If art in the early 1900’s become abstract because of the photography, then can a similar split happen with product and design because of A.I (or digital technology)? And did another split also happen to music with digital technology and computers, but without the same reinvention of analog music? Or is it still too early to tell?
So how will analogue design rooted in a hands on approach and sketching reinvent itself after A.I, in the way art did 100 years ago, after photography?
Will some people continue to design, or buy hand crafted/analog footwear and others the vision and complexity of more digital A.I footwear designs?
Will A.I continue in the direction of abstract art, intensifying design aesthetic expression, while Human’s focus on more classic, crafted design, which is also rooted in a more physical interaction, familiarity and community?
How important will the role of community become in the future, especially regarding product and design?
Taking a step back, consider how much of art today is abstract compared to realistic, and what a tiny percentage of people enjoy classical art enough to learn, or buy it. The same is probably also true about footwear when you compare maximally sculptural and colourful running shoes compared to leather oxfords, Mexican Huaraches, Native American moccasins or medieval turn shoes. With the exception of some old footwear styles that are abstracted and remixed with modern components such as sporty and soft running soles that are easier to relate to and more comfortable to wear.
By Alexey Kondakov
Cross-overs provide more easily recognisable abstractions between old and new in product/footwear design, art and music that have also proved popular, especially when you consider the pervasiveness of the remix. Although in some cases the cross-over, mashup recipes seem dated, cross-overs also align well with how A.I merges images from different sources. So its likely that cross-over will continue for some time. Adding strong recognisable cues can also make the new design appear more familiar and relevant. I call this “Piggybacking the Icons”.
With increasingly abstract design tastes, maybe traditional hand crafted/analog footwear can also reinvent itself (as it did at Nike in the late 90’s and early 2000’s and 15 years later), or evolve, if in it’s remixed, cross-over abstractions it includes any deep rooted cultural features, or associations that A.I cannot so easily understand, or replace and compete with. Non aesthetic ingredients, such as community, hand made and nature for example.
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