Justin writes about the idea of breaking boundaries, moving through time from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance to the Baroque period. Each period, he seems to say, was revolutionary in its own way. He writes, "The Gothic style was itself a revolution initiated in the way people considered the earthly world to be mundane and the church reacted by created a architectural revolution based on a heaven bound focal point." In contrast, a strong belief in human potential drove the people of the Renaissance to strive for perfection. During the Baroque period, the breaking of boundaries can most clearly be seen.
Justin supplements the image he chose with the following very true statement: "This image clearly depicts the struggles of the alternatives unit to break free from the oppressive restrictions of our limited understanding of the world and the capacity to overcome boundaries that hold us back. It is human nature never to be content with the here and now but in the curiosity of the possible, of the dream, of the potential that has not yet been reached. Each design revolution brings about a temporary satisfaction until our restlessness sets in and once again we struggle to break the boundaries of the previous generation."
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Anna writes about thinking outside of the box, an idea that is very effectively communicated by the image she chose. An interesting thing she mentions is the way simple elements can be combined to produce complexity. She says, "Basic shapes are extremely important in everything. They are so simplistic, but when they are played with and altered from the original form, can turn into something very interesting." As an example, she talks about the combination of different design styles in order to produce a unique statement.
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Kelly also writes about breaking the rules as a way to strive for novelty and individuality. The image she chose conveys this idea well. She says, "Even in today’s modern world classical subjects such as the Madonna and child are being reinvented in unconventional ways. 'The Madonna of Port Lligat' by Salvador Dali is a perfect example of this classical subject reinvented. The figures are painted with rectangular holes in their torsos to represent their transcendent nature. Thus creating the art of alternatives."
Something else I appreciate about Kelly's essay is the following observation: "Most often successful innovation comes from trial and error. Despite it’s negative connotation, failure isn’t always a bad thing, it is how we learn from our past experiences." She mentions an example from history (the front façade of the Ospedale degli Innocenti by Brunelleschi) and also complements her statement with an example from an experience she had while folding paper in studio. This idea of learning through failures is important to remember when projects or situations go awry.
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