Podcasts about design criticism

What happens when four of the sharpest minds in design come together to critique the world's most iconic logos? You get a conversation that's as insightful as it is unfiltered.This week on The Angry Designer, we're shaking things up with a Design Dialogue featuring industry heavyweights James Barnard, Kristy Campbell, Will Paterson, and yours truly. We're putting our favorite—and not-so-favorite—logos under the microscope, dissecting what works, what doesn't, and why some designs stand the test of time while others miss the mark.But it's not just about logos. We're diving into the philosophy behind design, the importance of brand identity, and how even the most controversial rebrands can spark a heated debate. And yes, we're not holding back—whether it's praising a nostalgic gem or tearing apart a logo that just doesn't cut it.In this episode, we'll cover:The most iconic and controversial logos and why they evoke such strong reactionsThe philosophy of brand identity and its impact on design successReal-world examples of logo rebrands that worked—and those that floppedHow top designers handle critique, feedback, and the internet's harshest trollsBy the end of this episode, you'll see design through the eyes of experts who aren't afraid to challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of what makes a logo truly great. So if you're ready for some candid design talk and a few laughs along the way, hit that play button and join the conversation.Stay Angry our Friends –––––––––––Want to see more? See uncut episodes on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/theangrydesigner Read our blog posts on our website TheAngryDesigner.comJoin in the conversation on our Instagram Instagram.com/TheAngryDesignerPodcast

“What if? How come? Why?”    Michele Washington is a user-centered designer based in New York City. She has a MS in Communication and Design from the Pratt Institute and an MFA in Design Criticism from The School of Visual. Currently, Ms. Washington teaches design at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City. Her latest design interests include pure research, strategic planning, and branding. Michele works with numerous non-profit organizations, cultural institutions, and start-up companies to refine strategic plans, revamp websites, and/or develop products.    Connect with Michele Washington:  LinkedIn  Office of Michele Washington  Twitter: @culturalboundar  Instagram: @culturalboundaries  Curious Story Lab     

Welche Verantwortung haben Designer*innen der Gesellschaft und der Umwelt gegenüber? Wie kann Design politisch sein? Christian Zöllner spricht mit der Kuratorin und Designkritikerin Amelie Klein über Victor Papanek und die Politik des Designs, das Kuratieren von Ausstellungen und Objekte als Geschichtenerzähler. #sustainability #curation #designcriticism Amelie Klein ist Kuratorin, Autorin und Designkritikerin. Sie war auf dem Hurra Hurra Festival zu Gast und Teil des Panels „Matters of Sustainability“. Von 2011 bis Mitte 2019 arbeitete sie als Kuratorin am Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, wo sie für mehrere internationale Wanderausstellungen verantwortlich war, darunter „Victor Papanek: The Politics of Design“, „Hello, Robot. Design zwischen Mensch und Maschine“ und „Making Africa – Ein Kontinent des zeitgenössischen Designs“. Klein war zweimal für den Kurator*innenpreis der Kunstzeitschrift „art“ nominiert, eine Auszeichnung für die besten Ausstellungen in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz. Sie hat einen Master-Abschluss in Design Criticism von der New York School of Visual Arts und einen Abschluss in Betriebswirtschaftslehre von der Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien. Mehr als zehn Jahre lang arbeitete sie als Redakteurin und Journalistin, unter anderem für die österreichische Tageszeitung „Die Presse“ und Magazine wie „Abitare“ und „Metropolis“.

Share your designs online and suddenly everyone becomes a design critic. This week we discuss the pro's and con's of design criticism online. Mentioned in the show Gap Rebrand Instagram rebrand Apple’s six-colours logo Controversial moments in logo design Recommendations Kay’s Twitch Channel iPhone 11 Pro

Lila Allen is managing editor of Metropolis Magazine, a monthly magazine about architecture and design. She has written extensively about art, design and popular culture in publications ranging from Architectural Record to Kinder Journal. Lila served as an Assistant Creative Manager at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and as Public Programs Coordinator at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. She is a former editor-in-chief of Charlotte Viewpoint, a civic and cultural magazine exploring metropolitan ideas and art. She is a recipient of the 2016 Monotype Award for Excellence in Design Criticism and the Paula Rhodes Memorial Award. She earned a B.A. in Art History from Davidson College and an M.A. in Design Research, Writing and Criticism from the School of Visual Arts in New York. This episode is perfect for anyone interested in magazine editing and writing, architecture and design, and living and working in New York City.  IN THIS EPISODE Lila describes Metropolis Magazine and what the magazine seeks to do. She explains what a managing editor does and what she loves about her work. She defines good design and why she is drawn to it. She talks about whether the magazine looks critically at what it publishes. Lila reveals what different schools of design have in common. She identifies which cities are getting the idea of a Metropolis right. She shares what urban design trends are exciting to her. She reflects on her childhood and growing up in Charlotte. Lila talks about how Davidson College shaped her career. She explains how giving tours at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art helped develop her writing. She shares what serving as editor-in-chief of Charlotte Viewpoint taught her. She reveals why she moved to New York and what she loves about the city. Lila talks about working at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and her work now. She discusses her master's degree thesis and the meaning of 'zaniness.' She considers the connection between zaniness and design. She shares why she is attracted to pop culture and what magazines she reads. Lila remembers her father and reflects on this point in her career.   plus Mark Peres' Personal Word Essay: A Star is Born To learn more, visit On Life and Meaning

Startup (Little Brown and Company) Doree Shafrir’s hilarious, smart debut Startup is set in the heart of New York City’s tech industry, where 36 is considered past your prime and a pole-dancing workshop is an acceptable Thursday evening activity with your co-workers. A veteran online journalist, Doree has written a hilarious and sharply observed novel about the difficulties of real-life connection in our hyper-connected world. Startup assembles a cast of indelible characters: Mack, the it-boy visionary of the moment trying to take his app to the next level; Isabel, a social media hero working for him a bit too closely; Katya, an ambitious Russian emigre journalist desperate for a scoop; and Sabrina, an exhausted mother of two whose inattentive husband happens to be Katya's boss. When a scandal erupts in the lower Manhattan loft building where all four work, they quickly discover just how small a world the Big Apple's tech community can be. A senior culture writer at BuzzFeed, Doree was inspired to write this novel by the follies and foibles of the startup world, and also in part by some of the scandals that plagued the tech industry in the last few years. Camille Perri, author of The Assistants, notes Startup “is chock-full of strong women transcending the workplace drama, sexual politics, and all-around dumb stuff the men in their life are doing. It’s a novel that just might spark the official feministing of startup culture.” This debut, already praised by Rumaan Alam, Joanna Rakoff, and Nick Bilton, is a sharp, hugely entertaining story of youth, ambition, love, money and technology's inability to hack human nature. Praise for Startup  “Is there a satirist alive more brilliant—and more insightful—than Doree Shafrir? That I tore through Startup in a single day—ignoring the cries of my children and the dinging of my phone, laughing with recognition at her characters’ foibles—is perhaps not nearly as significant as the fact that this ridiculously compelling novel has haunted me, every minute, in the weeks that followed. If you have ever lived in New York or worked in an office, you will love this novel. If you love the novels of Tom Perotta, you will love this novel. But also: If you are a sentient human, you will love this novel.”--Joanna Rakoff, author of My Salinger Year "Don't buy this book. Don't open. Don't start reading it. Because if you do, I can assure you, you won't be able to put it down. I was hooked from the first page and found myself lost in a beautifully-written fiction that so succinctly echoes today's bizarre reality."— Nick Bilton, Special Correspondent, Vanity Fair and author of Hatching Twitter: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal “This funny, empowering debut is chock-full of strong women transcending the workplace drama, sexual politics, and all-around dumb stuff the men in their life are doing. It’s a novel that just might spark the official feministing of startup culture. If I were a tech bro, I’d be shaking in my hoodie.”–Camille Perri, author of The Assistants Doree Shafrir has also been on staff at Rolling Stone, the New York Observer, Gawker, and Philadelphia Weekly, and has contributed to publications including the New York Times, the New Yorker, Slate, The Awl, New York Magazine, Marie Claire, and Wired. She grew up outside of Boston, lived in New York for nine years, and now resides in Los Angeles with her husband Matt Mira, a comedy writer and podcaster. Jade Chang has covered arts and culture as a journalist and editor. She is the recipient of a Sundance Fellowship for Arts Journalism, the AIGA/Winterhouse Award for Design Criticism, and the James D. Houston Memorial scholarship from the Squaw Valley Community of Writers. The Wangs VS. The World is her first book.

After a long haitus, we are back with a new episode about the pros and cons of working in-house. We look at our own careers and the work we’ve done and how our opinions of in-house design jobs have changed since graduating. Links from this episode are available at this-is-sway.tumblr.com.

Job interviews, how to get and prepare for themFollow up InVision bought Silver Layout Episode 13 Show topic: Job interviews How to get an interview? Have a portfolio Be out there! Twitter, Dribbble, Medium, etc. Be involved in community events, meetups Squares Conference Use discount code SQUARES25 for 25% off Ask people to grab a coffee Advice for people fresh out of college Types of interviews General life story Show you're passionate (reference articles, etc) Tell a good story Portfolio review Only show your best stuff Be honest (being critical of your work is good) Be open to feedback Design exercise (whiteboard) How is it like to work with you? What’s your thinking process like? Design Criticism (at Facebook) Sebastian on Twitter asks: “What’s your worst interview experience and what kind of question should the interviewee ask in an interview” Help others find the show Upvote on Designer News Upvote on Product Hunt HostsKevin Clark (@vernalkick)Rafael Conde (@rafahari)

In this episode we critique the critics. We look at the articles about Google's new logo and try to figure out what's missing in current design criticism. By looking at history and imagining the future, we debate the role of the critic and what types of criticism we'd love to see and make. Links from this episode are available at this-is-sway.tumblr.com.

This episode starts with two questions: what happened to all the good design blogs and how has social media changed graphic design culture? This leads to a discussion about how to find inspiration, stay current on design trends, and be inspired by things you don’t like. We wrap everything up by sharing some of our favorite blogs to follow on Tumblr. Links from this episode are available at this-is-sway.tumblr.com.

In this episode, we are joined by designer and educator Mitch Goldstein to talk about thinking versus making, theorist versus practitioner, and critic versus designer. Mitch shares his origin story, how he started teaching, and what he hopes to impart on his students that lead into a discussion on how labels and words sometimes get in the way of the work we’re supposed to be doing. We wrap up with some thoughts on design education and the value moving beyond Comic Sans jokes. Links from this episode are available at this-is-sway.tumblr.com.

After a few weeks of reflecting and writing, we return with some answers to the question of if graphic design is still a good term for everything we do. We look at each of our essays and offer some examples of how the field as a whole can be open and ready for the changes in the field and the world. Links from this episode are available at this-is-sway.tumblr.com.

In this episode, we look at the current state of graphic design: what is it and what is it for? Using a recent Rem Koolhaas exhibition as our guide, we wonder what the future of graphic design looks like and what we can learn from it’s history. Jarrett questions whether graphic design as we knew it is actually dying while Rory sees a new type of design emerging. Links from this episode are available at this-is-sway.tumblr.com.

Recorded in January 2015, this is a short conversation we had about archiving. We discuss a New Yorker article on the Internet Archive, how we save digital work for future generations, and who gets to decide what is worth saving. Links from this episode are available at this-is-sway.tumblr.com.

For the final episode of the year, we want to take time to talk about the things that aren't design that inspire us and influence our work. We discuss the work of Hans Ulrich Obrist, Brian Eno, Wes Anderson, and more. This leads to a discussion on journalism and the importance of designers being good citizens. We end the episode talking about our frustrations with design conferences and discussions and why we don't care what font you typeset your t-shirt graphics in. Links from this episode are available at this-is-sway.tumblr.com.

We’re joined by our former professor Josh Miller for a great conversation on design education, how web design fits into modern curriculums, what students should learn while in school, trends, and what we hope to see within design education in the future. Links from this episode are available at this-is-sway.tumblr.com.

After a summer hiatus, we're back with a new episode on video and how motion fits into graphic design. Looking at the short teaser 2x4 created for the new identity they created for the Rubin Museum, we look at the idea of teaser videos for logos, video as a medium, and how bad content will never lead towards good design. Links from this episode are available at this-is-sway.tumblr.com.

The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 28 with Writer, Professor, and Filmmaker Adam Harrison Levy The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 28 with Writer, Professor, and Filmmaker Adam Harrison Levy Adam Harrison Levy (@AdamHLevy) is a Professor at the School of Visual Arts in New York City as well as Wesleyan University in Connecticut. In addition, he writes for Design Observer and works as a freelance interviewer/filmmaker for the BBC. Our conversation meanders and gets slightly meta. We acknowledge the odd circumstances of a professional interviewer being interviewed by an amateur, and of two Americans discussing their love for the BBC. Read some of Mr. Levy's articles and learn more about his film work via Adam's profile on Design Observer. Show Notes & Links Video Filmmaking for the iPhone Co-teaching w/a NYT Culture Journalist on Research and Writing The MA in Design Criticism, aka “D-Crit”, is now more focused on research and writing South Sudan is developing a logo and flag Prescott did a Master's in Graphic Communication at the University for the Creative Arts (UK) Gobsmacked, a British term meaning “struck speechless” Mad Men George Lois Steve Heller Gay Talese Prescott is an internet nerd, watches overseas programming via grey market websites and techniques Country House Rescue (brilliant show on Britain's Channel4, not the BBC, but still) Zaha Hadid, British-Iraqi Architect Horizon and Panorama, recurring BBC series Imagine, another great series featuring such topics as “The Book” and The Chelsea Hotel Port-forwarding and VPNs to get access to the BBC iPlayer Selling the Sixties: How Madison Ave. Dreamed a Decade BBC has to be “fleet and maverick” regarding graphics; Don't overdue it Simple title graphics Cleatus, the dancing robot on FOX [American] Football Coverage Stiff Upper Lip The Scottish Referendum on Independence (spoiler alert: they voted “No”) Simon Schama, a History of Britain David Attenborough The Story of Science Isambard Kingdom Brunnel, 19th Century British Civil Engineer The Bombing of Hiroshima, re-enactments created with student actors Czechoslovakia (no longer a country) Adam is the “intellectual content research” guy, not the technical video and sound guy Chuck Close The Beauty of Maps, BBC Four George Elsey, worked in the Truman White House. Was standing next to President Truman on SS Atlantic when news of Hiroshima reached the Pres. The Map Room in the basement of the British Library The Domesday Book, 1086 Maps as political cartoons Great British Railway Journeys with Michael Portillo 700 Photographs of post-bomb Hiroshima found on a street corner in Mass., written about on Design Observer Don Levy (no relation) found the photos in a suitcase International Center for Photography The design of castle towers learned during The Crusades Nijū Hibakusha, (literally “double bomb-affected people”), the term for those in Japan who survived both atomic bombings The Writers' Room, NYC Email is bad for your brain, e.g. Phantom Blackberry “Getting in The Zone is a weird sort of meditation” ← Click to tweet Funions Mind Like Water, as mentioned in Getting Things Done Prescott and his friends were lifeguards as teenagers. They would use the time to ponder levels of Commandos Tools 18th Century French table, which Adam uses as a desk these 20 years Laptop Pens and pencils, paper (pretty old-school, actually) Totems (monkey holding a Mont-Blanc pen) Brass date-changer Techniques Be “Tight and Loose” as an interviewer (almost a Zen practice) Always have a point-of-view, which Adam calls “The Force of Will” Hit the books, hit the phone, and do a pre-interview before turning up with a camera crew Create a ritual with the passing of time, such as a physical calendar Batch your email, especially when it's from London and there's a time-shift Habits Wake up early; not quite as early as Steve Heller Meditate for 20-25 minutes; not quite the 5-hour Zen practice Tea, and coffee only when I need a shot Leverage “Creative Distraction” to free your brain

Rory has a flash of inspiration while drinking lemonade at dinner so we jump on a call to talk about design education and the advantages of teaching design in a broad sense—ignoring typography and layout and color and focusing on thinking, ideas, and process while looking outside the field. We then question if a course like this could benefit more than just designers and whether graphic design could be seen as a liberal art. Links from this episode are available at this-is-sway.tumblr.com.

Just back from Typography Summer School in New York City, Rory rants about graphic design culture which leads to the idea of amateurism within the profession and how an outsider perspective can lead to open experimentation and unusual results. Links from this episode are available at this-is-sway.tumblr.com.

In this episode, we critique the new identities for Cooper Hewitt and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, both designed by Pentagram, and the growing trend of designing evolving logo systems. Looking back and looking ahead, we speculate about the future of the identity design and remember some of our favorite logos of recent years. This all wraps up with a debate on clever versus smart work and what type of work we want to do. Links from this episode are available at this-is-sway.tumblr.com.

In an emotionally charged episode, Rory kicks it off talking about the Group Material monograph, Show and Tell, that leads to a discussion on art and design and how to define them. The conversation meanders through a variety of topics including the public’s perception of graphic design, the idea of multiple publics, who design is for, and what is the goal of our work. The episode wraps up with both of us reflecting on why we find design so interesting in the first place and some thoughts on why we started Sway a year ago. Links from this episode are available at this-is-sway.tumblr.com.

We open this episode reflecting on Massimo Vignelli's death and the influence he had on our work through the years. This leads to a discussion on how the internet has changed our approach to design and how we view a design's longevity. We spend the second half of the episode discussing the public face of graphic design and the how we communicate the value of our profession to those who no nothing about design.

We spend this episode reflecting on our recently completed Five Obstructions project. We talk about our favorite weeks, the hardest part of the project, and how we approached each week’s obstructions. In addition to talking about what we learned and the challenges we faced throughout the project, we look at how this would translate to a class assignment and the value of working within constraints for design students.

Inspired by the last episode’s discussion on manifestos and our guiding design principles, we use this episode to talk about the one piece of design that has had the most influence on our own practices and was fundamental in shaping our view of design. Rory talks about Tibor Kalman’s lecture Good History/Bad History and how that has guided his thinking on process, aesthetics, and design history. Then Jarrett talks about how Project Projects’s identity for SALT showed him that design was much bigger than he originally thought and how one can use design to foster your own interests.

Anna Marie Smith is currently working on her MFA in Design Criticism from the School of Visual Arts, with particular interest in social media, video game design, and branding within the Young Adult demographic.

In this episode, we spend a lot of time talking about the new 2014 edition of the First Things First manifesto. We compare it to the 1964 and 2000 versions and how we approach it different now that we are working designers. This leads to a discussion on our personal manifestos and the things we value in our own practices. We wrap up this episode comparing the design and science disciplines, using Anthony Bourdain and Neil deGrasse Tyson as examples for a hypothetical television show that can teach the public about visual culture.

After a quick follow up on The Five Obstructions, we jump into a conversation about how to insert ourselves into the design discussion and whether or not we have anything valuable to add and if we are even worth being heard. This leads to a conversation about diversifying the content we consume and how the internet has turned publishing into a level playing field. The second half of the episode revolves around the separation between professional and personal work and the false divisions we put up around our work.

In the second episode of the Sway Podcast, we talk about Squarespace and the rise of DIY design tools and what the democratization of design means for designers and the profession at large. A discussion on the redesign of Newsweek’s website leads to some thoughts on the idea of "designer as journalist" and what we can learn from journalism to make ourselves better designers. Once again, we close the episode with some more ideas for design education and using Lars von Trier and Jørgen Leth’s film The Five Obstructions as a framework for a new type of assignment.

In the first episode of the Sway Podcast, a discussion about design philosophies leads into how to think critically about your design process and then making your process a part of the design. By looking at design as a vessel that needs to be filled with content, we discuss the idea of design being a tool and a lens through which to explore the world and develop a point of view. This is all wrapped in some thoughts on design education and we talk about ideas of how to teach students to think about their work as more than strictly visual.

Alice Twemlow is the co-founder and chair of a two-year graduate program in Design Criticism at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She is also a PhD candidate in the History of Design department at the Royal College of Art, London.

For this Snippet, we read Design Criticism and the Creative Process by Cassie Macdaniel at A List Apart. (http://www.pagebreakpodcast.com/snippets/design-criticism/)

British-born Alice Twemlow is a design critic and the author of What Is Graphic Design For? She also chairs the Design Criticism department at the School of Visual Arts in New York.

British-born Alice Twemlow is a design critic and the author of What Is Graphic Design For? She also chairs the Design Criticism department at the School of Visual Arts in New York.