Critical Creative Geographies - Essay Example

? CRITICAL CREATIVE GEOGRAPHIES By and of Critical Creative Geographies Human geography is about the ways in which human beings modify the environment to suit their lifestyle, in the world of architecture this has happened a great deal, with building –structures changing the face of the world completely, in window shopping this has revolutionalised to suit the current standards of the civilised man. Over the years, in an attempt to market their products, business owners have opted for window display of their products to the customers. This trend brought about the aspect of window-shopping, which has revolutionalised a great deal. This was back as the types of shops also changed in the United Kingdom; the sequence became more and more tolerant to window-shopping giving more room for window-shopping. In the beginning there were shops built onto residential houses, and then came the small cafes, the caravan cafes followed these, afterwards there were the Victorian style windows, and then the early plate glass shop windows, the British then adopted canvas awnings, cast iron awnings, ornate shops detailing and the ladies’ underwear shops. Each presiding type of shop gave more space for window-shopping. Hence, more complicated types of arts for the same. Currently the architecture used in window shopping is far much complicated with use of colours, shapes, themes to suit certain occasions, and ornaments. The technology used in such designs is unimaginable. This has been modified to give shoppers and on lookers the best layout for the products. (Hollein, M 2002, 21). It shows how the human race is eager to venture into new methods of living, what were the fantasies of the past have been made true by the critical mind the current man. Visual merchandising is a way of producing three-dimensional displays of products to make it more appealing to the eye. This is always done to attract the customers and improve on the sales of products in retail shops. The mind creates that it has a three-dimension view of a structure. The art of visual merchandising dates back to the nineteenth century, when the major products establishments changed their business from wholesale to retail. There was need to attract more customers since the establishments were now opened to a wider range of consumers, big business establishments like Marshal Field and CO. Designed their new stores in more attractive ways to give the customers a good impression to the eye. With the changing time, most of the design was moved from not being just on the outside but also in the interior of business premises to become part of the interior decorations. As this extended too, in many regions of the world the use of big windows for display of goods faded. The demand for window displays triggered some artists to design other methods of window designs in the twentieth century, hence the beginning of a series of developments and additions in the window display sector. In visual merchandising, many methods are used in order to meet the required standards of advertising a certain product, these include, the lightings, colours, the smell, and information on the product. This is made possible by the use of modern technology to bring about digital displays of the different colour schemes to match the products. The technology equips business establishments that want to use the modern windows display methods with abilities to give the same order of display of their products in different establishments, this is done digitally by the use of a device called a planogram. At the end, the windows displays should be able to show the prize, quality and content of the product. Certain themes are included in the display to match different occasions. Like one would display a flaky or snow background to enhance the view of clothes worn during winter season. When someone looks at this picture, in his mind he is given the imagination that the climate inside the window display is cold or freezing, a simple act of creativity makes the brain to have its imagination hence the brain completes the art work of the artist. People have received these window displays in different ways across the globe; this varies with the level of technology and advancements used. The Regent Street Windows Project is a series of six marvellous window displays in the United Kingdom, this is the furthest window display and architecture has gone as far as technology is concerned. This is a non-government funded project that is mainly a coalition between the retail shop owners and some of the most qualified architects in the place. The retail shop owners fund the projects and give the solid space for the designing to take place, and the architects provide their expertise in designing the beautiful scenery on the walls. The regent street windows project attracts an estimated 1.25 million people in a week; this is by far many people than the count of tourist arrivals in many countries in a whole year. The project has been in major shows across the globe. This shows that how much the public have appreciated some of the window display facilities that are present. It also shows the milestones that have been taken in the designing of window display projects it gives a close to real display, some of the window display facilities have been designed to attract certain audiences. At the Leule shop the display is designed to cover a magical atmosphere that mainly attracts kids, hence some of these displays are meant for entertainment purposes. When scary stories are told to kids while they are at the scene, the audience tends to freak out due to the emotion raised by the environment the cobwebs and the dark grey background gives a scary impression. The Leule, like the regent street windows project attracts large crowds. The experience in these pieces of arts is unique since they offer a view of a world that is so close to being real but also created by our own imagination. Hence, the imagination of the real world is the main driving force in the scenario. The creativity that helps comes up with some of these projects is purely genius, it is an effort of many experts put together to come up with a masterpiece. The sole aim of the windows display project is to sell the different goods found in the business premises, this way of marketing as Louis Crewe explains, is known as experience economy, whereby one uses pas experiences to predict and put in place measures to make better planning methods. This is always accurate in most cases since the circumstances that hinder the project from succeeding are foreseen and avoided. The difference in the marketing is quite evident, in the past retailers did not consider modifying the available space to suit the expectations of the consumers. Then, people did not view human geography as a vital component of life hence modification was not known to them. It was after the retailers started thinking about the interest’s for the consumer that the aspect of window display emerged, this was initially a small space left, especially made of glass, this was meant to allow for space to view the goods from outside the shop, since then the architecture of buildings changed to suit mans new way of life, hence there was need to change the marketing strategies, the displays were moved inside the shops such that they were internalised into the system. The whole mentality of retail business changed when business became a matter of satisfying the consumer, Selfridge, the owner of the big company known as Selfridges, came up with statement that the customer is always right and the sole role of the businessmen and women was to please the consumer and do everything that pleased them, this increased the level of services offered by the retail businessmen, most of them opted to good marketing strategies that included the employment of new windows display designs, competition from the neighbouring rivals, the Harvey Nichols investment enterprise, sparked these and soon most of the shops gave room for window shopping. With the spread of these two investment brands across the world, the art of window displaying of products spread with it, soon it was all over in the Chinese Asian countries and that way the whole world came to know about the aspect of window display to impress customers. Major reforms and improvements over the years have contributed to the spectacular art we now have in the different windows of display across the world. (Sternquist, B 2007, 47) The regent street window project is a project with so many competitors but no equals; it is a one of its own kind in the world offering the best form of visual creativity blended with the reality to come up with a complete masterpiece. Most of the consumers do not go there for the shopping experience, but for the unique scenery available in that place. The windows display project helps to market the products available in the shops located within the area covered by the project. It might not be that the products that lure the customers, but the manner in which they displayed that makes them attractive to the customers. Their imagination of the product is that it is as efficient as is it is displayed in the window. The image of the Disney princesses at the Walt Disney media franchise in USA is a major tourist destination, most people from around the world visit the scene to witness some of the imaginary heroes in the films. Some of the heroines include, Cinderella, snow white, Tiana, Merida and many others, in total the heroines add up to eleven. This form of creativity is what attracts many people to come see them, the images might not be those of characters who really existed but they have in one way or another appeared in human history or fairy tales. (Wright, G 2008, 96) On viewing the sculptures, one gets the feeling that those heroines actually existed in the real world. Some of these artistic displays are a blend of what people believe to have been true, they might even be myths and legends, and how the mind is capable of putting it down in image form. (Whitaker, J 2006, 36) The jubilee designs are other forms of fascinating artwork, which are defined for certain specific audiences. In this case, it is designed for children between the ages of 6 and 14 years. This is a major way of developing future artists, the children are given opportunities to make pieces of arts of their choice then the best piece of art is selected and given to the queen. This is a way of encouraging and realising young talent hence major contribution to the art world. The jubilee design event is the best way of attracting young architects to work on window displays. Another outstanding window display feature is the Adidas window shopping. This is an award-winning piece of art that gives one the chance to buy products online just by window-shopping; the products are delivered at the provided addresses hence very convenient. This type of window display facility neutralises the distance and time factor such that the consumer gats the product at the comfort of their home, and not necessarily going to the actual store to purchase it. The world of arts has changed a great deal; in fact, almost everything about window display has changed with time. From the past when rough sketches and hangers were used to display clothes in windows of shops to the modern world where sculptures close to real are used in window display. There are even atmospheres created to suit certain themes, like children stuff, food stuff, and different climatic conditions, man has an uncanny way of changing the environment to suit his comfort. The past window display designs are long and have been the digitalised modern technology, that is now being used not only to advertise products but also to entertain and as a way of earning income in itself. (Earle, J 2005, 167) The current technology used in graphic designing of window displays is three-dimensions, this brings out a delusional aspect of images to the eye such that they appear like one could actually touch the graphics, and this has been greatly welcomed by the filming industry, especially theatres. This shows that window display technology continues to change with the changing technological advancements. Since the two go hand in hand. (Adams, L 2001, 67) References: WHITAKER, J. (2006). Service and style: how the American department store fashioned the middle class. New York, St. Martin's Press GRUNENBERG, C., & HOLLEIN, M. (2002). Shopping a century of art and consumer culture. Ostfildern-Ruit, Hatje Cantz. EARLE, J. H. (2005). Graphics technology. Upper Saddle River, N.J., Pearson/Prentice Hall. TRI SYNERGY (FIRM), & POBROS (FIRM). (2009). Annie's millions a hidden object shopping spree! [Upton, MA], Tri Synergy. WRIGHT, G. (2008). USA. London, Reaktion. SKARE, O. (1986). Visual merchandising. Sunrise, FL, D. E. Visuals. STERNQUIST, B. (2007). International retailing. New York, Fairchild Publications. ADAMS, L. (2001). A history of Western art. Boston, Mass, McGraw Hill. Read More