Notes on art and design teaching and learning -3

One day mulla was invited to take a class for art and design students. On that day before even introducing himself, he asked the students find out how many manmade things they can remove or exclude from their body without making changes on their body.

Students listed their dress, shoe, socks, inner wares, jewellery, accessories, and gadgets.

Next, he asked them to find out  what all manmade things on their body are enhancing their body structure.

Students made the above list again

Next, he asked them to find out what all manmade things on their body are supplementing their body structure

Once again the answers were the same

Next, he asked them to find out what all manmade things on their body is substituting their body structure

They repeated the answers again

Next, he asked them to find out what all manmade things are so important on their body so much so that the body cannot exist without them.

Students remain silent for a moment then they told “ well it is contextual, right?  For seasons, dress is important, for Personal hygiene, inner wears are important, for public order, occasions and social gathering dress and, accessories are important,  for a sense of joy, communication and information gadgets are important and well …the arguments can go on and on…”

Mulla smiled at them and told,

“So friends, thank you for teaching me and each other that design is not about complementing, substituting, replacing or removing  things from a structure to  enhance the abilities or aesthetics of the form or address its needs but the design is a contextual  decision  taking consideration of all of the above or some  of them…”

Some students agreed some confused and some remained in disagreement.

Mulla walked out of the class before the students can raise any question. Students remained agitated and some started a discussion, some remained passive and some others remained thoughtful.