György Kepes: Vision + Value Series « Normal

January 20th, 2010

György Kepes: Vision + Value Series

The Vision + Value series has been on my list for years and I haven’t been able to get a hold of a complete set as of yet, but someday I will. I’ve long been sold on the concept that art, science and comedy are of the same ilk. The basic process of combining two separate and divergent ideas to create something new and surprising is the foundation of all three forms. Arthur Koestler wrote a fantastic and sadly out of print book called The Act of Creation which explored this concept in depth. I’ll write more about Arthur Koestler later but it also appears that György Kepes was a man that realised this as well.

The Vision + Value series of 7 books edited and curated by György Kepes who founded the Center for Visual Studies at MIT as well as teaching design at the New Bauhaus (now the Illionois Instititue of Design). Each a collection essays based on a broad theme by scientists, artists, musicians and thinkers of the time from 1965 to 1972. The series includes essays from: Rudolf Arnheim, John Cage, Hans Richter, Saul Bass, Paul Rand, and Marshal McLuhan. I haven’t actually read any of them, or found any excerpts but with folks like that contributing I’m sure they’re chock full of ideas.