The ANTIDESIGN

Art in any form is often confused with self expression. There is often an assumption that when you're looking at an artist's work, you are peering into their soul. An artist's work is an outer expression of one's feelings, life, opinions, thoughts, emotion, past, or passions; isn't it?

I argue that creativity does not always come from within. Many designers find inspiration to create in a way that isn't self-centered. This just means that the want or need to create doesn't come from a want or need to self-express, it comes from outside of themselves; no meaning need be attached.

One creative artist, Sylvain Meyer, uses the term 'Land Art' to refer to his work with nature. Meyer's ephemeral designs have earned him quite a bit of recognition, and are reminiscent of the epic natural works of Andy Goldsworthy. The photo to the left shows Meyer in the process of creating one of his noteworthy pieces entitled "Enroulement Marron" or "Brown Swirl" in English. This piece was made out of brown chesnuts, which as Meyer says, are usually only picked up by children. In his works, Meyer is consistently remaining conscious of his effect on the environment around him, and is careful to use "eco-friendly" methods.

Meyer's artwork brings to mind the simple play of a child. We all experienced something in the way of making our own mark in nature, whether it be a circle in the sand, a pile of stones, or twisting flowers together into a bracelet. Nature is something we can each relate to being inspired by because it's all around us.





When looking at 'creativity from without', as observers we often find ourselves trying to place meaning on pieces of work that simply isn't meant to be found. The point of work like this isn't to make a statement, boost an opinion, express an emotion, or define the artist. This kind of art is about working with material, enjoying the process, and more often than not, it's about creating something that is simply beautiful. Artwork like Meyer's and Goldworthy's is notable because it represents this type of creation in a natural and stunning way. What makes these artists unique isn't necessarily their talent or skill with their instruments, it is simply their inspiration from without.