Action/Reaction: 2010 California Design Biennial

After visiting the Pasadena Museum of California Art's 2010 California Design Biennial, I think it's clear that the chosen theme of "Action/Reaction" is very relevant to art and our culture, due to the prevalence of artists' collective push towards sustainability.

Works that focus on such topics such as solar power,recycling and carbon footprints, showcase many of the significant social issues in California, therefore allowing the theme to successful correlate to present-day California. The inflatable kayak(below), by Advanced Elements is the perfect example of sustainability, as its ease of use and the green nature of the product defines life of a Californian: one that is fast paced, on the go, conscious of our surroundings, and full of adventure.

Designers Indhira Rojas and Ellen Keith of the California College of Art grasped the theme of "Action/Reaction" the most precisely in their installation, "Where Does it Go?" The piece(top), which plays out like an interactive game for the spectator, uses art to encourage the recycling of the objects that we encounter in our daily lives. The strong illusion to the literal interpretation of the theme, where playing the game is the action that causes the reaction of production of recycled products, cements the biennial's focus and explains its placement as the center piece of the exhibit.

After examining the exhibit closely, itwas clear to me that the Metro Neighborhood Posters(above) were the most interesting, because of their relevance to many of the cultures that Los Angeles has. Not only do the pieces showcase the power of knowledge for Exposition Park and USC, but they illustrate the diverse neighborhoods of Los Angeles such as Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Koreatown, and East LA. While these posters show the differences in culture that are prevalent in pockets of our city, I find it importantthat its underlying motive is a push towards the use of public transit is a tie to sustainability. Another piece, a screenshot of Google maps seen below, furthers the Metro poster as it shows how using public transportation is being integrated into the mainstream, with directions on Google Maps.

For me, the least compelling piece in the Biennial was the bottle designs by Method. While their designs are conscious of our environment, I did not think that the aesthetic design was as original as other designs on display.

As a whole, the exhibition successfully illustrated its theme, and was curated very well. I found it interesting at just how many forms design can take. Products like iPads and inflatable kayaks are just as dependent design as illustrative posters, and that idea is something that I will hold onto, throughout my dabbling with design as a whole.