“Ever since the Renaissance, we have been told that art is a product of a noble society, one that is rich enough and functional enough to support the muse. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs made that belief into science: In order for humans to reach the peaks of artistic thinking, he postulated, they must provide for their most basic needs such as food, shelter, sex and more. This social science axiom has been introduced to me more than once in meetings about design, effectively suggesting that design (and art) are secondary and may exist only at the benevolence of functionalists, those people who satisfy our core existential needs first. With that idea so deeply ingrained in our culture, society is now programmed to see art and design as luxury we can afford only after our basic “needs” are met.”
(via Fast Company)
Tuesday, February 2nd 2010 1:34pm
