ON FORM AND FUNCTION
Should form follow function or should function follow form? It's a debate that has been pursued with vigour since the late 19th century. Was the maker of this propellor bracket for a Thai long-tail aware that he or she was creating a device that could be a motif from Polynesian or Maori art?
Or did the creator simply create the form that would solve the design problem at hand in a practical and unselfconscious manner?
I watched the construction of this stone wall near my house with a degree of fascination. Were these builders aware of the level of artistry in their work and did they expect due praise for their creativity? Or were they simply building this wall in the way they thought it should be built? Just another day on the job doing what is expected of them?
I expect that in both cases if I asked the makers these questions they would be somewhat confounded by the question.
I think what we see here is neither form following function nor function following form, but rather the two facets of creative work flow hand in hand harmoniously creating something that is both useful and beautiful.
