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12 August 2008

The Third Geyer Debate

The third in Geyer’s occasional series of debates on design issues was held in Melbourne on Friday 8th of August as part of the lead-up to Saturday in Design. Report by debate mediator, and indesign Editorial Director, Paul McGillick.

For my sins, I mediated the Melbourne clash, as I had done the previous two in Sydney. This time the topic was: The hand of the designer is lost in this age of technology. Arguing for the proposition were designer, Steven Cornell, Matthew Mulkearns from VicUrban and Geyer designer, Rosie Scott. Agin were product designer, Ross Didier, Kathy Demos from the National Design Centre and designer commentator, Rory Hyde.

I’d have to say that – as one might expect – there was a lot more thrust and parry from the Melbourne combatants than we had seen in Sydney. In fact, some of those thrusts went quite close to the bone. Or should I mix metaphors and say that Matt Mulkearns was left a little punch drunk after Kathy Demos had blamed him for all the shortcomings of Docklands.

And I copped a serve from Rory Hyde I think for aligning sex and creativity. But fortunately Kathy D. came to my rescue. Steven Cornwell was outrageous, Ross Dider forceful and Matt Mulkearns disarmingly passionate.

All up, though, I’d have to vote for Rosie Scott’s hilarious and often insightful lament for the loss of the hands-on.

Paul McGillick