Approach to Minimalism by Tom Eckersley
When you enter London College of Communication and take the stairs, you appear in the Upper Street Gallery. Have you ever stopped there? Well, I hope you did. If not yet, you still have a week to see an exhibition of Tom Eckersley’s (who was an English poster artist and a head teacher of design at LCP (LCC now) work.
This exhibition can be separated in two parts: Tom Eckersley’s work and LCC students’ and staff response produced using the letterpress and screen print workshops. It can be seen that responses were made in a minimalistic way of Tom Eckersley, however the influence of XXI century is visible. Even more, artist’s work has some different approaches as well, as before World War II, during it and after.
To be honest, a person, who is not interested in graphic design or posters, probably would not stop to take a look at this exhibition. And not because of this artist’s work, which is great, but because the exhibition is really simple and minimalistic. It is not flashy and it doesn’t catch the eye at all. But, so are the posters. You cannot notice many bright colors or unnecessary details in his posters. Tom Eckersley’s work is very minimalistic. Minimalistic in a good way. All kinds of shapes, especially circles are the most popular things. Not too many colors, basic fonts, similar flavor, but catchy ideas makes you think how clean and great it is.
It is an inspiring exhibition with very simple, but brilliant ideas for everyone, who loves minimalism and tries to create it, but never finds the right example. William Golding was right “The greatest ideas are the simplest.”
Two writings
I was struggling a lot, when I had to think about two different writings that I like. You know, I didn’t want to google a random text, instead I was really trying to think about those writings that really impressed me. And finally I actually understood what I like! I like to read a text, if I know what kind of story is behind it. As for examples I am going to use my two favorite books:
Jack Kerouac “On the Road”
I loved this book not only because of the freedom, all the traveling mood and the beginning of ‘beat’ generation. I knew that this book is based on a true life. Writer’s life. Even more, I knew the original version of this book. Jack Kerouac typed out this book as one long, single-spaced paragraph on eight long sheets of tracing paper that he later taped together to form a 120 foot scroll. This document is among the most significant, celebrated, and provocative artifacts in contemporary American literary history.
Jean-Dominique Bauby “The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly”
This book impressed me from the first moment when I took it. Writer’s ironical view and passionate stories were told in the best possible way. I didn’t have any choice, only to enjoy every single word written in this book.. Written? That’s a question.. Jean – Dominique Bauby had a rare kind of stroke to the brainstem. After 20days of coma, Bauby awoke into a body which had all but stopped working: only his left eye functioned, allowing him to see and, by blinking it, to make clear that his mind was unimpaired. He wrote this book by blinking all the letters to his interlocutor, Claude Mendibil.
These two examples, of my two favorite writings explain what kind of writings I do like. True and honest thoughts, lives and experiences. No fantasy, no fights and what’s the most important thing -it is not f a k e.
Why fake?
“Don’t think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It’s self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can’t try to do things. You simply must do things.” – Ray Bradbury
As i had to create this blog for my university lecture, which is called “Writing Design”, it is obvious that it is not THE blog, that I will write because I want to. I will write, though, because I do like writing blogs and I really do like my new lecture, but we all know, that anything what you do under the pressure might by fake. Although, I will try hard to do my best, to be creative and not to be fake at all while trying to write all the amazing writings.
And as in our first lecture we had to create a sentence about an object, without mentioning it, mine was:
“It is ironical how the world might look more colorful through it than through your own eyes.”
And no! It is not an Instagram, I am not talking about colorful filters. I am talking about my new camera. About the object, which inspires me to go outside and just to catch all the moments. Hope I will share those moments with you. Not only written, but visual as well.
fakecreativity.wordpress.com 