In the 1980s, computer technology hit the social market on various different fronts. Computer technology wasn’t used to do the creative design at that time. It was seen as a tool for technology-based industries (Something from nothing. ). Visual Artist, April Greiman was one of the first designers to understand the potential as a new visual medium of it and embrace new advances in the digital era to push the boundaries of design. Her explored the word, color, and image as a unit object in time and space and use it in her design concept.Those are all base from her singular fusion of technology and art. Greiman has been instrumental in the acceptance and application of advanced technology in the process of art and design since the early 1980s. Transmedia projects, innovative ideas and hybrid-based approach from Greiman have been influential worldwide (Something from nothing. ).
After she settled on the idea of going to art school and applied to Rhode Island School of Design, began shortly her formal design education. But the dean of admissions pointed out that Greiman’s portfolio was very strong in graphics and suggested that she apply to the graphic design program at Kansas City Art Institute. At KCAI, Greiman has studied the principles of Modernism. Inspired by this experience, she went to Basel for graduate school. As a student of Armin Hoffman and Wolfgang Weingart in the early 1970s, Greiman explored further in the International Style. Weingart introduced what is now called the New Wave to Greiman( Aprilgreiman.Com.).Greiman designs were significant for its innovative use of computer technology that explored New Wave typography meaning with classical design elements. Greiman began experimenting different approach to switch the two-dimensional and then reimagine it into a more three-or-four-dimensional design (Something from nothing. ).
picture 1, “Iris Light”
One of the artwork from April Greiman, shown in picture 1, titled “Iris Light”.This poster completed in 1984 for Ron Rezek, which was important because of its innovative use of video imagery and integration of New Wave typography with classical design elements. Letter in wide space, different weights type within a single word or typeset on an angle were explored, not as mere stylistic indulgences but in an effort to expand typographic communication more meaningfully. (Aprilgreiman.Com. ).
Greiman says, “Instead of looking like a bad photograph, the image was gestural. It looked like a painting; it captured the spirit of light.” (Aprilgreiman.Com. ). “Iris Light” is a special artwork for Greiman. It is the first hybrid piece incorporating digital technology. This work incorporated a still video image at a time when this meant shooting a traditional photograph off the monitor using a 35mm camera (Aprilgreiman.Com. ).In this case, the video technology integrated with the concept of light: light from the video screen combined with light from the lamp resulted in an image wherein the form matched the content.
As April Greiman entered the technology world, she quickly adapted it and enhanced into her three-dimensional design. She reshapes the wave style in a new way. Because of Greiman’s conceptual application of digital technology, her works were well known during the 70s. However,
as people gain a better understanding of modern communication systems and the need to match the dominant mass media in its monopoly on distribution, it becomes clear that more sophisticated strategies must be developed to present other viewpoints. While the poster still retains undeniable appeal and a particular, unique application, we are finding that computer, video, film, radio, and television are by far the more effective and relevant art forms of our day
( Inkahoots and Socially Concerned Design: Part 1. .
She moved to Los Angeles in 1976, establishing her multi-disciplinary practice, currently called Made in Space（madeinspace）. She operates and works out of a studio in Los Angeles titled Made In Space, where she “…blends technology, science, word and image with color and space…”(Something from nothing. ).In Greiman’s work, there are often can be seen as the Gendered Object.As the public exposure of a woman’s body was seen as a taboo among the public during that time( Inkahoots and Socially Concerned Design: Part 1.). Her work was significant in that it addressed the idea of “taboo” by representing a bare body in a scientific matter rather than a provocative and sexualized tone. But the public often has forgotten Greiman’s works in the 21st century because of the inundated designs within computer technology and the misunderstanding of its context.
Reference:
1.”April Greiman”. Aprilgreiman.Com. Last modified 2019. Accessed April 8, 2019. http://aprilgreiman.com/.
2.Design Observer. (2019). Inkahoots and Socially Concerned Design: Part 1. [online] Available at: https://designobserver.com/feature/inkahoots-and-socially-concerned-design-part-1/37948 [Accessed 11 Apr. 2019].
3.madeinspace. (2019). madeinspace | about. [online] Available at: https://www.madeinspace.la/about [Accessed 10 Apr. 2019].
4,Greiman, A. and Janigian, A. (2001). Something from nothing. Crans-Près-Céligny: Roto Vision.
Design Research 