EP.31: CATEGORY LIQUIDATION

On Threads, Hate, Hats, Screams, "Design Coachella"

We are in the whirlwind! Our newest episode takes us into the generally dizzying and slightly irritating atmosphere of current design affairs. We’re trying out a new-ish, brief substack format in response to the noise-at-large. Listen to our episode here!

1. BRO, YOU LOOK THREADED

Threads aka “Twitter Jr.”, aka “Instagram for Words”, aka the app these two would enter into a cage fight/dick-measuring/bar-lowering-contest over. Shoutout to Garbage Day for a sick essay on the topic. Also: Yawn. Also: Next!

2. DIS.ART SERIES: I HATED GRAPHIC DESIGN

An abbreviated time-based critical graphic design discourse series by dis.art. Episode one (screenshot above), uncovers a variety of typographic strategies that re-interpret Duchamp’s The Green Box. Episode two features a highly enjoyable animated ouroboros that pronounces the word “ANXIETY!” in a variety of crafty, energetic ways. Must see TV.

3. CONFIG… WE TRIED?

We do love Figma, but does the embrace of AI within design processes mean design makes a turn for the hyper-analog? We sat through some wild, like Donna Haraway-would-have-thoughts-level human-AI ego-stroking as part of Figma’s annual design conference (unironically referred to as “Design Coachella”), Config. [Graphic courtesy of Figma]

4. Where for art thou, Wilhelm?

The ways that things circulate is so interesting! Here, we contemplate a famous piece of film history, “The Wilhelm Scream”. The original taping was found recently, including outtakes and warmups. On one hand, fun to think about all the ways that pieces of culture circulate, to feel a tangible thread passing from film to film, studio to studio over time, and also an incredible look into the art of archiving old tapes and materials. Read more at the freesound blog! [image from freesound]

5. PRODIGY PAINTER’S CAP [fast forward 30 years] … CATEGORY LIQUIDATION???

We referenced this off-beat ex-internet company merch in episode 30 (Sanrio Cinematic Universe). The design and style of the cap (the fact it is a “painters cap” and that Prodigy Internet was built in part by SEARS) speaks to a time before the stable categories of slickness/urbanity/knowledge-work/brushed metal/gradient/void that we’ve come to associate with “tech”. The internet was a lawnmower for information. A gardening tool, a microwave, a vacuum, more than a universe, if that makes sense. And just as discourses are coalesced over many years, they can also come apart. Maybe as tech becomes more automated by “Artificial Intelligence” and world-scale social media, the app-economy (AirBnB, Uber, etc) takes a turn for the untenable, we are in prime position for a new set of conceptual categories around tech to emerge—or at the very least we are watching the seams of our current tech discourse stretch and fray to the point of breaking. Who knows what may come next?

Ok that’s it! If you’re in the Bay maybe we’ll see you round at SFABF! Ciao!