The waning of socio-political relevance in the graphic design associated with popular alternative music among Afrikaans-speaking youths

Abstract

Graphic design often influences and reflects the subcultures of society. This was evident in graphic design associated with popular music during the 1960s and 1970s which captured the spirit of its time. The album covers of the Beatles and the Sex Pistols are some examples of design that captured the essence of their music and culture. A similar trend occurred in South Africa with the band Fokofpolisiekar in 2003 where the band’s visuals represented the music and youth culture at the time. This spawned an awakening in South African graphic design associated with music and has led to a miasma of unique graphic design styles. The designs were originally representative of youth culture as well as socio-politically relevant but have since reached a point where their purpose is to attract attention through simulated relevance. This study reports on an analysis of 1101 design artefacts associated with popular alternative South African music and the identification of fifteen distinct styles of music-related graphic design. The study indicated that the collection of design styles, although varied in their aesthetics, share many similar roots and approaches and forms part of a subculture that in its own right captures the spirit of our time.

Grafiese ontwerp beïnvloed en weerspieël dikwels die subkulture binne die samelewing. Dit was duidelik in die grafiese ontwerp geassosieer met populêre musiek gedurende die 1960’s en 1970’s wat die gees van die tyd weergegee het. Die plaatomslae van die Beatles en die Sex Pistols is voorbeelde wat hiervan spreek. ’n Soortgelyke tendens het in 2003 in Suid-Afrika plaasgevind met die groep Fokofpolisiekar. Dit het ’n ontwaking gestig binne Suid-Afrikaanse grafiese ontwerp geassosieer met populêre musiek en het sedertdien aanleiding gegee tot ’n miasma van unieke grafiese ontwerpstyle. Dié ontwerpe was oorspronklik beide verteenwoordigend van jeugkultuur asook sosiaal-polities relevant, maar het intussen daarop aangekom dat die doel is om aandag te trek met behulp van gesimuleerde relevansie. Die onderhawige studie lewer verslag van ’n ontleding van 1101 ontwerpstukke geassosieer met populêre alternatiewe Suid-Afrikaanse musiek en ’n identifisering van vyftien onderskeibare musiekverwante grafiese ontwerpstyle. Die studie het aangedui dat alhoewel die versameling van ontwerpstyle gevarieerd is sover dit hul estetiese waarde aangaan, hulle soortgelyke ontstaanbronne en benaderings deel en deel vorm van ’n subkultuur wat op sigself die gees van ons tyd weergee.