art nouveau...new art

An international style of decoration and architecture which developed in the 1880s and 1890s. Art Nouveau: a style of decorative art, architecture, and design prominent in western Europe and the U.S. from about 1890 until World War I and characterized by intricate linear designs and flowing curves based on natural forms. The name derives from the Maison de l'Art Nouveau, an interior design gallery opened in Paris in 1896, but in fact the movement had different names throughout Europe. In Germany it was known as 'Jugendstil', from the magazine Diejugend (Youth) published from 1896; in Italy 'Stile Liberty' (after the London store, Liberty Style) or 'Floreale'; in Spain 'Modernista', in Austria 'Sezessionstil' and, paradoxically, in France the English term 'Modern Style' was often used, emphasizing the English origins of the movement.

One word to decribe such a style in the most unique way is LINES. Lines are very important . Everything has lines-there is not a single thing that you own, which does not have any lines associated with it. Dynamic, undulating, and flowing, with curved 'whiplash' lines of syncopated rhythm, characterise much of Art Nouveau. Another feature is the use of hyperbolas and parabolas. Conventional mouldings seem to spring to life and 'grow' into plant-derived forms.

As an art movement it has affinities with the Pre-Raphaelites and the Symbolism (arts) movement, and artists like Aubrey Beardsley, Alfons Mucha, Edward Burne-Jones, Gustav Klimt, and Jan Toorop could be classed in more than one of these styles. Unlike Symbolist painting, however, Art Nouveau has a distinctive visual look; and unlike the backward-looking Pre-Raphaelites, Art Nouveau artists quickly used new materials, machined surfaces, and abstraction in the service of pure design.

A quote by Ross Lovegrove;
"...organic design comes from organic thinking."

This was taken from a book called Designing the 21st century (a very good book to "read" if interested in design from different contexts and all areas, ranging from chairs to tables, to cups, to lights, etc. Why a good book-it is 90% pictures!!!). On reading over the lecture notes given by Richard Carr (I was absent from the actual lecture due to a family bereavement), Ross Lovegrove springs to mind. First thing that came to mind was his "Go Chair."

Another quote;
"...the irony of all this is that ultimately, creavity generated by soup-like freedom will lead mankind full circle back to nature, its organic composition."

This I found interesting (don't worry I did not just remembered both quotes from the top of my head, had to find the book and looked it up!). Art Nouveau is described as lines that "spring to life and grow into plant derived forms." Hence this means that Art Nouveau and perhaps other styles of design like gothic, still exist even though they have said to have died out. I mean design never dies, it is just changed from one form of loveliness to another. This draws me back to year one in Innovative Product Design class, where I was given an assignment to write an essay of what innovation is all about. Innovation is connected with invention. Without invention there would be no innovation, with no innovation there wouldn't be any inventions. Innovation is simply bringing new ideas or inventions into reality, giving them life and as well as this, improving old ideas, making them better. Hence think deeply-what comes into mind when you think of design and innovation? Well when I think of design I think of innovation, when I think of innovation I think of design. This is purely not because I study the course Innovative Product Design (I promise not at all!). I mean is design not about innovating? Looking back to Art Nouveau-was it not a form of innovation? Does it not seem like it was an innovation from the gothic style-think back to curves and lines. Both styles have lines, they both have curves it is just that one is more aesthetically pleasing than another perhaps?

To conclude after such a long blog-I did not plan this, everything returns to nature for inspiration. Afterall nature is a natural design.