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cat_is_turning_pages's review against another edition
4.0
Less of a book to read and more of a worldview to experience, this book is 90% imagery and 10% text. I savored the exquisite page design and the beautiful pictures. My only wish is that the text provided more concrete evidence to support the Beauty manifesto. Still, this book is pure magic and one of my favorites in my personal library.
ericfheiman's review against another edition
3.0
Funny how you can both agree with WHAT is being said, and then find yourself wanting to vehemently disagree with that same content because of HOW it is being delivered. Case in point: Beauty by Sagmeister & Walsh. (Also see: our current political climate.)
I’m grateful for this book, though. Not for its wise arguments about beauty (though they do have some sound observations here). No, instead, Beauty unintentionally lays bare the inherent economic elitism that characterizes contemporary design and its discourse. This book is littered with asides like “Our good friend, Hella Jongerius...”, “Spotted during Jessica’s honeymoon in India...”, and other rarefied frames of reference that point to one of design’s largest flaws as practiced today: the wide swaths of people it excludes.
This book may play well with the New York Times T magazine set, but everyone else should probably scream, “Check your privilege!” in protest.
I’m grateful for this book, though. Not for its wise arguments about beauty (though they do have some sound observations here). No, instead, Beauty unintentionally lays bare the inherent economic elitism that characterizes contemporary design and its discourse. This book is littered with asides like “Our good friend, Hella Jongerius...”, “Spotted during Jessica’s honeymoon in India...”, and other rarefied frames of reference that point to one of design’s largest flaws as practiced today: the wide swaths of people it excludes.
This book may play well with the New York Times T magazine set, but everyone else should probably scream, “Check your privilege!” in protest.
lauraxis's review against another edition
3.0
ein umfangreicher essay zur rolle der schönheit in kunst und design.
leider versäumen es die autoren die „verschönung“ von „hässlichen orten“ kritisch zu hinterfragen und zu erwähnen, dass es sich dabei um ein bewährtes mittel handelt mietpreise zu erhöhen. so werden angesiedelte bevölkerungsgruppen entwurzelt um platz für besserverdiener zu schaffen.
dadurch lassen sich die autoren die möglichkeit entgehen, ein oberflächliches opinion-piece zu einer tiefergehenden analyse zu machen, die die politik und moralische aufgabe von schönheit beleuchten könnte.
die auswahl der beispiele ist ein beweis für die geschmackssicherheit der autoren. und ihr visuelles vokabular ist sowohl spannend, als auch inspirierend. die als fußnoten inkludierten ankedoten sind besonders bereicherend.
leider versäumen es die autoren die „verschönung“ von „hässlichen orten“ kritisch zu hinterfragen und zu erwähnen, dass es sich dabei um ein bewährtes mittel handelt mietpreise zu erhöhen. so werden angesiedelte bevölkerungsgruppen entwurzelt um platz für besserverdiener zu schaffen.
dadurch lassen sich die autoren die möglichkeit entgehen, ein oberflächliches opinion-piece zu einer tiefergehenden analyse zu machen, die die politik und moralische aufgabe von schönheit beleuchten könnte.
die auswahl der beispiele ist ein beweis für die geschmackssicherheit der autoren. und ihr visuelles vokabular ist sowohl spannend, als auch inspirierend. die als fußnoten inkludierten ankedoten sind besonders bereicherend.
scottjraney's review against another edition
4.0
We live in an era where modernism still forms the mental model of how we think about design. This book refreshingly and convincingly challenges modern ideals of the role of beauty and design. I only wish it went into greater depth on the subject.
I loved this quote: “For a designer, getting things to work is the easy part. It’s not hard to design a chair someone can sit on; it doesn’t take genius to combine a seat with a backrest and four legs. It does, however, take real talent to produce a chair that’s comfortable, attractive, and relevant to its time.”
I loved this quote: “For a designer, getting things to work is the easy part. It’s not hard to design a chair someone can sit on; it doesn’t take genius to combine a seat with a backrest and four legs. It does, however, take real talent to produce a chair that’s comfortable, attractive, and relevant to its time.”
thewoodenfinch's review against another edition
5.0
Stefan Sagmeister is just brilliant. I could lavish praise upon his work for the entirety of this review, or go ahead and give you a couple of examples of the sort of thing you'll find in this book, which ranges from the many tricks in the physical presentation of the book (all of which will evoke some child like wonder in you), touching journal observations scanned in from his own messy handwriting, hilarious stories (related and otherwise...but always relevant), beautiful work, personal quotes from his many clients, random sections of the text ending in cheesy lines from a porno (just to make sure you're still paying attention), and truly, in the best sense of this cliche, much much more. This thing is a fucking goldmine of inspiration, humor, and genuine heart.
The first example is a journal entry:
This story encapsulates the man, and his approach to design. Hilarious, huge balls, and the ability to transform any shitty situation into something wonderful, sometimes even by accident. I wanted to end with something that resonated with me, another journal entry.
So he's human, too. Good to know.
The first example is a journal entry:
Jan 22, 1991
“Started work this week. Yesterday was company dinner. 220 people, fancy hotel, the grand ballroom. I am placed at the Burnett management table. I hardly know anybody. It's shit boring. Nobody really knows anything to say. White and gold uniformed waiters serve huge steaks with enormous foil-wrapped bake potatoes. Gary, my new boss, leans over and whispers: “I'll pay you $500 of my own money if you take this potato and throw it across the room.” I do.
A poor waiter, laden with silver trays, bowls and plates walks straight into the potato's flight path: He is hit. Smack on the forehead. He goes down. Trays fly.
I AM SO SORRY.
The table snickers. Suddenly there's conversation. Drinking starts. Heavily. Four hours later medics are pushing drunk people out in wheelchairs.”
This story encapsulates the man, and his approach to design. Hilarious, huge balls, and the ability to transform any shitty situation into something wonderful, sometimes even by accident. I wanted to end with something that resonated with me, another journal entry.
“Another thing: I am still afraid of sitting down and working on a concept. I guess its the fear of not being able to come up with anything - fear of failing.”
So he's human, too. Good to know.
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