NOVEMBER 2024

THE DISENCHANTMENT OF DESIGN: FROM ARTISTIC EXPRESSION TO COMMERCIAL TOOL

In an era where design is increasingly reduced to its mere function, it is important to examine the silent displacement of its artistic core. What was once celebrated as applied art – the noble union of form and function – now risks being overshadowed by economic constraints. Design appears to be losing its place as a form of cultural expression and is becoming a tool for consumer manipulation. This reduction to a market instrument, however, reveals more than just a shift in priorities: it points to a loss of understanding for the aesthetic significance of everyday life.

Design was originally shaped by a deep awareness of the relationship between humans and objects. It was not merely a tool or decoration but a sensual dialogue between form and function. Every design object told a story that went beyond its mere functionality: the story of a material, a shape, an intention that sought to outlast time. Yet, in a society where utility dominates, this story is often unheard. Today, design is predominantly seen as a tool of the market – its aesthetic and cultural layers are being forced into a simple economic logic.

This process of disenchantment demonstrates how the art in design is gradually disappearing. In a world of mass production, the artistic aspect of design has become almost invisible. Previously, it was the balance between beauty and purpose that made design a bridge between art and everyday life. Today, however, design is increasingly reduced to a prescribed set of forms and functions dictated by market mechanisms. The designer is no longer the creative visionary who transcends the boundaries between art and craft, but rather a mediator between product and buyer.

But can design truly exist without its artistic side? The absence of this dimension reveals a profound emptiness that extends far beyond the aesthetic realm. Humans long for objects that are more than mere function, for things that satisfy their desire for meaning and beauty. When design is reduced solely to fulfilling market demands, it loses its artistic lustre – and thus its significance as part of human culture. The danger is not only that design becomes shallow, but also that our visual world becomes poorer.

The art that once infused design is sacrificed on the altar of efficiency. However, just as the artist must not degrade themselves to the mere servant of the market, neither should the designer. Design, if it remains true to its essence, is a form of applied art that connects with and enriches daily life. The challenge lies in reviving this artistic impulse before it is completely lost in the fog of consumerism.

Ultimately, design is an art form that seeks not only to meet needs but also to enrich the world aesthetically. It is time to reverse this disenchantment, to once again understand design as a cultural expression, and to restore its artistic significance. Only then can design fulfil its role as a shaper of the world – and not merely function as a passive mirror of an alienated consumerism.