OUGD601: Synthesis between Practical and Theory

I decided to focus my dissertation on why there is disparity between male and female graphic designers and to explore into the realm of female Graphic Designers – the successes, the attitudes and the problems faced in the industry through primary and secondary research. Unsettlingly, there is a female domination in graphic design education that appears to be reversed when it comes to industry, with Design Council stating that 40% of designers are women, in contrast to the 70% of female design students. As a female myself about to enter into industry, it is something that I very relevant, am passionate about and so important to discuss as it is a real life problem that exists.

Each chapter of my dissertation I used as an opportunity to focus and explore on women in the workplace, the graphic design workplace and female pioneers as I felt I needed to know more about the subject in order to discover why disparity exists between male and female designers and what we could do to close disparity in the future.  

For the practical outcome I wanted to create a theoretical concept for an exhibition at Munro House, Leeds to actively raise awareness of the profiles of women currently and within the history of Graphic Design. I named the exhibition, 'Think Design' as a play on words from pioneer Design Writer and Educator, Ellen Lupton who quoted, 'Think more, design less'. The idea behind 'Think Design' being obviously.. to think design but thinking less about gender and solely focus on the work and learn about the designers presented in exhibition. I decided not to call the exhibition or stress the idea of 'women in design' as I feel it draws attention to problem and disparity that exists. As Ellen Lupton put, ‘We are tempted to reject the term ‘woman’ because it is disenabling and we don’t want to be perceived as victims. But we won’t be truly successful until we accept the fact that, as women, we can gain ground and lose ground, all at the same time.’. When authors, Julia Meer and Gerda Breuer (design editors) asked Paula Scher why women’s success is not as celebrated as men’s she answered: ‘There are many successful women designers. You are talking ‘success’ for ‘fame'. I have used this exhibition to present already successful women but actively raise their profiles to gain more acknowledgment and "fame". 

I have chosen to use a contemporary, minimal design style, because I do not want to be gender-specific and I want to appeal to a young creative audience (16-25) of both men and women who are going to become the future of the creative industries and acknowledge and to be more aware of women in design. The exhibition idea reinforces my dissertation conclusion points by illustrating the importance equal balance, and about how both men and women need to be part of the conversation to close disparity in graphic design.