Design is One (Brew and Guerra, 2012)

Last updated on: December 24, 2014 at 7:32 pm by Kenneth R. Morefield

Design is One (Brew and Guerra, 2012) 2014-12-24T19:32:48-05:00 Kenneth R. Morefield

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Like many a celebratory retrospective before it, Design is One (★★★) doesn’t probe particularly deep. Nor does it cast its nets particularly far. It probably won’t attract too many viewers who are not already predisposed to watch it. But those viewers who are predisposed–and I was one of them–should be satisfied.

Lella and Massimo Vignelli are two of the proverbial artists whose work you’ve no doubt seen even if you’ve never heard their names. They designed the American Airlines logo and the signage for the subway systems of New York and Washington, D.C. Close your eyes and try to visualize the sign hanging above the door at your local Bloomingdale’s. If you can, credit that to the design team as well. If you saw the documentary Helvetica, Massimo may look familiar. He was interviewed in it since the Vignellis use that font in much of their design work.

At an economic seventy-nine minutes, Roberto Guerra’s and Kathy Brew’s homage to the Vignellis is not able to accomplish much more than a guided tour of the couple’s work. Still, it’s a tour guided by the couple themselves, and it does give you a chance to contemplate the ways in which much of what we take for granted in the world around us–our tables, our chairs, our signs–is not just accidentally or incidentally formed.

And there are two places where the documentary does dig a little deeper. The first is that it acknowledges that the Vignellis are collaborators in work as well as marriage. It attempts, albeit obliquely, to illustrate how the traits that make for solid collaboration may be the same as those that produce stable interpersonal relationships. There appears to be obvious affection between the couple, yet the work relationship sometimes calls on them to challenge one another. That ability to combine mutual respect with genuine affection is one many couples could emulate. For that reason, I would have liked to see a bit more of their relationship when they were not working. Does the work relationship mirror the marriage, or does the couple act differently when they are off the clock.

The second place where the documentary lingers to good effect is when Massimo describes his thought process behind the design of Keller cups. He admits that the product was not a commercial success; in fact, many customers returned the dishware. Vignelli won’t back down, though. The public was wrong, he insists–in large part because the way they drink coffee is wrong. It’s a short scene, but it speaks volumes about creative genius. Those who excel in any craft in life are always a little bit greedy. Give them nine ovations and one critique, and they want to talk about the criticism. But the scene also says something about designers, I think. They don’t see what they do as primarily decorative. They can’t divorce a product from its function. Maps are supposed to be read; cups are for drinking from. Thus arguments over design are never just matters of taste or aesthetics; they are about how such products facilitate or hinder our actions. Design is about making our lives a little easier.

If it makes our lives a little more beautiful in the process, so much the better.

Design is One is available on DVD from First Run Features beginning December 2. The disc contains ten shorts not seen with the theatrical release and a photo gallery of the Vignellis’ work.

Previous Post

November 15, 2014

Strange Rumblings in Shangri La (Guglielmino, 2014)

Next Post

November 18, 2014 Gotham Episode 1.9 Recap: Harvey Dent

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 10 Years Later 1999 Top 5 2007 Top 10 2008 Favorite Discoveries 2008 Top 10 2009 Favorite Discoveries 2009 Top 10 2010 Favorite Discoveries 2010 Top 10 2011 Top 10 2012 Top Ten 2013 Top Ten 2014 Top Ten Best Picture Winners Christian Spotlight on Entertainment Christianity Today Coming Soon Disclosure Disclosure--AS Disclosure--Book Disclosure--DVDS Disclosure--SEOL Disclosure--Travel Dissenting Opinion Elsewhere Emergenetics Essays Featured Film Fest DC--2014 Film Festivals Full Frame Documentary Film Festival 2010 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival 2011 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival 2012 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival 2013 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival 2014 Headline Interviews Laura on the Oscar Winners Podcasts Quick Impressions Reviews RiverRun Film Festival 2014 Television The Criterion Collection The Thin Place To Stream or Not to Stream? Top 10s and Other Lists Toronto International Film Festival 2009 Toronto International Film Festival 2010 Toronto International Film Festival 2011 Toronto International Film Festival 2012 Toronto International Film Festival 2013 Toronto International Film Festival 2014 Uncategorized Video Virginia Film Festival 2011 Virginia Film Festival 2013 Women's Film Festival 2012

Select a Month February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does Paul tell the Thessalonians to do without ceasing?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Give thanks Study the word Pray Rejoice