| Title |
A Study on Alessandro Mendini`s Idea of Redesign with Special Reference to His `Proust` armchair |
| Keywords |
Alessandro Mendini ; redesign ; |
| Abstract |
This study tries to present a general picture about Alessandro Mendini`s unique idea of redesign. One of Italian post-war redical architect and designer, Mendini gives us a special opportunity to appreciate the social, cultural, and political context where the post-war Italian design lies. Also known as "banal design,` Mendini`s design revolutionized the way in which we practice, utilize, and think about design itself. It is my opinion that the idea of his redesign can be best understood when we consider the social context of Italian design. Unlike that of other European countries, post-war Italian design gave special emphasis on how design can or should be more than a simple activity of making aesthetic or industrial products. In terms of these possibilities, Mendini was never optimistic: today we are completely controlled by dehumanized mass production, and it is impossible for design to take a special role for a social change. Then, Mendini`s pessimism is bound up with the spirit of this age widely known as postmodernism. Even though Mendini himself never characterized his design as postmodern, it is not difficult to identify various postmodern elements in his idea and practice of redesign. Thus in the final section of this study, I shall investigate the postmodern elements in his design and, furthermore, such an idea as what makes Mendini postmodern. |