What is a Manifesto?
A manifesto is a written statement of the beliefs, aims, and policies of its issuer.
Due to their power to provoke change, they are often embraced my artists and political types.
“A manifesto functions as both a statement of principles and a bold call to action. By causing people to evaluate the gap between those principles and their current reality, the manifesto challenges assumptions and provokes change” (The Art of Manliness).
History of The Manifesto
Examples of manifestos in art movements
Surrealism- The First Manifesto
Surrealism was a cultural movement which developed in Europe as a result of World War I. The word surrealist means beyond reality, setting the tone for the wildly creative and bizarre art work that emerged from this movement. Surrealism is best known for its visual artworks and its juxtaposition of uncommon imagery.
The aim of surrealists was to demolish the rules of modern society by destroying the idea of rational thought . This allowed artists to express withe unconscious and to fill their paintings with illogical scenes.
The was a very important art movement as the Surrealists were the first to offer a visual of an alternate reality. I find this movement extremely inluencial, I like how the artists at this time were so fearless and did things that had never been done before.
The first Surrealist manifesto was written by André Breton in 1924, France, he was the leader of a surrealist group. The aim of this first manifesto was to evoke change, encourage movement and inspire the audience.
The Dada Movement
Dada was an art movement in the early 20th century which originated in Europe. the artists rejected modern capitalist society and they expressed their hatred from violence and war in their works. This movement was to prove that anything could be art if the artist declared it to be, they filled their artwork with nonsense and protest. This gave them total freedom to create anything they wished which resulted in emotional outbursts from anger and confusion, to laughter and excitement.
” I wish to blur the firm boundaries which we self-certain people tend to delineate around all we can achieve”- Hannah H0ch.
The Dada Manifesto is a short text that was written on July 14, 1916. Tristan Tzara wrote in his “Dada Manifesto 1918”:”I write this manifesto to show that people can perform contrary actions together while taking one fresh gulp of air”
I think that the Dada artists were equally spontaneous with their work, I admire how free and humorous it is and how that is so clearly portrayed. A downfall to this movement is some may view this manifesto as whimsy and irrational. The artwork was less creative and more mocking which can be hard to take meaning from the pieces.
De Stijl
De Stijl, Dutch for “The Style”, was a Dutch art movement founded in 1917 in Leiden. De Stijl artwork consisted mainly of precise geometric forms such as, straight lines, squares and rectangles. De Stijl began as a Dutch publication written by Theo van Doesburg and Piet Mondrian and that publication turned into a movement that combated the horror that was generated from World War 2. The work combated this trauma as it had a sense of harmony and order. The aim of this was to fuse art with music, typography and literature.
The ‘ De Stijl Manifesto’, was written by Van Doesburg in 1918.
”We speak of concrete and not abstract painting because nothing is more concrete than a line, a colour, a surface”- Theo van Doesburg.
This manifesto has rules which were simple and easy to follow, due to its links with architecture there is clear structure to the art. I am inspired by the simplicity of the abstract shapes and basic visual elements it works really well alongside the primary colours. However due to the strict guidelines of horizontal and vertical lines there is less artics freedom available, it is quite restrictive. Taking inspiration from this movement I want my own manifesto to take the simple yet effective route.
What does a manifesto mean to me?
A personal manifesto is a declaration of your core values. It’s like a mission statement and what you want if life. A manifesto should have 3 basic components- beliefs, goals, and motives.
Beliefs
I believe that you get out what you put in. Anything can happen if you work hard and believe in yourself. I believe that you need to believe in yourself and your ability.
”The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it”- Peter Pan.
Goals
I want to achieve many things in life but within my university course I want to make fun and exciting and innovative creations that could possibly change peoples lives. I also want to grow as a designer and I want to push myself and my limits while doing so. I want to feel empowered in everything I do.
Motives
What motivates me?
I am driven by the process of things, the experimental stages inspire me the most. Trying out various ideas and solving a problem with the solutions I generate gives me a sense of purpose and I enjoy the thrill.
I am also motivated by my desire to create, making me aware from a young age I want to be a designer. Learning is another motivator as I enjoy the idea that I am always growing and educating myself in various ways.
What do I want my manifesto to portray?
Through further research on numerous social media sites and websites I have discovered that I am passionate about growth within, I want to keep growing creatively in my work and as a person and I want my manifesto to reflect that.
I enjoy creating for myself and others, however I feel as though sometimes I lack the drive to keep going and keep creating. As a result of this I need my manifesto to give me the push to do so. I want it to radiate positivity and encouragement, every time I see it I want it to push me to work harder and be better.
Inspiration
Modern day Manifestos
I took to Pinterest as I began my research into the manifesto world, I found number of well known, modern day manifestos that sparked my interest and got my creative juices flowing. I created a mood board of the words that resonated with me.
Through further research on numerous social media sites and websites I have discovered that I am passionate about growth. I want to keep growing creatively in my work and as a person and I want my manifesto to reflect that.
Mottos & Mantras
I have been researching mottos and mantras, I really like the fact that even though they are short they still seem to have a huge impact on me when I read them. They are precise and to the point and yet still very effective! Their simplicity has influenced my own manifesto ideas. Here are a few I am fond of:
‘If you can Dream it you can do it’ – Walt Disney
‘Think Different’- Apple
‘Go, Live your dream’- Tangled (my favourite Disney movie)
Non Project specific
This spider diagram is a way I focused on my interests that aren’t directly linked to this project to get some inspiration from a range of various areas in everyday life.
My Manifesto ideas
Idea 1- Think big, brave and boldly
I wanted to write something striking, to the point and in your face. I like how motivational it is and the alliteration is catchy, therefore making it more easy for me to recall. It’s short, to the point and gets the message across- that I want to be fearless and have no regrets. This manifesto also encouraged me to not worry about others opinion.
Idea 2- You should believe in the process because anything can happen.
Having trust and faith that things will workout is difficult to do at times. I wrote this manifesto with that in mind as I to struggle with this. Creating things has a process and sometimes it’s hard to see the finish line, I like how this manifesto suggests that the journey and process can have unexpected and happy accidents along the way.
Idea 3- Root for yourself, if you want to keep growing you need to keep going.
This manifesto focuses on self confidence and believing in yourself. I can relate to this idea as I sometimes doubt myself and my skills. When I read this particular line I feel motivated to not stop and just keep going and trying. I feel as though this manifesto puts across my desire to keep growing as a person and designer.
Idea 4- Never stop learning and you will never stop growing
I have a passion for self growth and this manifesto motivates me to never stop learning things about myself and my passions, and if I do so then I too will continue to grow as a person and a designer. Learning is a big motivator for me, I enjoy learning new things and different skills and I like how this manifesto is clear and relays that message effectively.
The Making of my Manifesto
The two ideas I chose to develop further were:
- Think big, brave and bravely
- Root for yourself
Moodboards
I took the inspiration from my mood boards and my 4 manifesto options and landed on 2 final manifestos that I found the most inspirational for me. I sketched both out and played around with composition and layout.
Idea 1 sketches:
THINK Big, Brave and Boldly
Idea 2 sketches:
Root for yourself. If you want to keep growing then you have to keep going
My first idea is bold and encouraging, I like the colour palette and the mood barod for this particular design. However, by experimenting with both manifestos I decided that my second idea ‘Root for yourself’ will be my chosen manifesto, to develop further as I feel a deeper connection to it. I relate to it greatly and when I read the words I immediately get inspired and uplifted.