Icon, the architecture and design mag, published some interesting design projects in their November 06 issue. The subject – designers engaging with controversial topics such as war, terrorism, poverty, etc…
Beyond the interesting images of projects by a multitude of designers, there is an interesting text that accompanies. The article states that this focus towards more “darker issues” in design rather than mere functionality and fashion leads to the “descent from a noble cause into shallow sensationalism”.
I guess I would argue against the shallowness of making such needed and current commentary, as while inarguably it does sometimes rely on sensationalism, to me there is no greater noble cause than to wake the world up to what’s going on in society and throughout the world.
This is the work of Industreal (designers: Andersson Frida and James Steiner) called “Smokes Like a Chimney”. It’s an ashtray with a lid with bronchi-shaped tubes.
Dominic Wilcox created this “War Bowl” of melted plastic toy soldiers.
