Graphic Design… fine art or social science?… the activity that organises visual communication in society.

Key Words                                                                                                                               Communication                                                                                                                       Technology                                                                                                                               Perception & Behaviour                                                                                                        Advertising & Branding                                                                                                         Dialogue, Beliefs and Networks

Design cannot be understood in isolation, but within a global communication system. The emphasis should be on the interrelation between the audience and the design, actively participating in the construction of the message. Decisions made based on the study of human communication- an awareness of psychology, verbal communication, sociology, computing science, marketing and other disciplines.

Barbara Kruger

An artist well known for not being afraid to speak her mind is Barbara Kruger. She is best known for laying aggressively directive slogans over black and white photographs that she found in magazines. Kruger’s work critiques consumerism and desire, and has appeared on billboards, bus cards, posters and in public parks. Her works examine stereotypes and the behaviours of consumerism. One controversial project she has done is the ‘your body is a battleground’ piece which focuses on supporting legal abortion, a topic which not everyone agrees on.