, to talk and these very basic needs requires some level of inde-pendence.

There are few key factors in artist's life that should be reconsidered and approached critically as these factors can lead to dependence or contrary to independence-

Space- every artist/designer/creator needs a creative space, a space that embodies freedom.Artists few decades ago started movement of occupying industrial buildings because they were spa-cious, cheap, a bit away from boring and regular residential areas. Con-temporary offices has a surveil-lance, maintenance services, id cards to enter and other comforts that for artistic practice can be non-comforts.In very extreme these modern grounds and spaces are private properties where restrictions includes also political protest ban. Such rules are limiting and ruining artists practice.

Trends- Trends are constructed by media, it is important to be aware of them, in design practice trends are crucial thing.

They are part of designing pro-cess-on one hand it is good to be part of current new mood and fash-ion but on another hand trends always become over replicated and very cliché.

Political view- in some countries artists cannot express their views because they are against current political regime. It can lead to very limited field of work, if many ideas and viewpoints are banned.

Clients-If client is looking for a commercial success or artwork is commis-sioned for advertising needs, it can be hard to experiment in process or create something unusual. Such a client normally is looking for some-thing bold, effective or something that reflects artist's handwriting and style. It can lead to a situation when artist becomes a persecution machine who just embodies clients desires not express own's aesthet-ics.

Designers as any person are affect-ed by manipulation tools which limits decision making but whats-more designers also create these tools. All advertisements, editorials, and buildings are designed by cre-ative people. In illustrators practice it is a standard situation when client gives

The main purpose of being inde-pendent as a person and as a designer probably is ability to express own's potential. Indepen-dence is needed to do things we (designers) want to do the most, create things that are needed for someone and visualise things we see are important to show. I think that almost every designer would design things that improves lives not manipulates with them, so independence is very important issue to think about. Satisfaction and containment in designer's practice is important for one's well-being and it can be gained by doing things we believe in.

"How many of you people are really alive?"said famous rock rebel Jim Morri-son in the movie "The doors".Isn't it essential to reflect about things around us, reconsider our habits, be aware, be alive not ma-nipulated? Isn't it important to make our own decisions?

Bibliography:

Marina Abramovic- The Artist is present, 2010Film "The doors", Oliver Stone, 1991Film "Seconds" by John Frankenheimer, 1996Sigmund Freud Introducory lectures on pschycoanalysisSigmund Freud Totem and TabooEdward Norman Roman Catholic Church: an illustrated history.

Is it designer's responsibility to create non-oppressive world?

a content which can be a novel, a piece of copywriting or supermar-ket brochure to be designed. Artist is the one who makes it appealing to public, makes it work. Is it art-ist's responsibility to create non-oppressive design? Is a design-er a thinker, inventor or just a visual persecutor?

What is the point of being independent?