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‘Abstract’ Media from a Different Perspective

(image from imDb.com)

‘Abstract’

Wired has always been the hub for news on technological advances and creations pertaining to design. In January 2017, their editor-in-chief Scott Dadich published an article about a new series on Netflix being released the following month called ‘Abstract’. He is one of the co-producers of this series and he been working on it for over two years. He began to explain what exactly viewers could expect: an eight-episode documentary about the world of design from eight unique perspectives. The one thing that stood out in his article the most was that this series would be able to give the viewer a deeper meaning to what they see on a daily basis. On February 10th, the series ‘Abstract’ made its debut on Netflix with episodes featuring artists from prominent graphic designers to Nike’s lead shoe designer. Wired posted a following article explaining this show more in depth, advertising it’s unique concept and new perspective to how certain visuals catch the viewer’s eyes and why exactly this happens. This was met with positive reviews from other websites such as IndieWire, comparing it to showcasing art like they do food on ‘Chef’s Table’, giving beauty and spotlight to something we usually take for granted. Websites such as DesignWeek posted an interview with another co-producer of Dadich’s, David O’Connell, and gave his viewpoint to this new series and how this is going to bring a fresh, new light to the world of art. It will explain the process of how a simple idea turns into a creation shown to millions of people across media. 

Christoph Neimann

First off, after reading these articles and researching this series, I decided the best way to experience the series is to… well, watch it. The first episode showcases a quirky illustrator, Christoph Niemann. I was hooked after this episode and decided to do my own research pertaining to Niemann and his work. Niemann’s illustrations do not just finish on paper. His creations have evolved as technology has, with digital and physical covers for The New Yorker, augmented reality creations, weekly Sunday sketches with his social media followers, and interactive illustration apps for children, such as Chomp and Petting Zoo.

‘Abstract’ goes on to give the most important information first: who exactly is Christoph Niemann? Niemann has been creating covers for The New Yorker for over a decade, from commemorating their anniversary with a digital representation of the first cover in 1925 to his augmented reality cover in 2016. Niemann’s art for these covers are displayed not only in physical copies, but are also posted on The New Yorkers website and Niemann’s portfolio reaching a digital audience of millions around the globe.

The series goes on to showcase some of his most prominent work that captures today’s new technological age, such as his rendition of the original New Yorker cover featuring the dandy man with a suit. Niemann’s version of this cover was the same man, however the portrait is in a pixelated form with square blocks being used to create the cover. This was to commemorate the 21st century and The New Yorker’s evolution from 1925 to its current presence in the media. Below, I put together a collage to show the versions of the original cover that have been made each anniversary to celebrate The New Yorker’s creation.

The next segment of the episode shows Niemann’s process of creating the Augmented Reality cover for The New Yorker in 2016. This was more challenging for Niemann because it required a 3D design and not just a flat cover like previous issues. His drawings could be seen through an app, which would scan the cover of this issue and make it “come to life” in a way. Buildings would sprout and become 3D. The view would turn into a 360-degree mode that can be turned and seen from every angle the viewer wants. This was a huge step in the future for media and technology. It was like the viewer had his or her own version of New York City right in front of them.

(Images from newyorker.com)

Reaching Younger Audiences

After showing the enormous amount of work Niemann has done for The New Yorker alone, the episode ends with his current adventures into more unique ways to showcase his work. First off, one way he is making his work better known is by reaching a younger audience. Niemann began an art project called ‘Sunday Sketches’. The camera follows him in his office has he takes random household items and begins to make art from them. He posts his creations every Sunday on his Instagram, AbstractSunday, to show all his followers. This method lets Niemann showcase his art to a teen and young adult audience in the world of social media.

(Image from ‘AbstractSunday’ Instagram)

After seeing this movement with the Sunday Sketches, I decided to try my hand at making my own sketch and show it to my small social media following… it is Sunday after all. This is a great idea to get the creative mind inspired even a tiny bit. It gives regular people motivation to try and design something fun and quirky. 

One of the last projects shown in the episode are his illustrations being used in apps he is creating for children. Niemann has created pages upon pages of drawings to be used in his apps Chomp and Petting Zoo. These apps can be used on smart phone and tablet devices to entertain children in various ways. The Chomp app is a visual storytelling app that children can create themselves with pictures of themselves and Niemann’s drawings of things such as birds, cartoons, and lions creating their own story in the process. Furthermore, his newest app is called Petting Zoo. This is an animal children’s book that has moving animations and illustrations of over 20 animals for children to experience and play with. This is the new age of storytelling and books for the children of the 21st century.

(Image from Google Play Store)

Overall, The article about ‘Abstract’ and the series itself hit spot on with what it was trying to convey. This new perspective of creativity in media is a breath of fresh air. It successfully shows how a person’s art can be incorporated in so many different ways due to our advances in technology and shown to millions in a matter of seconds. Only one episode into this series and a viewer can truly feel how much effort and thought goes into one single creation. Niemann conveyed this in a simple way by saying that his “goal is to speak visuals like a pianist speaks piano”. I think he did just that in this unique documentary.

-Written by Andie Piotrowski