Products of Our Time

Rating:
Summary: A Macro View of Contemporary Conditions
Review: This book is not your typical survey of recent products. Redhead delivers an intelligent, insightful and concise snapshot of contemporary design as a field that not only attempts to manipulate materials and technologies, but increasingly tries to link ideas, form and context to tell compelling stories. Far from dry theory, this book is loaded with color photos of real-world examples that connect abstract (sometimes subversive) ideas with tangible products.

With chapters entitled 'Basics', "More', 'Control', Identity', and 'Crisis'- the author decodes the products of the 90's by classifying them according to cultural message rather than market or object category. Like an archeologist, Redhead sifts through consumer products, media messages and environments to frame the broad social, psychological, economic, and ontological patterns of contemporary design. Through this macro view, he describes the dialogue between OBJECTS and SUBJECTS that drives our material culture.

A provocative and quick read for art and design students exploring the complex, and often contradictory, cultural conditions in which we communicate.

Scott Klinker, Head 3D Design
Cranbrook Academy of Art

Rating:
Summary: quick buy, quick read, the biopsy of the manufactured IMAGE
Review: this is a great quick pickup and read it in a single sitting book. If you are remotely involved in trend analysis, Product Design or just have an open eye this book wraps around most exclamations and observations you have about our imagefull world. Very well written, fast paced and interesting. It blends the imaginative and 'hmmm that is what I thought' of our everyday cut to style ready to eat culture.

eric fraser

Rating:
Summary: quick buy, quick read, the biopsy of the manufactured IMAGE
Review: this is a great quick pickup and read it in a single sitting book. If you are remotely involved in trend analysis, Product Design or just have an open eye this book wraps around most exclamations and observations you have about our imagefull world. Very well written, fast paced and interesting. It blends the imaginative and 'hmmm that is what I thought' of our everyday cut to style ready to eat culture.

eric fraser