Minimalist design has become a defining feature in every aspect of our daily lives, but are we heading in a direction where art loses its identity?
Trends are cyclical. What was deemed outdated last year is now considered avant-garde. This ephemeral nature of movements results in faster adaptation, compelling brands to implement drastic changes in hopes of keeping up with the dynamic environment they're in.
É nesta envolvente que o minimalismo encontra terreno fértil para prosperar. A facilidade de interpretação dos elementos, a estética clean e o potencial em marketing e vendas, assumem-se como pontos a favor para um rebranding rápido e teoricamente eficiente.
BUT WHERE DOES MINIMALISM COME FROM?
Today's minimalism is built on a multitude of foundations, emphasizing the importance of demystifying its principles.
- De Stjil: in the century XX, between 1917 and 1930 in the Netherlands, this artistic movement emerged, characterized by its abstract strokes, geometrical shapes, and simplicity of elements. Thus, De Stijl represents an artistic movement capable of finding beauty in subtlety.
- Traditional Japanese Design: In a culture where simplicity in routine is the norm, it's common for those routines to be reflected in design. The focal point on simple strokes, harmonious color palettes, and subtle tones results in elegant pieces without excessive elements.
Following these well-defined roots, contemporary minimalism is characterized by a few key elements: a careful selection of components that play a well-defined role in the finished composition; the use of details to enhance the customer's experience; the incorporation of sensory colors; the effective management of blank space; the use of simple and readable typography; and the employment of contrast to create visual interest.
Marcas como a Netflix, Uber and Burger King (com o seu novo rebranding) conseguiram na simplicidade da sua imagem, criar uma identidade memorável, reconhecível e facilmente associável ao seu ramo de atividade, o que claramente suportou a sua franca expansão de notoriedade atual.
Por outro lado, mesmo que com as marcas acima referidas o uso do minimalismo tenha funcionado como um trunfo de afirmação, existem também recentes rebrandings onde o potencial de mercado se sobrepôs à pegada histórica e tradicional associada à identidade das mesmas. Estamos a falar de marcas haute couture como Balmain, Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga, onde a minimalização da sua identidade gráfica caiu numa imagem simplista, sem alma e carente de qualquer elemento diferenciador, resultando numa série de logótipos semelhantes e indistinguíveis ao olhar exigente do consumidor.
Minimalism, like any other artistic movement, should adapt to the context and environment in which it is placed. The rush to follow trends to generate higher sales often leads to unadapted graphic compositions, where the unique elements that define minimalism as an art form are lost, resulting in 100% superficial art.
After this article, Juniscap opens the following discussion: does minimalism come to stay, or is it just another scenario where art is intertwined with sales?
