History in the making

Just wanted to share my reaction regarding John Maeda’s recent appointment as president of RISD. I believe we are witnessing a historical turning point in art and design. Not exactly in the form of an artifact as the catalyst – such as the Sistine’s ceiling, or Duchamp’s “Fountain” – or a memorable public act, such as Beuys’ “How to explain pictures to a dead hare”. But I think this agreement simply marks the beginning of a transition to a new, progressive era in creative thinking; the results of which we have yet to see. And John Maeda has the will, knowledge, experience, energy, and vision to see it through.

In his “Notes from a director’s laboratory”, Sergei Eisenstein once said:

The most important thing is to have the vision. The next is to grasp and hold it. In this there is no difference whether you are writing a film-script, pondering the plan of the production as a whole, or thinking out a solution for some particular detail.

You must see and feel what you are thinking about. You must see and grasp it. You must hold and fix it in your memory and senses.

And you must do it at once.

Good luck John Maeda. And godspeed.