WINSTON CUEVAS

Students will realize a standalone work that demonstrates a radical and unforeseen possibility for a design object. The resulting work will flow from the student’s unique aesthetic viewpoint, tendencies, and experiences. Students will start by cultivating a sense of voice and artistic direction early in the semester and gradually transfigure their research and models into a high-craft individual work of art and design. As part of the course, the students will have the option to participate in a group exhibition in 2022, where their works will be covered and promoted by key members of the design press and made available for commission from or acquisition by collectors via physical and digital touch-points. The aim of the course is to produce works that effectively blur the boundaries between art and design disciplines.

Over the course of the semester, we will explore the evolving intersection of art and design, as well as how art, design history, fashion, poetics, film and consumer culture directly influence contemporary design outcomes. Discussions on the role of “object categories”, “function” and “user-centricity” within collectible design will be especially highlighted and contextualized. The instructor will provide lectures on the history of radical design, high design, artisan-driven design and the greater encompassing field of collectible design. Guest lecturers and critics including gallerists, curators, artists, designers and executives will be brought in throughout the semester to help round out the concepts presented in the course.

The course will pull from all of the formalities of the industrial design discipline namely: iterative drawing, three dimensional modeling, rendering, prototyping, model making, material testing, and physical/digital production methods. However we will use these activites to manuever the boundaries of categorization, clichés, and tropes commonly found in the design discipline. The course will familiarize students with the host of considerations involved in producing a radical design work.

I’ve designed the course as a synthesis of some of the best ideas, methods, and sensibilities I’ve absorbed while working internationally in the high design, luxury fashion, and collectible design fields. I am excited to foster a unique culture of creation within our studio group. I look forward to partnering with students on the realization of momentous and personally significant works.