Art is an enigma. Art is a statement. Art is disruption of the everyday. Art and design have been used as a medium for change for centuries, a means to disrupt the status quo and grab attention, to draw interest to overlooked issues and incite action, from the Dadaists to Guerrilla Girls artistic calls to action have not been scarce.
On the other end of the spectrum sits the architectural grid. A practice in uniformity and repetition the grid is a powerful design tool, conceptual aid and organisational device. From Le Modular to the Ken, grids have been a constant in the world of architecture. The University of Dundee bases all their branding on a grid system, the website, the prospectus and all graphics are all confined to the grid.
FRAME is an amalgamation of these two extremes. Order meets chaos, conformity against discord. Art and design schools across the world aim to churn out the leading creative minds of our generation, creative minds who will go on to disrupt the establishment and question those in power. Frame aims to sell this notion of creative change. A retail space representative of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, selling the journey through your own creative evolution.
A 3D linear grid travels through the space disrupted by walkways and zones cutting voids into the uniform faces of the structure. The walkway forms a journey through the expanse of unyielding framework, the voids branching off to form zones for discussion and perusal of student work and current course content.
The Facade is fairly blank, the original ornate cornice flattened and large latticed windows put in its place. Though lacking in ornate detail the front of the store is a bright striking red, acting as a beacon for curious passers by.
The design was heavily inspired by Sol LeWitt’s ‘Incomplete Open Cubes’ series. Sol LeWitt had a lifelong fascination with cubes, driven by his desire to blur the lines between arithmetic and art. In ‘Incomplete Open Cubes’ LeWitt systematically explores the 122 ways of "not making a cube, all the ways of the cube not being complete,”.
LeWitt states that “Compared to any other three-dimensional form, the cube lacks any aggressive force, implies no motion, and is least emotive. Therefore, it is the best form to use as a basic unit for any more elaborate function, the grammatical device from which the work may proceed."
Ultimately the grid represents the coming together of two different worlds offering the ultimate creative journey: allowing prospective consumers to walk through, walk round and immerse themselves in a climate of collaboration, glimpsing an insight into how they can shape the future. Offering opportunities to work with others with differing backgrounds, attitudes and skill sets FRAME will lure game changers, pioneers and collaborators - all integral, motivating agents in the development of innovative art and design practices. Crucial for global working, harmonious solutions and the unlocking of new frontiers in art and design.
