Does good design thrive in a depression?

written by Mark on 16/03/2009

A while ago the NYTimes publised an article by Michael Cannel titled “Design Loves a Depression“, which puts a positive spin on the current economic shake-up.

Murray Moss then called bullshit in a rabid response at Design Observer:

This is not a celebratory moment for design. Design-related businesses, including my own, are suffering, and will most likely continue to face very difficult times in the coming year, at the very least. That said, I deeply resent the tone of comeuppance in Mr. Cannell’s article, his condescending, parochial-school-matronly, Calvinistic reproach of the design that flourished during what he refers to as the “economic boom.”

Which seems all nice and dandy, until you realize Mr. Moss is peddling this kind of nonesense at his “design related business”:

Excuse the quality of the photo, but it seems the profit margin on this $13,000 USD chair by Campana Brothers can’t buy a decent photographer. And taking a look at the rest of their catalog, one can’t help but wonder how they got started in the first place.

I wouldn’t go as far as saying that good design thrives during an economic downturn, but at least it gets rid of the chaff. Good luck Mr. Moss.

There are 2 comments to this article:

  1. 17/03/2009Ariel Guers says:

    Great reference.

    I don’t think any kind of Design will thrive during this crisis, I do think it will reframe the very concept of Design.
    The concept of Design that dominates is the one that makes Moss include Design in an array of “arts” such as painting, sculpture and theatre.

    Nobody needs this kind of Design except Moss, Wanders, the Irmãos Campana and those kind of designers.

    People will regain common sense as they discover that buying these kind of iconic crap is a lower priority than, say, paying the rent. Hopefully people will retain common sense after the crisis and even when have $13.000 to spare, they won’t succumb to the temptation of the triviality of cool and the style factor.
    You can call me a Calvinist, I don’t mind.

  2. 21/03/2009Ariel Guers says:

    http://www.plan.bz/views/?p=131

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