Identifier

etd-04162009-153820

Degree

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Department

Art

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

ABSTRACT The ubiquitous presence of design guides our day-to-day actions, determining our awareness, configuring our environment, and modifying our lives. We must acknowledge the power and the opportunity of this dynamic force of design. “At the very least,” Peter Lunenfeld says, “design research saves us from reinventing the wheel. At its best, a lively research methodology can reinvigorate the passion that so often fades after designers join the profession.” Lunenfeld inspires me to consider the evolution of exhibition design. My thesis is about the future of exhibition design, enabling me to explore the changes this area of design is now facing. After attending a lecture on “Processing” (the building of interactive software through programming) in the fall of 2007, I was fascinated and excited with the possibilities of this emerging technology. I felt compelled to explore how exhibition designers might prepare themselves for the likely demand for work using this cutting edge technology. It is apparent that with recent advancements in digital technology, present day exhibitions utilizing multi-disciplinary approaches are moving towards a single exhibition approach. For instance, today’s exhibition requires product design, structural design, textile design, graphic design, light, sound, etc. In the near future, digital technology will leave little scope for so many other disciplines. Exhibition design appears to have a vibrant future, even with the fast growth of digital communication. Although there has been some interest in “virtual” exhibitions, these are unlikely to experience growth, as they lack the key advantages of a live arena—namely face-to-face contact and the ability to demonstrate products and services live. EXHIBITION NEXT is a communication device with which the visitor may obtain information of interest in a digital format. It centers on the effort to learn and build tomorrow’s exhibition technology. In our lifetime graphic design has seen technological advancements evolve beyond recognition in the fields of typography, printing, photography, and interactive media. Similarly, digital advancements in the area of exhibition, and the accompanying programming requirements, emerge today as new challenges for visual communicators. It is for the graphic designer to embrace design research and reinvigorate the passion that will fulfill the most creative potential of new technology.

Date

2008

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Secure the entire work for patent and/or proprietary purposes for a period of one year. Student has submitted appropriate documentation which states: During this period the copyright owner also agrees not to exercise her/his ownership rights, including public use in works, without prior authorization from LSU. At the end of the one year period, either we or LSU may request an automatic extension for one additional year. At the end of the one year secure period (or its extension, if such is requested), the work will be released for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Rod Parker

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.2565

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