Created by the former Wired editor-in-chief, Scott Dadich and released on February 10, 2017 – “Abstract: the Art of Design” is an Emmy-nominated Netflix original documentary series. As the name implies, the entire series focuses on demystifying the creative process of art and design, by interviewing designers across eight different fields, some of which will shock its viewers.
The aim of this TV series was to show the complicated fallacies that occur in varied fields of art and designing, establishing a provocative premise that has even been carried over to the second season: that design is a way of thinking which can be learned and applied by anyone in nearly any field. As such, it quickly grabs the interest of viewers, who are interested in learning designing.
Viewers gain in-depth knowledge at the most fundamental level for fields like Illustration, Footwear Design, Stage Design, Architecture, Automotive Design, Graphic Design, Photography, and Interior Design. How do you create a sneaker for the greatest basketball players in the world? How do you build a man-made ski mountain? If you find yourself asking these questions, the TV series is must-watch!
Abstract: the Art of Design successfully demonstrates that we are surrounded by great design and most of us don’t even notice it, as the best designers often strive to be invisible, because they prioritize function and prize simplicity. This helps them expand horizons on design thinking, which has in turn helped shaped our world. Each episode follows an individual narrative of designers in different fields.
It explores the fields with the characteristics and quirks of the subjects themselves, and includes names like photographer Platon, interior designer Ilse Crawford, automotive designer Ralph Gilles, graphic designer Paula Scher, architect Bjarke Ingels, stage designer Es Deviln, Nike design virtuoso Tinker Hatfield, and illustrator Christoph Niemann, who will have their own 45-minute episodes!
The entire TV series is available on the American version of Netflix. If you want to learn
how to get Netflix USA in Canada or elsewhere, you will need a VPN service for region-hopping. However, once you unblock the complete library, you can easily watch Abstract, which uses motion design to bring the work of each artist to life and create an experience that immerses the audience into each episode.
Not many may notice but each frame of the TV series illustrated the work of artists in their truest form, which is why The New York Times even called Abstract, “Richly informative, and moreover, visually lush; the camera finds snatches of beauty in every field, from photography to interior design and everything in between.” Such high applauds is bound to convince anyone to watch the show.
And with COVID-19 lockdowns still underway, Netflix has even made the first season of the show available on YouTube, as part of their initiative to make its documentaries free to watch during the coronavirus pandemic. We hope this will, in a small way, help teachers around the world," the streaming company said. Indeed, it has while teaching students that design is not just a visual thing, but a thought process!
