Art and design

When I think about the definition of something, I imagine that I am answering a question from a child. If I can come up with an answer that they understand, that is an answer that many people would agree with.

What is the difference between art and design? First of all, what is art? What is design? I think about it all the time. I feel like there was a particular trigger, but I have forgotten what it was.

Here is one horizontal line

I would like you to imagine that. What would it be? It could just be a horizontal line. It could be a minus sign in mathematical symbols, or the number one in Chinese characters. Or it could be a road with people and cars passing by, or it could be a rift in space-time appearing in the void.

I need to tell you something here. The stick was actually a ruler. It would be inconvenient for me to imagine something that is not a ruler. How can I tell you that this is a ruler without telling you verbally? If I write a memory and a number on the side of the stick, it will look a little like a ruler. That is design.

Art makes you imagine, design doesn’t, and its gradations.

What do you think? I hope you are convinced. Art can be seen from any perspective, and its diversity is valuable. Design becomes so valuable that it is limited our viewpoint or idea for its purpose, and makes us focus on a single thing.

Once you understand the criteria, it is tempting to make a distinction. Let us briefly compare Banksy’s paintings with Apple’s iPhone. Banksy’s paintings are the center of attention in the art scene, and with the iPhone, everyone appreciates the design, good or bad, whenever a new model is released.

But it would be premature to assume that Banksy’s paintings are art and Apple’s iPhone are design. Art that has a sophisticated message is a form of design, and beautifully crafted design is in the realm of art. Banksy’s paintings and Apple’s iPhone are no exception. Everything is in the gradation of art and design.

So what is this article I am writing? Is it art that expresses one of my views on art and design? Or is it a design to encourage you to think about art and design? Or is it something in between?

Judging myself on my own writing is difficult because of bias.