The Language of Things
Subtitle: Understanding the World of Desirable Objects
By: Deyan Sudjic.
Edition: 1st American ed.
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Co.
Published: 2009
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 208
ISBN-13: 9780393070811
Subjects: Design -- Philosophy; Design -- Social aspects
Description: A brilliant exposé of the interaction between art, design, and commerce.

What is it that persuades us to camp outside Apple stores to be the first to buy an iPhone? Why is it that a generation ago a typewriter might have lasted someone a lifetime, but now we write on computers that we upgrade every couple of years to shinier, faster, sleeker models? Why do the clicks of some car doors sound “expensive”? Deyan Sudjic charts our relationship—both innocent and knowing—with all things designed. From the opulent excesses of the catwalk to the playfulness of an Alessi jam jar, he shows how we can be manipulated and seduced by our possessions. With scintillating wit he addresses these questions and more, exploring the reasons why every designer yearns to put a personal stamp on a chair or an adjustable lamp, and where design ends and art begins.
Notes: "First published in Great Britain in 2008 by Allen Lane."

Includes bibliographical references and index.