i just watched this video (embedded after the jump) from elliott earls, artist in residence for graphic design at cranbrook academy of art. it was a great reminder for me that the form and how it is made is incredibly important. it reminds me to ask big questions about the work i am making and how it can and should challenge dominant paradigms. not that i need to work as elliott does, but to really push my beliefs and values into my work and consider how those things are communicated through the work. i have been talking a lot to my seniors in visual advocacy about how graphic design and design thinking can really make a difference on a socio-political level, beyond traditional awareness campaigns. we have talked about form and process before, but not as much recently as issues of self-initiated work, the designer's role in a project or in relation to a community and things of that nature. this excerpt from earl's talk is a great reminder for me to keep questioning all aspects of how design functions and to embody how i believe it should function and look.

Elegant Dissent: Elliott Earls talk at the ICA Boston from Elliott Earls on Vimeo.

thanks to cameron perry, one of my students at kcai, for posting this on his blog. another great reason to be a teacher -- continuous exposure to a whole network of ideas and sources.