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Anti-Design: Outlaws or Game Changers?

12/6/2021

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Michael Williams - BA Graphics & Media Design

As I stumble on Anti-Design, the articles proclaim the movement as one of the crucial aspects to challenge any system that exists regardless of the consequences. However, to others, they declare to speak for a right cause. In my defence, I believe Anti-Design both have a carnage but with the right reasons.

Figure 1: Rocket Bunny ​Nissan 240SX (S13)

​My first example is a Japanese auto modification called Rocket Bunny. They are known to design wide-body kits and are operated by an engineer named Kei Miura. With no degree of manufacturing, Kei Miura was self-taught as a designer (Speedhunters, 2014). He wanted to challenge the performance and the look of standard manufacturing kits by designing his unique wide-body kits on the Nissan 240SX (S13), whereas his idea was to remove the rear bumper as part of his design. He argued that he heard that most of the power came from the rear end, so he thought to improve it, why not remove the bumper completely? (Speedhunters, 2014) Since then, Miura's crazy idea shifted to be an iconic figure in the racing community. Here communicates that sometimes it is best to remove an item to improve the product.
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Figure 2: Rocket Bunny logo designed by Kei Miura

​With his logo, he expresses the rebel culture of racing. The design replicates a hand sign that usually states the word “perfection”. However, you will be beginning to question why the hand is not flipped the opposite way to replicate the letter B of the word Bunny? With you not knowing the design is indicating that the design body kits are not mainly for legal racers yet their look and style is so creative it will be illegal to dislike it.

Figure 3: Images of the Carnival of Crisis parade, 2021

Another great example is Carnival of Crisis which is a two-week conference in response to COP26 (Fashion United, 2021). Artists and art colleges have joined together to create the impact by designing prints on posters and flags, plus taking to social media about the awareness of not acting now.
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To some extent, this might be a good cause due to the materials that they are using. When I was contributing to their workshop, I have noticed they used materials that mostly came from second-hand products and waste clothing. This process challenges the art culture by using sustainable resources to change the environment.

Figure 4: Designs symbols for Carnival of Crisis, Michael Williams

As a response to Carnival of Crisis, I designed a symbol to resemble their message while having the same strait edge rebel approach. The design is a smiley face with one eye as a dot while the other is a circle. This is to show the characteristics of what they are about. Beneath it is a hand sign symbolising love.  I wanted to show that even though the movement seems different they are protesting and speaking out for the love of the environment and the people of the future.

​In conclusion, what respects these designs and artists is the interest in taking risks without defining other people’s thoughts and opinions. Is the willingness to have your voice be heard loud enough for others to listen and to do it by any means necessary. For some, this might come off as disruptive and inappropriate but for others is a new way of bravery and thinking outside of the box.

Recourses
​Speedhunters: http://www.speedhunters.com/2014/05/inside-the-mind-of-kei-miura/
Fashion United: https://fashionunited.uk/news/fashion/ual-students-host-carnival-of-crisis-as-response-to-cop26/2021111559294
UAL Carnival of Crisis: https://www.arts.ac.uk/about-ual/sustainability/carnival-of-crisis

1 Comment
Robert Urquhart
1/6/2022 03:28:40 am

Wow, what a car! I love your examples here, not seen Kei Miura's work before - love it!

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