What I like so much about this video isn’t just that it’s good (which it is), or that it’s a reminder of how frighteningly proficient today’s design students have become (it was done by a student in Singapore). No, I thought it was worth noting because it’s also a really fine example of the merits of imperfection.
Had this short piece been done seamlessly, without any visual hiccups or irregularities, it wouldn’t have been nearly as beautiful or arresting. It would have been slicker, more “professional”, but far less approachable. The beauty of this piece lies in the fact that it feels made, and not just produced.
It’s almost too easy to quote Tibor Kalman here, but at the same time it seems wrong not too. So here’s Tibor:
“We live in a society and a culture and an economic model that tries to make everything look right…But by definition, when you make something no one hates, no one loves it. So I am interested in imperfections, quirkiness, insanity, unpredictability.”
ps: As I was putting together this post, Kevin Dutra, one of our designers, sent around these videos, which also have a great kind of wabi-sabi to them.
that is a wonderful quote. reminds me of one of Kurt Vonnegut’s eight rules for writing a short story:
“Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.”
Thanks Eric–that is a great Vonnegut quote. Will have to remember it for the future.